96 Vortex 350 starting issues again.

[Slime]

So, now it's just aggregating. 350 vortex in my 2500. Not driving it everyday but every few days. Long story short, truck one day wouldn't start. Checked fuel pressure and it has 55 ish but no start. So, I had a different spark tester than was recommended for an HEI ignition. I was only able to check #1 plug and got a yellow spark. Unable to test any others, but I ordered a new tester made for HEI ignition. Hooked it into the #1 plug wire and grounded it to the ground terminal on the battery. Couldn't tell if it was sparking or not, but now the truck starts and runs...on 7 cylinders. WTF Hooked #1 plug wire back up to the plug, truck started hard but ran. I let it run to help charge the battery, just because I'd tried to start it everyday but nothing. At idle it's showing 52 psi fuel pressure. Stomp the throttle and it sputters, but then revs and fuel pressure climbs to 60 psi. I run a scan gage all the time, but it has no codes. Now, I can't trust this thing to drive it as I can't figure out what is the issue. I may go out there now and it might or might not start. Just a random question. If the module in the distributor was bad, would I get any spark at the plug?
If it had a bad crank sensor or some other sensor, wouldn't I get a code? Just went out and started again. While it was sitting fuel pressure was at 60 psi when I went back out. Started up. Let it run a few seconds and shut it off. Fuel pressure went back to 60 while sitting. Not sure if that's from the heat or not. Truck has 196,000 miles. Plugs are several years old, but they are just plain autolites I bought when I was broke and unemployed. Wires, cap and rotor are fairly new. Replaced them the last time I had starting issues.

 

[jigsaw]

Dirty distributor cap and rotor will make it hard to start. Even if its new n just sitts there corrosion will build up inside towers. The ignition module controls the spark. If spark plugs are copper they must be changed every 20-30k miles. Also a weak coil could cause hard start up.

 

[Erik the Awful]

If the misfire is specific to one cylinder, it's either in the ignition system between the cap and the spark plug, or it's a fuel injector issue. Less likely is a mechanical issue in the valvetrain.

A bad ignition module can still run and then break up under a load, but it's not cylinder-specific.

 

[Caman96]

Fuel pressure seems erratic. Fuel pump, clogged strainer, dirty fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator?

 

[Slime]

And just like that, doesn't start today...

 

[Slime]

If the misfire is specific to one cylinder, it's either in the ignition system between the cap and the spark plug, or it's a fuel injector issue. Less likely is a mechanical issue in the valvetrain.

A bad ignition module can still run and then break up under a load, but it's not cylinder-specific.

No misfire. It either runs fine or doesn't run.

 

[Caman96]

Are you sure it’s not fuel related?

 

[Slime]

Are you sure it’s not fuel related?

No, not positive but fuel pressure doesn't seem any different as far as trying to start it goes. Yesterday, cranked and cranked holding and or pumping the throttle. After trying to start it a couple times, it fires up. Kinda slow, but starts and runs. Which seems to be the pattern.

 

[Caman96]

It either runs fine or doesn't run.

If your fuel pump is working intermittently then it might run or it might not.
When it’s “not” running, can you hear fuel pump prime?

 

[Slime]

If your fuel pump is working intermittently then it might run or it might not.
When it’s “not” running, can you hear fuel pump prime?

Not really, but I have It has fuel pressure and enough fuel pressure.