Tach is bouncing around with the key on.
It's making a growling sound around the engine fuse block.
has fuel in both tanks. front is full, back is at 3/4. Premium fuel only.
All fuses are good.
160k on the odometer
​​​​It usually runs great. I set the cruise at 80 with no hick-ups. I drive it between 500 and 1000 miles a month.
up until this point its been rock solid dependable.
Any ideas?

 

Will it start on starting fluid?

 

Tach bouncing around tells me you have an ignition problem, but the growling noise around the fuse box tells me it's a electrical problem. Check the grounds on the radiator support and near the driver side hood hinge.

 

I haven't got that far. I figured it was electrical or fuel. I don't have a lot of time to work on it. Maybe a few minutes a day.

 

It has obd 2 plug in a scan tool and give us the code. You could pick one up from Amazon for 20 bucks or you get a higher end one like mine for 60 bucks more. I have bluedriver. Been using it for years and not been disappointed.

 

Right. If it starts on starting fluid, your problem is fuel. If it won't, the problem is spark.

 

starting fluid works. The fuel pump relay is where the noise is coming from. i tried a new relay and it does the same. Time to trace the fuel issue...

 

Mine is obd1...I thought I had mine with me, I guess im picking up another one. It sucks that I'm 170 miles from home. I've got everything there. If I need pumps, I'm going to do the 38 gallon conversion. And set it up for the new engine going in by next summer. At least I've got some time now. I'll document everything on my YouTube channel. Here's Goldie the day I got her. Blown head gasket. I didn't realize she'd been sitting for about 5 years. I ended up replacing the engine with a junkyard engine.

 

The relay buzzing and tach bouncing points to a most likely failing PIP sensor to me. Although weird failure mode.

 

I'm a check the grounds guy also, as stated in post 3.
The large ground cable to the engine block and frame can cause symptoms that are hard to troubleshoot.

 

me too, anything electrical I check the grounds first. About once a year I go through, pull them loose, clean and bolt them back. I checked them (pulled them loose). Good contact and everything was tight.

 

yes it does.