1997 5.7 Vortec won't start.

[99kon]

Get it figured out?
Your fuel pump sounds normal, but still check fuel pressure. Its when it has a whining high pitch noise when your in trouble.
Check all your fuses also.

 

[Tripp]

Ok, so I'm gonna update this situation. I miss driving my Tahoe so much, lol.

I replaced the camshaft position sensor. Still won't start. Today I rented the 150 dollar fuel testing kit from AutoZone. I was going to do my testing tonight, but apparently my battery is dead, again. So now it's on charge.

So, for you knowledgeable folk, I need instructions for testing the fuel pressure completely.

I assume that the first step is to bleed the fuel pressure at the rail, to test accurately. What should I do after that?

 

[Wilson]

Any update on the situation? My 96 k1500 5.7 seems to be having the same problems, driving down the road loud pop loss of power and now I got nothing... Every once and awhile it will attempt to start only to let out a pop through the pipes...

 

[Tripp]

Ok guys, gonna summarize all this to bring everyone up to date on my truck.

I performed my fuel pressure test. Pump primed and held fuel pressure. After cranking and pulling a plug, the spark plugs were heavily soaked in fuel. Made me believe fuel was getting to the cylinders.

So I checked for spark, again, since I had already checked before. But this time, when I checked, I noticed something.
I pulled check spark on cylinder #1, and #5, and they appeared normal. But when I checked #3, it was abnormal.
The plug was constantly firing when the engine was being cranked.

Basically, #1 and #5 plugs would spark.....spark.....spark....as normal.
But #3 plug was sparksparksparksparkspark with no pause in between each one.
So I warrantied out my distributor and replaced it.
And she lives! The truck is running rough cause the timing hasn't been set within -2/2 degrees it needs to be at, but it still runs somewhat.

Woo!

 

[98_k1500]

^^ good troubleshooting there. Always good to be observent. Its sure pays off instead of just throwing parts at it. FYI a vortec will run, albeit poorly, with the cam sensor completely unplugged. Computer defaults -45° cam retard.

 

[inthechateau]

Had no start on my Tahoe, turned out to be rotor button burned through, melted tab that contacts the dist cap electrode.

 

[WorkinMan]

Damn....sure wished I'd have seen this thread a bit ago. I have had this problem multiple times and it is always the distributor cap and rotor. Usually a good way to tell is if when it does its sputtering, pop the hood and if anything looks wet (like the metal has been sweating from heating and cooling) then the distributor has some moisture in it and won't fire. I have found the best way to cure this (or at least make the cap and rotor last longer) is to smear some di-electric grease on all the contacts inside the cap. It'll save you from having to do this as often.

Most of the time when they go bad, the contacts will also be corroded. They'll have a kind of blueish color to them.