New Hummer H1 owner

Hello gangg, new proud owner of a 97 Hummer H1. When i bought it, it started for couple of minutes and then shut off, cranks but no start. Have to do some more digging in to find out why this happend. Im figuring that fuel filter is clogged, and just to put it out there the air filter is original from 1997

Check the lift pump.

Welcome to H4PO! Let's see a pic of your new to you H1. Sounds just like Matt's old H1 after Steel Bender, and I think that was a lift pump as well.

I suppose it might also be an issue with the PMD perhaps. Do you know the age of the PMD on your truck?

Well taking in consideration that the air filter is still orinal from 1997, i would also expect that the fuel filter would also be clogged up and the PMD would also be original. The previous owner had started the truck a day before i went down to see it and ran fine. But when i start it it only cranks and no start.

How long had the truck been sitting unused prior to you buying it or did the previous owner drive it? If sitting for long periods of time the diesel may not be good anymore. I have seen trucks that needed the tank drained and cleaned. Sounds like a truck that needs all fluids/filters check, fittings lubed and maybe seals, etc. replaced.

Sorry for the delay! Getting the truck by next month God willing! It has been sirting for a while. It started up amazing! And after 2 min boom dead, i am pretty sure the fuel in it is old.
Is there a way to clean it out or to dump the fuel out without taking down the fuel tanks?
If its the lift pump is that something bad? Hard to fix?
Thanks!

Never dropped the fuel tank on one but I have spent a lot of time under the trucks and it doesn't look like it would be too hard. The lift pump is usually pretty easy. I sits under the windshield on the driver side just inside the firewall on the engine compartment side. Only once on a 94 did I have to remove the doghouse to get to a nut on one and I have changed many of them. No special tools needed and can be done in about 30 minutes. Dave at hummerpartsguy.net can get you the right lift pump.

Welcome to the forum!

3Hummers said:

Never dropped the fuel tank on one but I have spent a lot of time under the trucks and it doesn't look like it would be too hard. The lift pump is usually pretty easy. I sits under the windshield on the driver side just inside the firewall on the engine compartment side. Only once on a 94 did I have to remove the doghouse to get to a nut on one and I have changed many of them. No special tools needed and can be done in about 30 minutes. Dave at hummerpartsguy.net can get you the right lift pump.

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The main tank is simple enough to remove, hardest part is if the truck still has the muffler still in there. Then it’s a game of blind wrenching and disconnecting electrical plugs. +1 with Dave at hummer parts guy. He’s a great resource.

I'm curious... (sorry if I missed this earlier in the thread)

After the truck died... will it crank?
Edit: In re-reading the original post, I see that it DOES crank but won't start.

Also, as I recall, one *can* attach a new PMD as test, just to see if it's the PMD which has failed. In other words: Plug in a new PMD (no need to mount it fully just for a test) and see if the engine fires up. I'll admit that I'm going on "gut feel" here, but if the engine just died completely like that, I kinda doubt it's fuel related. If it was a fuel quality or fuel supply issue, I *think* it would sputter and try to run, but fail.

If the truck died completely and WILL crank but not fire back up, my first gut instinct is the PMD being dead, or I suppose (I think this was suggested earlier) maybe the neutral safety switch cutting in and out when it's not supposed to?

Either way, I'm honestly just thinking out loud as a former H1 owner who's forgotten a lot about how to diagnose these amazing beasts