chevy gear heads

[booty51]

I have a 1996 p -30 chases with a 454 J code engine. It will start up and run fine (engine cold). After the engine warms up engine will crank but makes no attempt to fire. I drove rv from storage to the house (about 20 miles) backed into the drive. Tried to start rv later and it just turned over never firing. I let it sit over night and it started right up. I turned the engine off and restarted a couple of times sitting in the drive Idling again engine cold. I warmed up engine. I was showing engine temp. and shut engine off. Tried to restart and all it does is crank,never attempting to fire. Is it a coil issue? Also Is this coil external ?

[jplante4]

eHoefler wrote:
Ignition module in the distributor. Does not send a signal to the ECM to run the fuel pump. Been there done that, common problem.

This. Same happened on my 1995 P30. Replaced the fuel pump first and ended up needing to do the distributor anyway.

[eHoefler]

A bad ignition module can have spark and have a weak to no signal to send to the ecm to indicate it is cranking, thus not turning on the fuel pump.

[Jayco23FB]

1996 should have the new style distributor (sometimes the RV world was slower than regular production with advancements) with a seperate ignition coil.
1st thing to do is determine if it is a fuel problem or an ignition problem. When it does not start, spray some carb cleaner down the throttle body, then crank the engine if it tries to start it is most likely fuel related and probably the fuel pump. If it does not attempt to start it is most likely ignition related. Check the following as these are common in that year.
1. Check for a green deposit inside the dist. if you have this replace the pickup coil and distributor shaft. make sure you replace both. The problem was oil moving up the shaft and damaging those components.
2. Check the computers temperature sensor if it reads incorrectly at normal operating temp. (high) it may not deliver the proper amount of fuel.
3. Check coil wire for a black carbon looking deposit at both connection points (coil and dist) if you have this replace coil and coil wire.
4. Its possible that you have a bad ignition module but that wasnt as common as the items listed above.
Good luck.

[eHoefler]

Ignition module in the distributor. Does not send a signal to the ECM to run the fuel pump. Been there done that, common problem.

[mdanielson55]

That yr 454 should have the coil in the dist cap. Me personally would buy a new cap and rotor.The coil comes with cap. When you change cap your firing order is 18436572 one is drivers side front and goes clockwise around dist. If it still gets warm and won't crank take the cap and rotor off and a curved black part with 2 wires and 2 screws may be getting hot and quit firing. Replace this peice but do put dialectic grease on the bottom of the part before installing. This insulates the part from the heat hope this helps

[booty51]

thanks guys will check these few items.

[Gjac]

After you do what Jackie said (check for fuel) see if you have spark coming out or the coil wire, if so re insert coil wire then check for spark at the spark plug. Do this after engine shuts off and will not start then you will know if your have a ignition or fuel problem. Let us know what you find and you will get more detailed help.

[J-Rooster]

fivejackie wrote:
Doesn't sound like a bad coil but more like a vapor lock with the fuel pump. Pull the coil wire at the coil and loosen the fuel line. Turn the engine over to see if any fuel comes out of the line. This way you can rule out fuel problem and consider ignition as the problem.

X-2, very good advice for a starting point to eliminate your problems. Good Luck, I love Chevy engines I have the newer now obsolete 496 in my coach.

[fivejackie]

Doesn't sound like a bad coil but more like a vapor lock with the fuel pump. Pull the coil wire at the coil and loosen the fuel line. Turn the engine over to see if any fuel comes out of the line. This way you can rule out fuel problem and consider ignition as the problem.