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OT- Chevy Box truck (van) from Hell... what are these parts ? (Pic)

Milacron

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No fuel getting to engine (runs fine on starter fluid sprayed in air cleaner) ... so I look for fuel filter and find nothing as it should be according to what others have found. Both components pictured are in general area where filter should be... rusty one looks like a pump but fuel pump is supposed to be in the tank. Could it be that the aftermarket box installer installed a different fuel pump and perhaps the (impossible to get to) black plastic thing is the fuel filter ?

FWIW, the rusty component seems to have fuel lines going in and out, plus many electrical wires (a dozen or so) . The black plastic thing has just 2 or 3 wires.
 

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The fuel pump should be inside the fuel tank and the pumps do occasionally fail.

It is mounted with the fuel gauge sending unit. Usually a metal disc that rotates and locks into the tank.
 
Not sure what year yours is, but my wifes 2012 Traverse has the fuel filter in the tank. Maybe this is the same?
2010 Chevy Express 3500 with 6.0 V8 gas


From what I have read there is a strainer in the tank to capture larger particles but an exterior filter for finer particles . RockAuto does not list a filter however so maybe the in tank one is all there is sure enough.

Having said that do you suppose water in the tank might cause the engine to not run at all ? Truck has been sitting for 2 years with 1/4 tank . Still it went from running normal/smooth to not running at all... seems like if water would run rough first ?
 
Water in tank would cause it not to run, but I think more likely scenario is the pump is gummed up and not pumping. Disconnect fuel line at engine, turn on ignition, does fuel pump? 2 year old fuel is probably cr@p too.
 
Of the fuel does NOT smell like fresh gas do NOT run the truck on it. Sour fuel will form gum on the valve stems and when engine cools will stick the valves. Crank it over and bent valves and push rods will result.
 
Be careful with taking the fuel line off.

The fuel pump is not powered from the ignition but directly from the battery through a relay. There is also an interlock with the front collision sensor that will shut the power off to the fuel pump in the event of a front collision.

You will need to disconnect the battery to shut off the fuel pump.

There is also the issue of a bad ground back at the fuel tank/ fuel level sensor/fuel pump. The ground likes to rust especially if it is an older truck that has been setting. Yours has a lot of corrosion like we have in the Midwest from road salt it appears to be a prime candidate for this problem.

I would start by making sure that Ov and 12v is present back at the fuel tank.
 
GM has in the past wired the fuel pump to shut off if the oil pressure is low.
If the oil pressure sending unit is faulty the fuel pump will not be energized.
John
 
actually the fuel pump will only have power for about 3 seconds without the engine running.

no fuel filter persea
fuel pressure gauge would be a helpful visual
fuse check
swap pump relay with another - should be 3 or so of the same relay in the box
look at relay connections usually marked on side of relay, jumper b+ and pump feed, key on check for voltage going to pump
replace pump, clean tank, flush lines.
from sitting may need to do an injector clean with the bottle method - hopefully.

most likely a tank with bad fuel and a dead pump. can't leave today's gas sit

if you should see you have fuel pressure but it won't run injectors probably gummed up with today's residual gas
 
Fuel injectors stuck from sitting with rotten gas in them. Tap on them to free them up


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Find the gas tanks. There will be some steel or plastic lines coming out. Follow these, it aint that hard.They end up in engine compartment.Almost all fuel injected vehicles have electric fuel pumps in the tank .They have a fine sock filter in the tank. I never have seen a gm with fuel injection that ALSO DIDNT HAVE AN EXTERNAL FILTER.Edwin Dirnbeck
 
Assuming it is a gas truck, not diesel.......

Gas sitting in the truck for 2 years is bad. It probably does not (as mentioned) even smell like gas. It will barely burn. That's enough problem right there to make it not run. The bad gas may have corroded things throughout, although I have not seen that personally.

Drain tanks and lines, put in fresh, and try it again.
 
Most likely an overheated fuel pump feed wire terminal at the fuel tank sending unit. May also have overheated the terminals in the fuse panel to the main connector on the back of the fuse panel. Have to remove the fuse panel and separate the connectors to find it. Had many of these in the Chevy shop where I was before retirement. Terminal and connector at the sending unit have been upgraded in size and current handling capacity. I’ve had trucks that melted everything which gets expensive in parts and labor...
Joe
 
I know squat about vans.
With some dodge & chev pickup trucks having tank mounted fuel pumps. If you take off the fuel filler cap you can hear the pump runing when the ignition is first switched on. This might help in your trouble shooting.
Good luck.
Doug
 








 
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