This is a complete breakdown...maybe someone can point me to the culprit.

About a month ago we bought a 1995 4X4 Silverado Ext. cab with 350, auto tranny. I noticed that after starting the vehicle from setting overnight, when I reversed out of our parking spot and applied the brakes to shift to drive, the "pulsating brake" from the anti-lock would engage for a second or two...then the truck ran fine. A week ago, my wife ran the truck out of gas. She got to a gas station and pumped about half a tank into the truck. She then started the truck and when she pulled it into drive the truck shut off. I wasn't getting any fuel so I figured she fryed the fuel pump so I bought another with plans on installing it. Some people mentioned hitting the tank with a rubber mallet to "free up" the pump. I did this and the truck started for about 10-15 seconds. Next, I replaced the fuel filter hoping this would save me from pulling the tank and replacing the pump. It worked. I started the truck and then drove it approx. 8 miles to make sure everything was fine.

Are you still with me? What does all this have to do with each other? Here's where everything falls into place.

When I was returning home after replacing the filter, I noticed the "service engine soon" light came on. After a little it went off. I got to the intersection I needed to turn off of. When I pressed the brake to slow down, I got the pulsation and the truck shut off. I coasted into the street and put it in park. I tried starting the truck but nothing. I popped the hood and messed with the relays and fuses. I put everything back in place and the truck started right up. I pulled it out of park to shift into drive and the truck shut right off again. I noticed when I turned the ignition switch on that all the instrument lights were working. I know with Chrysler, if you work the ignition switch three times in succession, the service light will blink the codes. I tried it with the truck but realized Chevy doesn't do it this way. I DID notice that when I turned on the ignition switch, I didn't get any intrument lights (brake, service engine soon, seat belt...etc.). All that lit up was the clock on the radio. I messed with fuses inthe dash, wiring under the dash and I even beat the gas tank with my fist. I got back in the truck and fired it right back up. Thetruck ran fine the rest of the way home (about 1/4 mile). I parked it and here I am. I don't think it's my fuel pump. I think it's something electrical that is shorting, not making good contactor is malfunctioning. I need toknow if someone would have had an experience similar or wouldknow something that could tye all of this together. Help asap would be appreciated very much.

 

I would go ahead and replace the fuel pump. When your wife ran it out of gas it more messed the fuel pump up. I have seen then in a dodge before. By hitting the tank it makes the pump work for a while but not vary long. Not sure if this will fix everthing but my guess is that the fuel pump is going bad or is bad. Remove the bed and replace the pump only takes about an hour or so. Vary easy. Hope this helps.

 

How many hands does it take to remove the bed. How much does it weigh? My dad did this with his '86 Chevy(8') and he used a loader on his tractor to lift the bed. I'm afraid between my brother and I, we won't be able to lift it or will mangle something. I was going to use my floor jack to lower the tank...but I really, really, reeeaaaalllly didn't want to mess with this. Crap...reality smacked me in the face and I know that since it's ME, it's not going to be easy...or fun.

 

What size bed? And remember you can remove the tailgate to lower weight. I know the stepside on my 93'was very light, but it was also fiberglass on the sides.

 

When i did my dads 1993 long bed dodge we un bolted it and took the wires loose from lights then we slide it on the back bumper and tires abput 2 foot back and were able to get right to it the bed is light and easy to remove trust me i have done them both ways and by far the bed is easier. Were about do you live?

 

This sounds like an electrical issue somewhere. Check your fuses and wiring that gives power to the pcm. Ive seen this before, the fuse was bad (even looking at it, it look good, but ohm it out with a meter and its bad) or the wire brining power to the pcm corroded, or a ground is loose.

 

Response to smoke20: 6.5' bed. All steel...no glass on this beast.

Response to hunt4game29: I live about halfway between Pittsburgh (Steelers rule!) and Harrisburg Pa. I didn't think the bed would be that heavy, but I don't want to get busy unbolting and unwiring and then not be able to get the bed moved.

Response to 04silverado: That's what I thought. Seemed coincidental that the truck shut off when something else was going on at the same time (ex. pressing the brake, shifting out of Park...this happened exactly the same way with my wife when she pumped gas into it.) My only thing is...why didn't this do it before? Did she run out of gas in the first place?I don't know.

My question...and I hate to sound stupid (I worked in a transmission shop)...where is the pcm on this truck? Where are the fuses you referenced? Thanks for helping. This is what I love about the internet and forums. Hopefully, I can help out too.

 

I think the PCM is behind the glovebox, fuses should be in the engine bay, probably on the drivers side.

2 strong guys can probably move it, but I would use at least 3 and 4 if possible due to the awkwardness of the bed size

 

The bed arent that bad my dads 1993 dodge was all steel and it was easy.

 

This has been a nightmare. The bed won't come off because the welded nut inside the box beam for the rear corner, passenger side broke free. Also, my truck has a hitch which utilizes the access hole for the bolts. Whoever installed the hitch didn't think to run the bolts DOWN through the holes to provide easy removal. Instead the nuts to the carriage head bolts are in such a place that we can only move the ratchet a clickat a time. It doesn't help that I live here in the northeast where salt and dirt have done their job by rusting everything fast. I had to cut the cable to drop the spare tire so I could gain access. After all of this we decided to drop the tank instead. Simple huh? Two straps, an electrical connector, and some fuel lines to disconnect. Well...we had to cut the rubber lines because the pressure fittings were so corroded. We had to cut the stud that the rear strap bolts to...it was so corroded that the welded nut inside the beam broke free. We had to cut a ground wire because it was rusted fast to the bolt that holds it to the frame.

We're getting some steel tubing around 2" and flared on either end to splice the hoses back together with hose clamps. We'll use a connector for the wire. For the stud, I came up with the idea of using a piece of all-thread (3/8"). We'll bend it into an "L" and drop it through the hole to replace the stud for the rear strap.

All this fun for a pump that (once the tank was out) took five minutes to replace. Makes me wonder why auto manufacturers don't provide access panels directly above the fuel pumps. It makes me want to cut the hole myself.

I'll post back with how the rest of today goes...