No Startup

[OldSchoolNoe]

Hello AstroSafarians I bought this van last week on Monday. It started up like a champ at the seller's house and at the intermittent stops at the gas station. I've been busy so the van has sat for 8 days. This morning I tried to start it up and no-go. First few tries it wanted to start, next try got nothing but clicks.
Jumpstarted the van and still nothing. For about an hour I tried jump starting but it just wouldn't start. It cranks but there's no combustion?

A few things I noticed are some loud "static" noises coming from the cluster whenever I turn on the front lights.

This van overheated on the way home from buying. Have filled cooling system but not properly (Air bubbles could be trapped inside).

Battery says purchased on 05/2020 connections are clean

No codes found with scanner

When I bought the van it consumed way too much fuel in its initial tank, our secondary vehicle noticed "leaks" from the back while driving. Next fill up fuel consumption seemed "normal." Could hint at a bad fuel delivery.

My next step is to change the starter and crankshaft position sensor. I could also try blowing some starter fluid through the air box to further my diagnosis. What do you guys suggest?

[AstroWill]

I suggest fully charging the battery, with a charger ASAP. Second I would try to find out what you are missing, are you getting fuel? Are you getting spark?
Starting fluid is a quick way to see if it's fuel related. Borrow a fuel pressure gauge from your LAPS and check your pressure.

I would also inspect the ignition system, standard tune up stuff like plugs/wires/cap/rotor/Pancake Distributor Disease.

Sorry to hear about the overheating, I hope it was a slight overheat situation and not a 'red line to the max' type of overheating.

Sounds like you got a bit of work on your hands. Good Luck!

[OldSchoolNoe]

Waited for a portable jumper to come in. Using Tacklife KP200. Before I've only gotten those "machine gun" clicks. I checked the battery with a multimeter before jumpstarting, It read 11.4 Jumped it and the van wanted to start. Grabbed a bottle of Valvoline starting fluid, took out the air filter and sprayed a decent amount into the intake. BAM! Van came on and it stayed on.
Multimeter to the battery read 14.4 while idling
Stopped and restarted with no jump, hesitated for about half a second but started.

Got it running but did notice a coolant puddle on the floor, also a smaller oil puddle further back.

Noticed that the front light are always on (switch is to the off position).

What next? Did not test the fuel pressure, but assume it is getting pressure. Maybe fuel injectors?

[Leeann_93]

You have daytime running lights, aka DRLs. That’s what’s on with the vehicle running and no parking lights.

The need for starting fluid to get it running the first time might be a result of the low battery, or it could be a clogged fuel filter or a marginal fuel pump, or the poppet valves were clogged or...

Make sure the battery is fully charged, either by driving it a lot (not just idling in the driveway) or getting a battery charger and charging it fully.

Now try to start it when the van is cold again. Does it start easily? If yes, it was because the battery was too low. If no, try the starting fluid again (but not so much this time). Now does it start easily? Does it stay running?

If it starts easily with starting fluid, but not without it, you need to buy or rent a fuel injection pressure tester. Test the fuel pressure, KOEO (Key On, Engine Off). What is the pressure at prime (1st 3 secs after you turn the key)? What is the pressure just after the prime cycle ends? What is the pressure 10 mins later?

Run the test several times. The fuel pump in my Bravada only failed when hot. When cold, it was fine, but 20 mins later, it would die like you had pulled the plug. Of course, I had a full tank of gas, so I drove it short trips around town to get the fuel level down a lot before I dropped the tank.

If the fuel filter doesn’t look new, replace it. The pump in my ‘02 whined really badly all the time, and failed to provide enough fuel under heavy demand, from the day I purchased the van. I replaced the fuel filter a month after the purchase, and it immediately cured both problems - I never heard the fuel pump whine again and I never got the flashing SES under heavy demand again. The filter was almost completely clogged with black crap. I never had to replace the pump on that van.

I did have to replace the pump on my ‘05 just under a year ago, and it never whined or made any noise like the one in the ‘02, right up until the day it died a sudden, unexpected death (fortunately for me, in my driveway). My husband gave our daughter a ride to work (2 miles each way) and parked it. I couldn’t get it started an hour later to run to NAPA for brake parts for my Jeep. Again, with most of a tank of gas. I never could get it started, even whacking the bottom of the tank, so I had to siphon out the gas before dropping the tank.

Check the fuel pump ground (crosspiece in front of the tank) and the fuel pump electrical connection (big black connection on the same crosspiece). Make sure the body, ground washer and screw are clean and tight. Check the electrical connection for any signs of arcing. Now check the fuel pump relay under the hood - are the spades clean?

[OldSchoolNoe]

Ordering a fuel pressure tester(Just to have one) and a fuel filter. In another thread Uncle Bob wrote (In regards to the fuel filter line wrench sizes).

"I think the filter portion is 18 or 19 mm while a 5/8" (SAE )will fit the fuel line nut."

Can anyone confirm this?

In a YouTube video someone used a 13/16 & 5/8 Also a 1/2 for the "bracket."

[Leeann_93]

I use all metric. If it’s a stock filter, 20mm and 15mm (or 16, now I can’t remember). If it’s an aftermarket filter, it could be 19mm instead of 20mm. 13mm for the bracket.

[AstroWill]

Should all be metric, however some sizes are really close in SAE and so depending on tolerances you can use either. I prefer to use the proper sizes as it lessens the chance of rounding something off, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. 16mm and 20mm sticks in my head for some reason. Line/Flare nut wrenches are recommended.

Just like in a lot of tool sets sold in the USA, the metric set will be missing some sizes because they figure you will just use the SAE equivalent.

[OldSchoolNoe]

Fuel Pressure tester came in and connected it to the Schrader Valve inside the doghouse. Without starting the engine the Fuel Pressure read 60 PSI. Released pressure on the tester and retested, 60 psi. The last test came at 40 psi, but that's because the battery was low on juice.

Used the aforementioned portable jump starter and noticed something new this time. During KOEO, the van's gauges fully interact (battery reads at around 14) but stays like this for about 5 seconds, then everything dims drastically (battery needle goes to 9). Can't even get a click from the starter relay at this point.
This cycle happened multiple times until the portable jump starter itself ran out of charge. I suspect I have a bad wire somewhere that's killing the battery each time it is recharged and "started." The battery terminal bolts are rounded off and I noticed a "red plug" that is not connected to anything, will upload pics of it.

It's a sunny day about 60 degrees.

[sixsix]

... I noticed a "red plug" that is not connected to anything

Uh oh



( UPDATE ... It's already got to him...
- see, it's a White Plug - clearly it got in his eyes...
- The old Red Wire with Black Stripe... )

[AstroWill]

Fuel Pressure tester came in and connected it to the Schrader Valve inside the doghouse. Without starting the engine the Fuel Pressure read 60 PSI. Released pressure on the tester and retested, 60 psi. The last test came at 40 psi, but that's because the battery was low on juice.

If your battery dies that quickly, you most likely need a new battery. Have you had the battery load tested recently?