My truck started jerking, backfiring, until it finally died on side of road. Got it to a shop where I had them removed a catalytic convertor because it was fire hot red which indicated that it was stopped up but truck would not start. Since then have replaced fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel regulator, cam shaft sensor and it still just spins and spins and will not start. Bled the fuel rail bleeder got all air out of rail and still no luck. Has anyone else had this problem and if so what was the problem? I am going to check the compression on number one cylinder when the sun comes up and see if fire is going to number one coil. It has to be getting gas as everything has been replaced but feel like I replaced things that didn't need to be replaced and am running out of money. Could it have jumped time? and is there a way to make sure before I start tearing the engine apart?I sure miss distributor, rotor buttons, and points ..was easier to find problems..and fix.

 

If the engine is misfiring, the cat will get red hot because of all the excess fuel that gets burned in the cat. How many miles? You need to start troubleshooting, not just throwing parts at it. What are the check engine codes? A compression test of all cylinders may be a good place to start but the code reading should always be the first step.

 

When it was at the shop the only code that came up was for the cam shaft sensor and I replaced it. Will it give codes just by turning over because that is how the shop got the code and instead of replacing the sensor (oreillys right across the street) they put a fuel pump on it because they could get it to start for a sec with starting fluid (they could afterward too but it still wouldn't start). So I brought my truck home and I am trying to figure out if it's got fire bought a tool for that last night and compression checker..now have to wait for rain storm to pass.

 

Roadie, it has 225221 miles.

 

Both you and the shop went about this all wrong.
Yes the cats were burning gas in them but it was not helpful to just take them off like that unless they caused codes 420/421 or melted from the heat..
They were not the original trouble.
Basically your missing spark.
Put a good' clampon' timing light on the coil leads and check for the coils being pulsed by the computer.
The computer may have faulty drivers.
Power may be missing from the coils.
The crank sensor plug may be open.
You have to do trouble shooting before just replacing parts hoping to get lucky.
Good luck.

 

A shop that would replace the fuel pump without checking fuel pressure is a shop to avoid.

 

Thanks to both..went and bought a code reader scanner..Roadie my thoughts exactly is why I have it in my drive way trying to figure out what is wrong..gets me ..was running wonderful then all of sudden banging and jerking..making me nuts..I love my truck..has not given me a lot of trouble over the years and I just want to figure this out and get Ms. Boop back on the road.

 

will the truck computer give out codes just by turning it over?

 

0 codes. says 5 INC. 3 Ready. Misfire, fuel and comp. what does that mean?

 

Stop right here!
Lets start all over because your not making any sense.
The only codes that will appear are those already set.... providing ...... a Clear was not done or power removed.
Doing that will clear code memory and trigger a full diagnostics (if) the motor will start.
A. Will the motor crank?
B. Will it fire?
C. What is the fuel pressure with a gauge mounted on the fuel rail test port after at least 3 key on cycles to Run only no cranking?
D. Is there spark?
You have to check these basic functions to get a direction to go for the probable cause.
Forget what happened in the past.
We need to find out whats wrong now as the only thing that matters..
Good luck.

 

No spark..150 lbs of compression...can smell gas..know it has fuel up to rails..and that is what the code reader I got said..all those things up there..and yep confused me too..on Friday one of the mechanics said it was saying the crank case sensor was bad..and pointed to the cam shaft sensor..so dumb me I replaced it..but I am in the process of changing out the crank case sensor now..as soon as I get that one bolt that turns 1/8 of a turn with boxed in wrench loose enough to move the compressor over to change it out. but it is getting fuel but no spark..the tester said it had no codes but I've had the battery disconnected and it won't start justs turns over.

 

I don't have a fuel pressure gauge but I bled the air out of the port on the rail and fuel squirted straight up after the fourth time..and got all air out of line.

 

I don't know how to get you to think better!
Your reader/scanner 'cannot' tell you anything about the gas supply. There is no way provided for the system to do this function on your truck's system.
Lets assume you have enough fuel pressure at this point.
If you have no spark the motor will not run without it as the basic trouble.
1. If the fuel pump is pressurizing the fuel rail, the pump is able to run.
2. For the pump to run again, the crank sensor signal must be detected by the computer.
This also is the ignition timing reference for the motor's fire order.
3. If the injectors are metering fuel, the Crank sensor is GOOD.
4. That leaves the coil driver circuits as the only cause of no spark.
.
A. Is there 12 volts to the coils?
B. Is the computer grounding the coils in the fire order to produce the spark?
.
A and B is where you need to do your trouble shooting.
If A is ok, then the leads to the computer are either open or the computer is faulty.
Let everything else alone until you get spark.
Remember, the loss of spark is what burned up the Cats.
Good luck.

 

there is no current to the coils. none.I wasn't trying to get the scanner to tell me about the fuel supply. Was trying to get it to tell me about the sensors. I'm trying to think as best as I can just can't get it across in written form. There is no fire going to coils. I don't know how to tell if the computer is grounding the coils understand about the loss of spark is what burned up the Cats. So do I need to take the computer off and have it tested?I know I ramble but am thinking smart..won't start without fire and fuel. fuel it has got..fire it doesn't. my difficulty is finding the reason it is not getting fire.

 

All these sensors that people are telling me that the computer talks to in order to create spark. I cannot find them in my book on my truck. Chilton seems to have left all chapters out concerning sensors and their functions.