99 Tahoe just died on me.

[klennop]

So I bought a 99 Tahoe with just under 100K on it. I got it home and then the next morning when leaving for work, I pulled out of the driveway and gave it some gas and it kind of stumbles a bit but then takes off. Then by the next time I have to start out everything seems fine.

The next morning I did it again but instead I ***** foot the gas and it takes off fine. It is just at the initial start up and if I give it a decent amount of gas, then it just seemed like something was preventing the acceleration I wanted.

So I did the seafoam thing and OMG there was soo much smoke. The TB was filthy, probably the dirtiest one I have ever seen. So then I put some in my gas tank. I then noticed my Tahoe had a K&N in it already so I cleaned that up and reoiled it. Well now I was planning on changing the plugs, plug wires, cap and rotor and fuel filter this week because I thought one of them could be causing the stumbling acceleration.

So today it stumbles in the morning like usual and then it seemed normal again. Well I stop at a gas station and the truck is idling and it just shuts off, like someone turned off a light switch. I still had power and everything but the engine just quit. So I try and start it and it just turns over and over but never fires.

Then I notice I don't hear a fuel pump like usual when you turn the key. Does that pump not pump if the truck is flooded or should you always here it turn on when you turn the key? Is there anything else I could check such as a fuse, guel pump shut off etc, and if so where are these things. Any other suggestions or ideas?

I have to go pick up my truck from the gas station and I am hoping it isn't the fuel pump because I have never changed on before and I also 3/4 tank.

Thanks for any help/suggestions or comments.

Keith

 

[klennop]

I checked my under the hood relay for the fuel pump and that is fine. So I went to Napa to get a fuel pump, it was $216 and it is made by Carter.

Out of curiousity I wanted to search for an OEM price because I think those are made by Delphi and I figure OEM "should" be better than the Carter one. Well OEM places give you 2 options with or without pickup but the price difference is $70. Napa didn't even give me this option so I am not sure what I should do.

Should I use the Carter one or go OEM? I have heard that Carter electronics are not the best, anyone?

 

[aquaholic]

have you checked the fuel pressure? i would certainly do that before i'de start randomly replacing parts.

 

[klennop]

I haven't checked the fuel pressure but wouldn't you think if the fuel pump isn't working that it would be the fuel pump? I used to hear it when I turned the key and now I don't. I checked the relay and that was fine.

I am not looking to replace random parts, I am looking to replace the fuel pump but when I look up my 99 tahoe there are 2 different fuel pumps.

One is with pickup and one without. On the AC Delco site it lists them as one with RPO Robust fuel sys sender and one with RPO Fuel Pump RFI Filter. So I am trying to determine what one mine has.

 

[aquaholic]

klen, did you check with your local chevy dealer? give them your vin # they may be able to tell you what options your tahoe came with. i know they can do this with corvette but i've never tried it with my tahoe.

 

[klennop]

Yeah I just called the chevy dealer and they told me which one is for my truck. My mechanic buddy got me a deal on a Delphi one through carquest for just over $200 so that is the route I am taking.

I have sent my VIN of my Jeep to Jeep before and they emailed me a list of all the options, etc. on it but I am not sure if GM will do the same??

 

[GMCYukalade]

klenn - one other thing you will really want to do - that oil you put on the K&N cloggs up the MAF on our tahoes/yukons - you will want to invest in some MAF cleaner and clean up the MAF.. - you can take the little screws out off of the plastic part, and clean the whole board as well, CAREFULLY!! - and clean the screen, and the little resistors

 

[klennop]

That is actually on my list of things to do also. I had searched the forums here and there was a person that had the same original that I did. He cleaned his MAF sensor and he had said his truck ran better than it ever did.

I have never had to clean a MAF before but I know I have to be very gentle with it!

 

[1CLNTHO]

Someone correct me if im wrong here:

What exactly were you hearing from the fuel pump when you turned the vehicle on? from the vehicles ive worked on and can actually speak for, you shouldnt hear anything from the fuel pump.

GM has this characteristic with multiple vehicles. I wouldnt call it a problem because they are usually good for atleast 70,000 miles. if your hearing a WHINING type sound from the fuel pump or anywhere under the vehicle (usually the fuel pump making that noise), then thats a tell-tale sign of a GM fuel pump going out. The fact that you heard a noise before and now you hear nothing is a little interesting. You didnt list what type of noise it was but if it was whine im betting thats what happened.

My 99 S10 Blazer LT 4x4 used to take a slight bit longer to fire, and the fuel pump made that sound for the longest time, and one day i was just drivin on the freeway and it died completely, power everything still. Replaced it and it was quiet as can be.

My buddies 98 Astro van did the same thing yours did, he parked it when somewhere and came back to get it and it wouldnt start anymore, and it had been making the same whining sound as well.

Hope this helps, just food for thought, but i could be wrong so if i misinformed you i apologize

 

[klennop]

Before everything hit the fan I was able to hear a very slight whine of the fuel pump when I turned the key before startup and then it would stop. I always wait for the fuel pump to stop before I turn the car over. I know what a fuel pump sounds like and I used to hear it only at initial start up.

Now I hear nothing at all when I turn the key, which to me tells me the fuel pump is not working.

I am going to start the project of replacing the fuel pump tonight. If after replacing it, the problem is not fixed then I am at a loss since I checked the relay under the hood and that was fine. Unless there is some sort of fuel cutoff switch. I know some of my other cars had a switch in the trunk to shut off fuel.

Hopefully it is just the fuel pump.

 

[GMCYukalade]

What you was hearing was the fuel pump priming (thats a Normal Noise) and now its not.. i mean that could be just a wiring issue.. bad ground or somewhere along those lines.. - but.. you still gotta drop the tank to get to everything

 

[Hardwarz]

Yes, replace the fuel pump.

I got mine at Autozone. I'm from Akron, Ohio and it cost about $130.

Hardwarz

 

[footinSD]

One thing I learned from my mechanic is to take a rubber mallet and hit the fuel tank a few times. If your tahoe is able to start again, your fuel pump needs to be replaced, but it should start a few times over and over if you hit the fuel tank. If it is unable to start again, it might be something else besides the fuel pump. I was able to "hit" start mine for a few weeks before finally taking it in to get replaced.

 

[klennop]

Yeah I tried the rubber mallet thing a couple of times. I think the over 3/4 full gas tank takes away a lot of the vibration that could have made the fuel pump start up.

Well one thing I would like to add is that the metal ring on top of the tank that holds the fuel pump down on my truck was REALLY rusted. I sprayed the crap out of it with PB blaster and it still wouldn't budge so I soaked it again and let it sit overnight (we used almost the whole can). So then I bought a replacement ring just in case plus I wanted to replace it anyways because the one was so rusted. We finally got it off and replaced the fuel pump.

This one is so quiet that it kind of freaked me out when I first turned the key because I didn't hear it run. I freaked for a minute. I have to really listen for it now where before I could hear it in the truck without any problem.

So now that is fixed. Off to cleaning the MAF sensor to get rid of some hesitation. Then tune up, tires and exhaust. One by one.

Thanks for the help!