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Old 12-06-2018, 08:47 PM
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DmaxMaverick DmaxMaverick is offline
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: CA
Posts: 12,325

Welcome aboard!

First, since you parked it after filling, check the contents of the fuel tank. Make sure it is, in fact, #2 Diesel, with nothing else. You can have quite a bit of gas in it, and it will run if warm, but won't cold start. Put a little fuel in a small container, like a metal bottle cap (outdoors, away from flammable materials), and light a match to it. If it easily ignites, it has enough gas in it to cause issues. If that's the case, check the receipt from your last fill up. If it shows you pumped #2, then it's up to the station to correct their mistake (replace the fuel in your tank with the correct fuel, at their expense), usually by having it towed to a dealership or local shop and have them drain the tank. If your receipt shows gas was pumped, then it's on you to correct it (see This Thread). If you didn't get/keep the receipt, it may be a good idea to make it part of your future routine. I keep all receipts at least until I've used up all the fuel from that fill. We never know, exactly, what we're pumping into our vehicles. We stick in the nozzle and squeeze, while assuming they did their job.

Fast cranking doesn't assure you the batteries are healthy. These engines crank pretty easy, even with weak batteries. Problem is, while cranking, the voltage may drop enough to prevent the electronics from working properly. Disconnect both batteries and check their individual voltage (immediately, then again after an hour or two). One good and one bad battery can cause all kinds of havoc, especially while cranking. The 10 day idle period is long enough for the batteries to balance, leaving the combined voltage closer to a bad battery, minus parasitic losses. Longer off periods allows a bad battery to corrupt a good battery (making it now, bad). 2-3 weeks of not starting is long enough to take even good batteries to a no-start condition. These late model trucks (all late model vehicles, in general) aren't really off, even when the key is out of the ignition. Many of the electronic systems are active all the time and they will drain the batteries, eventually.

I suggest, while you have the batteries disconnected as above, ground one of the Batt+ cables to the chassis, or clamp the Batt + and - cables together (make sure BOTH batteries are completely disconnected), and leave it there for 30+ minutes. This will default the PCM and erase any anomalies (as well as codes) that may have crept in while you were away. Reconnect both Batt+ cables first, then both ground cables.

I do not recommend using any starting aid (especially ether). The intake path on the new Diesel trucks is very long, and voluminous. Filter -> pipe -> compressor -> pipe -> intercooler -> pipe -> intake plenum -> cylinders. It takes a lot of starting fluid stuff and a lot of cranking to actually do something, if it does, and ether can, and often does, cause damage (not just burned up glow plugs). Even if it lights off once the ether gets there, it doesn't address the original problem. That long cranking period, if it didn't start on its own normally, the short period of very violent combustion cycles rarely allows it to continue to run (if it's -60F, there may be an argument for that, but it isn't).

Also note, you have a block heater. While it won't likely cure anything in your case, it may help get it started while you continue diagnostics. Just plug it in for a couple hours. If you've never used it, be sure to inspect the power cord first (make sure the insulation isn't damaged, which can short to the chassis).
1985 Blazer 6.2
2001 GMC 2500HD D/A
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