I have a chevy S-10 ('97) truck - several weeks ago it abruptly stopped running- midtrip. I had one mechanic work on it & say it was the brainbox, then the sparkplug wires. I had the brainbox scanned twice. well it wasn’t the spark plugs. I finally took it to another mechanic- and they are having difficulty finding out what’s wrong. I can;t believe it. they’re taking their own sweet time too. any hints I should know. now the new mechanic is saying that it might need to have the brainbox scanned again. can that really happen?? Please help . Desparate & Frustrated in Indiana.
Hello, your problem maybe from a fuel pump/relay to a crankshaft/camshaft sensor. When you try to start it, check for the basic, such as spark and fuel, make sure that the engine is turning (not seized) and that the valves are moving (timing belt/chain not broken). Please post your results.
I have a '98 S-10 (4.3 V6) that had the engine computer go bad. It was reading out a fault having to do with the wiring harness on the transmission, but that was not the problem. The problem is that you need a new engine computer (about $500 with part, installation, and “flashing”). This is a dealer-only thing, so bite the bullet and go to the nearest Chevy dealer before they close the doors. I hope this solves your problem. It solved mine!
It’s not necessarily the computer. Before you randomly throw parts at the problem, some actual diagnosis should be done.
How did they arrive at the diagnosis that the computer was bad? Did they ever check the fuel pressure to see if the fuel pump is operating? Did they ever test the ignition coils to see if you’re getting spark?
A quick way to determine whether it’s a spark or fuel delivery problem is to spray some starting fluid down the intake while the engine is being cranked. If it starts up and runs for a moment before dying, you’re not getting fuel. If it doesn’t try to fire up, you’re not getting spark.
thank you to all who answered me back. I’ll try all these suggestions & let you know the results.
The best thing that you can do for the mechanics, who are attempting the troubleshooting, is to provide them with all the symptoms, and relevant information about the problem as you can remember.
A guess at possible faulty components is a turkey shoot. Ideas can be considered; but, they are not cures.