2012 Tahoe 5.3 Shut down 3 months. Will not start. Help? Ideas? FIXED!

[TerryKing]

Hi Everyone,
My 2012 Tahoe has run very well for years. Winter starts were OK.

I had to leave it for 3 months to travel to Middle East. I added Stabil, fresh gas before shutdown. Ran battery maintainer. It 'rested' 3 months in my barn in Vermont.

No Start. If cycling key on and off after an hour, it may do a quick stumble. No actual start. Waited for 3 above-freezing days, added some electric heat under fuel lines. No start. Battery good.

What should I check out next?? Ideas on what is wrong?

I will borrow reader and check for codes today.

Any advice / suggestions appreciated!

Regards, Terry King
...In The Woods In Vermont
The one who dies with the most Parts LOSES! WHAT DO YOU NEED??

 

[George B]

i suspect you have spark. Smells like gas?

Maybe hold the pedal to the floor when cranking.

 

[OR VietVet]

Cranking rhythm? Turns over fast, like it did before? Gotta start with basics. Have spark? Fuel pressure?

 

[Doubeleive]

Hi Everyone,
My 2012 Tahoe has run very well for years. Winter starts were OK.

I had to leave it for 3 months to travel to Middle East. I added Stabil, fresh gas before shutdown. Ran battery maintainer. It 'rested' 3 months in my barn in Vermont.

No Start. If cycling key on and off after an hour, it may do a quick stumble. No actual start. Waited for 3 above-freezing days, added some electric heat under fuel lines. No start. Battery good.

What should I check out next?? Ideas on what is wrong?

I will borrow reader and check for codes today.

Any advice / suggestions appreciated!

Regards, Terry King
...In The Woods In Vermont
The one who dies with the most Parts LOSES! WHAT DO YOU NEED??

check fuel pressure and reach under the drivers side rear and smack the bottom of the gas tank with a rubber mallet a few times

 

[TerryKing]

Hi and Thanks!! Fuel Pressure: How to test / What I need?; will be by O'reilly's soon..
I have done the rubber mallet on the tank but will repeat that. Is the pump fore or aft of that long tank??
Isthere a specific fuse to test??

Thanks Guys!! T

 

[Doubeleive]

Hi and Thanks!! Fuel Pressure: How to test / What I need?; will be by O'reilly's soon..
I have done the rubber mallet on the tank but will repeat that. Is the pump fore or aft of that long tank??
Isthere a specific fuse to test??

Thanks Guys!! T

you can get a basic fuel pressure tester for $20-30 at most autoparts stores or harbor freight, it should read 50-65psi with key on (pre-start) and then drop to around 45 while running. if it was working before I don't see any reason to suspect a fuse, I would be looking for chewed wires if it was left parked in a barn from critters.

 

[TerryKing]

Hi Again,
OK borrowed a fuel pressure gauge from Oreillys. Quick look 2 mins ago: I do not see a fuel test port at rear of the "Vortec" plastic top cover on passengers side, like some online view showed.
And I hate to say I have never taken the top plastic cover OFF.. :-( Does it just come upward with enough force??
And any more exact info on the test port location 2012 Tahoe 5.3 would be appreciated! My son in law will be stopping by a little later and we'll look at it together.

THANKS! Good to be not totally alone here in the snowy woods...

 

[Fubar0715]

Hi Again,
OK borrowed a fuel pressure gauge from Oreillys. Quick look 2 mins ago: I do not see a fuel test port at rear of the "Vortec" plastic top cover on passengers side, like some online view showed.
And I hate to say I have never taken the top plastic cover OFF.. :-( Does it just come upward with enough force??
And any more exact info on the test port location 2012 Tahoe 5.3 would be appreciated! My son in law will be stopping by a little later and we'll look at it together.

THANKS! Good to be not totally alone here in the snowy woods...

Hopefully, the snow is not too bad today! Its been falling here all morning and we are getting accumulation now, YAY!

 

[Fless]

Hi Again,
OK borrowed a fuel pressure gauge from Oreillys. Quick look 2 mins ago: I do not see a fuel test port at rear of the "Vortec" plastic top cover on passengers side, like some online view showed.
And I hate to say I have never taken the top plastic cover OFF.. :-( Does it just come upward with enough force??
And any more exact info on the test port location 2012 Tahoe 5.3 would be appreciated! My son in law will be stopping by a little later and we'll look at it together.

THANKS! Good to be not totally alone here in the snowy woods...

The Schrader valve to test the fuel pressure is on the passenger side fuel rail and likely has a plastic cap on it. Nearer the rear of the head than to the front. Looks like a tire valve but physically bigger.

 

[swathdiver]

Hi Again,
OK borrowed a fuel pressure gauge from Oreillys. Quick look 2 mins ago: I do not see a fuel test port at rear of the "Vortec" plastic top cover on passengers side, like some online view showed.
And I hate to say I have never taken the top plastic cover OFF.. :-( Does it just come upward with enough force??
And any more exact info on the test port location 2012 Tahoe 5.3 would be appreciated! My son in law will be stopping by a little later and we'll look at it together.

