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Cold weather start up problems


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Geodude
Novice

Jan 11, 2011, 11:12 AM

Post #1 of 12 (3236 views)
Cold weather start up problems Sign In

Hello.

My 1999 Chevrolet Silverado (V6) has just over 99,000 miles.

Just out of the blue yesterday, it didn't want to start in this cold weather (20 degrees and colder). When I hold the acclerator down to "choke" it, it will start, but still wants to die until it gets warmed up. Then it runs normally.

Any idea what might be the problem?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 11, 2011, 2:53 PM

Post #2 of 12 (3223 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

First off, your not choking anything when you hold the accelerator down. The truck is fuel injected.

You're going to have to test the fuel pressure in the morning when it won't start. This engine uses a high pressure system that is very pressure sensitive. It needs over 55PSI to even run.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Geodude
Novice

Jan 11, 2011, 3:02 PM

Post #3 of 12 (3217 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

Yeah, I knew I wasn't really choking it, that's why "choke" is in quotation marks. That's just what it made me think of when I was able to start it that way. How do you test the fuel pressure, though? I'm pretty sure I've never done that before. Is there a certain tool/gauge I need to use?


(This post was edited by Geodude on Jan 11, 2011, 3:04 PM)


Hammer Time
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Jan 11, 2011, 3:06 PM

Post #4 of 12 (3210 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

You use a fuel pressure gauge. There is a service port on the back of the engine on the fuel line.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Geodude
Novice

Jan 11, 2011, 3:49 PM

Post #5 of 12 (3206 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

Okay.

Also, I'm not sure when I last changed the fuel filter. Any chance that could be the issue?

I'm not sure if that would be related to cold start problems or not.

Thanks for you help, by the way.


(This post was edited by Geodude on Jan 11, 2011, 3:50 PM)


Hammer Time
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Jan 11, 2011, 3:59 PM

Post #6 of 12 (3202 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

Not likely but it can lead to premature pump failure so it should be changed if it has over 30k on it or has seen any bad gas.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
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Jan 13, 2011, 5:02 AM

Post #7 of 12 (3196 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

Note to add: Fuel filter is on frame and they can get real rusted stuck. Change it often. Fuel pressure is critical to most of these at HT said.

BTW - you shouldn't have to, and should NOT touch the "gas pedal" to start this, hot or cold,

T



(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Jan 13, 2011, 5:03 AM)


Geodude
Novice

Jan 13, 2011, 9:56 AM

Post #8 of 12 (3185 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

Well, as it happens I had a mobile mechanic out to diagnose the problem and hopefully fix it while I was at work. Of course, it started up fine so he was unable to do a diagnosis (no problem code either). However, since I owed him for a service call and my cost was going to come out about even, I had him go ahead and replace the fuel filter since I knew it hadn't been done in long time. The filter definitely needed changing and I've had no problem since, even though these last two mornings have been even colder. May just be luck, but we'll see what transpires from here.

Thanks for the help, both of you.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 13, 2011, 10:40 AM

Post #9 of 12 (3182 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

No codes found and didn't do it with new fuel filter sounds like a fix to me but time will tell. If it does do it again I hope it will leave you a code at least if intermittent,

T



Geodude
Novice

Jan 13, 2011, 10:44 AM

Post #10 of 12 (3175 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

Yes, I hope so too.

Thanks again.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 13, 2011, 2:20 PM

Post #11 of 12 (3169 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

The fuel filter will not cause the problem. These are high flow systems that only burn a small portion of what goes through it and 90% of the fuel passes through the filter and back to the tank so to have a filter obstruct to the point of causing an engine problem would have ruined the fuel pump already.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jan 13, 2011, 4:16 PM

Post #12 of 12 (3163 views)
Re: Cold weather start up problems Sign In

HT - I know you don't think ICE. Filter "could" collect yuk and ice and only a maybe, was at least part of the problem. Can't tell on a web site vs being there??

T







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