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Bill_Diana's avatar
Bill_Diana
Explorer
Dec 31, 2013

454 TBI Check Engine Light - uel Pump Relay

I‘m in need of advice, help, suggestions.......

1995 Chevrolet 454 TBI engine with about 66,000 miles.

Recently when starting the engine it will give up and then immediate shut down. Then it will be very difficult to restart. Lots of cranking before it starts. When it does start there is a Check Engine Light. The next time I start the engine it starts up just fine. After several starts and travelling for a while the check Engine Light will go out.

I found a procedure to short out the OBD terminals and got a Code 54 to flash on the dashboard.

It seems this hard start situation happens when on the road travelling and starting a hot engine. Several times I removed the battery cable to clear the check Engine Light and it seems the engine will then start right
up.

The engine has always started easily and this problem had just been the last few months.

Any ideas???
Class A

11 Replies

  • Bill_Diana's avatar
    Bill_Diana
    Explorer
    Jul 20, 2014
    It has now been over 5 months since replacing the fuel pump relay and Check Engine light has not returned since. So I'm now convinced the problem has been repaired. I think I got lucky on this one. Hope this info has been helpful to others. Again, thanks to all of you for your input and support.
  • Gjac's avatar
    Gjac
    Explorer III
    Feb 13, 2014
    Thanks for the update. I was wondering how you made out. I have the same year chassis.
  • Bill_Diana's avatar
    Bill_Diana
    Explorer
    Feb 13, 2014
    Just finished replacing the fuel pump relay on the 1995 Chevrolet 454 TBI engine. I was able to buy a new relay for about $12 at NAPA. The part number is AR279SB. The most difficult part of the job was getting my hands into a rather confined space. Also, there was a plastic tab on the old relay that held the plug in place so it would not accidently disconnect from the relay....and I finally twisted it off because I was able to see how to release it. To secure the plug to the new relay I used a plastic wire tie.

    The engine started up just fine but I will not know if this is the "fix" until I have run the motorhome on the road for an hour or so. If the staring problem returns I'll be sure to let you all know on this thread.
  • Bill_Diana's avatar
    Bill_Diana
    Explorer
    Jan 26, 2014
    I'm one step closer to replacing the fuel pump relay. Yesterday I removed the engine dog house and searched for the location of the relay. At first I did not see it but then there it was all by itself located on the side firewall near where the gas pedal would be located on the other side of the wall. It was late in the day so I did not have the time or patience to replace the relay at this time. Will do the job later this week and report back with an update.
  • mike_brez's avatar
    mike_brez
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2013
    Bill/Diana wrote:
    Hey fellas..... thanks for taking the time to read this posting and a special thanks sharing your knowledge. I'll going to try the fuel pump relay replacement to see what that does. Biggest problem will be finding where it is located on the engine since I have no idea what it looks like. Maybe the best way is to buy the new one then I know what it looks like.

    Once I compete this I'll update this posting.

    Thanks again.


    LOL that's how I found mine.
  • Born_To_Travel's avatar
    Born_To_Travel
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2013
    I think the fuel pump relay is the right place to start.. If it is located as Mike says above the left bank near the gas pedal under the doghouse, it would explain why it happens a lot on the road when the engine is hot.. It gets a lot of heat there and that may be helping to cause it to fail..
  • Bill_Diana's avatar
    Bill_Diana
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2013
    Hey fellas..... thanks for taking the time to read this posting and a special thanks sharing your knowledge. I'll going to try the fuel pump relay replacement to see what that does. Biggest problem will be finding where it is located on the engine since I have no idea what it looks like. Maybe the best way is to buy the new one then I know what it looks like.

    Once I compete this I'll update this posting.

    Thanks again.
  • mike_brez's avatar
    mike_brez
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2013
    My 1994 tbi was hard to start and changed the fuel pump relay and no more hard start. My relay was located under the dog house near the gad pedal. Only a fees bucks for a news one. Worth a shot.
  • Born_To_Travel's avatar
    Born_To_Travel
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2013
    If it won't start give it a shot of starting fluid.. If it fires right up it is a fuel problem...

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