THANKS! Good to be not totally alone here in the snowy woods...

Fuel rail port is on the passenger side of the intake. Lift up on plastic cover and pull forward. Fuel pressure running ought to be 43.5 psi.

I suspect a security issue. If you have gas and spark and air I would want to put a Tech-2 on it and look for internal codes.

 

[Doubeleive]

keep it simple, do the fuel pressure test first and go from there

 

[George B]

 

[TerryKing]

I suspect a security issue. If you have gas and spark and air I would want to put a Tech-2 on it and look for internal codes.

I don't have access to a Tech-2 but I have a 'decent' OBII scanner and will check that first tomorrow.

WHAT could be a "Security Issue"?? Sorry, no idea...

Thanks! Terry

 

[Doubeleive]

I don't have access to a Tech-2 but I have a 'decent' OBII scanner and will check that first tomorrow.

WHAT could be a "Security Issue"?? Sorry, no idea...

Thanks! Terry

UNLESS it is starting for a second and then shutting off automatically and the security light is lit up then that's not it.
what did the fuel pressure show?
also unless you have a check engine light on a OBD scanner is pretty much useless in this type of case and most check engine issue's are simply smog related equipment and will not prevent you from starting and driving away, a flashing check engine light means there is a misfire, etc or some other issue that may cause engine damage if it is driven.

 

[TerryKing]

CURIOUSER and CURIOUSER: No FuelPump Relay OR Fuse in main electrical box...

FIRST: NO FUEL PRESSURE at key-on or Crank. DID hammer fueltank.

But I have the actual photo of the layout of the main electrical box:

There is NOTHING in the FuelPump Relay position and NOTHING in Fuse position 20 (Fuel Pump (24A)

I'm sure no one of my friends snuck in and took those, because the dirt in those locations is untouched. Also they are not THAT weird...
Here's that area of the Electrical Box:

This was a Government vehicle (Federal not police). Here's the actual RPO list:

So my burning question of the moment, of course, is WTF??
Anyone seen this? Any pointers? Any wild ideas?? Suggestions on Where To Start Looking?

THANKS for looking at / thinking about This!

Regards, Terry

 

[Fless]

SWAG: Check power on both sides of fuse #21 for the Fuel System Control Module.

When you turn the key on, can you hear the fuel pump run for a few seconds?

If you get this far, here are some test procedures for the FSCM:

Fuel System Control Module Diagnosis

fuel system Control module Diagnosis AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE, YOU WILL FIND THE YOUTUBE VIDEO FOR THIS PROCEDURE. YOU WILL ALSO FIND THE PIN OUT DIAGRAM FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE FOUND …

gmflash.com

 

[Doubeleive]

CURIOUSER and CURIOUSER: No FuelPump Relay OR Fuse in main electrical box...

FIRST: NO FUEL PRESSURE at key-on or Crank. DID hammer fueltank.

But I have the actual photo of the layout of the main electrical box:
View attachment 389084

There is NOTHING in the FuelPump Relay position and NOTHING in Fuse position 20 (Fuel Pump (24A)

I'm sure no one of my friends snuck in and took those, because the dirt in those locations is untouched. Also they are not THAT weird...
Here's that area of the Electrical Box:
View attachment 389085

This was a Government vehicle (Federal not police). Here's the actual RPO list:

View attachment 389086

So my burning question of the moment, of course, is WTF??
Anyone seen this? Any pointers? Any wild ideas?? Suggestions on Where To Start Looking?

THANKS for looking at / thinking about This!

Regards, Terry

They eliminated the fuel pump fuse and combined with the fuel pump control module. so you do not have a fuel pump fuse per say.
since there is no fuel pressure you could try pulling the harness off of the fuel pump control module and be sure it is clean and has no corrosion it is located under the spare tire on the bottom of the body. otherwise you may simply have a dead fuel pump I would certainly be looking under it with a flashlight for any chewed wires though mice love barns.

 

[TerryKing]

Thanks everyone for info.... Late but I'll get out there in the morning...
LOCATION?? For the Control Module?? Have to lower the spare tire and it above spare location on bottom of body??

Is this the same item?? Supposed to be for my VIN.

https://www.autozone.com/engine-man...n-fuel-pump-driver-module-601-131/1238562_0_0

THANKS!! MAYBE zeroing in.... (Fuel pump replaced 2 years ago BTW)...

Regards, Terry

 

[Fless]

The video in the link I posted shows where it is, and the tests to confirm that it's the module. You can also test the pump using jumpers while you're there.

RockAuto listed two different GM OE parts, one with JL1 and one without. You have JL4, and it appears that the Dorman part in the link would be compatible since you don't have JL1.

The GM modules would require programming. I don't have any experience with these but am just playing show and tell.

 

[Doubeleive]

you could try the dorman module but if you plug it in then they are usually not returnable if it turns out to not be the problem, my money would be on the fuel pump froze up from sitting if the wiring isn't chewed up anywhere. Watch the video in the link Fless gave and it will allow you determine the problem.