1997 silverado wont start!! Please help!!!

Hello there forumera

I have a 97 chevy silverado with a 305 v8. She wont start!! The truck sat for a year then i got it the other day. We replaced the sparkplugs and put new gas in the truck. The truck has spark, but it wont run. It pops and sputters when you put starting fluid in the intake but wont run. The old plugs some were wet and some werent. All were black. I checked the fuel sustem, the pump runs as it should, and i checked the access valve and it has tons of fuel pressure. But wont run. There are no codes. Is it the distributor? Or is it the fuel pressure regulator? Please help need it running asap!!!

We need to know fuel press as read from a gauge in psi. Key on Eng off press should be 60-66 psi.

Hello there forumera

I have a 97 chevy silverado with a 305 v8. She wont start!! The truck sat for a year then i got it the other day. We replaced the sparkplugs and put new gas in the truck. The truck has spark, but it wont run. It pops and sputters when you put starting fluid in the intake but wont run. The old plugs some were wet and some werent. All were black. I checked the fuel sustem, the pump runs as it should, and i checked the access valve and it has tons of fuel pressure. But wont run. There are no codes. Is it the distributor? Or is it the fuel pressure regulator? Please help need it running asap!!!

what I did not here is you drained the fuel tank completely , then put some fresh fuel in the tank ............

also what I would have done is hook up my fuel pressure gauge and fuel dump valve. open dump valve to purge out the fuel stuck in the filter/fuel lines.

Ok so hooked up a pressure tester and it read 44psi. So checked the fuel filter and it was plugged. Replaced the filter and now itll run if you hold the throttle down all the way. It threw two codes. One code was for a mass airflow sensor, and the other code was for multiple cylander missfire. So looks like ill be checking the distributor and getting a new maf

OK, it seems you're making progress. Good job!!

Instead of replacing the MAF first clean it with a MAF approved cleaner and use an electrical cleaner on the MAF connector.

The miss-fires could be caused by the injectors being gummed up for sitting so long?? Try a good injector cleaner and see what happens.

Also when you get codes you need to post the code numbers for us.

I remeber one if the codes was P0300

Ok so hooked up a pressure tester and it read 44psi. So checked the fuel filter and it was plugged. Replaced the filter and now itll run if you hold the throttle down all the way. It threw two codes. One code was for a mass airflow sensor, and the other code was for multiple cylander missfire. So looks like ill be checking the distributor and getting a new maf

Your fuel pressure is way to low.
Low fuel pressure will cause miss fires.
You need 60/66 specs and 63-64 engine cranking fuel pressure.
What is fuel pressure now after filter replaced?
Eng. cranking and engine running?

sorry after replacing the fuel filter the pressure jumped up to 62psi. the filter was clogged solid hahaha

sorry after replacing the fuel filter the pressure jumped up to 62psi. the filter was clogged solid hahaha

why are you HA HA HA !

with the filter plugged now you may need new injectors !

orderd new distributor, rotor, cap, wires, and mass airflow sensor. hopefully the injectors arent shot but i may need to replace them anyway thank god there are only two

i heard from my auto tech teacher that if the cat is plugged it would cause the misfire seeing as how the only missfire was a P0300 which is just a general multiple cylander missfire not on a specific cilander. he said to take off the exhaust or remove the 02 sensor and see if that causes a better run condition would a plugged cat possibly be the cause of my no run issue?

i heard from my auto tech teacher that if the cat is plugged it would cause the misfire seeing as how the only missfire was a P0300 which is just a general multiple cylander missfire not on a specific cilander. he said to take off the exhaust or remove the 02 sensor and see if that causes a better run condition would a plugged cat possibly be the cause of my no run issue?

the p0300 code is a tough one sometimes to narrow down the cause.

if you have low power and this code it can be low fuel pressures as well as the cat converter or exhaust being plugged up. so you remove the upstream before converter O2 sensor and you test run it with these removed.

you also check the fuel pressure and pressure test procedure to ensure you do not have injector leak down which can cause the cat converter failures. and you have the correct fuel pressure . then you have intake manifold leaks that will do this ..

ok here is an update for you guys she still isnt running!!! after checking the fuel pressure again it wasnt anywhere 60 while cranking so i took the tank out and had to replace both the tank and the pump (tank had a hole in it). afterwards i have the proper fuel pressure while cranking, but she still wont start!! it cranks and pops and sputters but wont run. i checked the plug wires and some were mixed up so i fixed them, but no luck. so at this point i have ruled out any issues other than the motor. so now im trying to figure out what is preventing the truck from running. i have proper spark etc. i have not put cylander 1 on TDC on the Compression stroke and checked if the rotor points towards the first cylander terminal yet to see if the timing is right, but im not positive if its timing because it ran before it was parked. so i have a few ideas in my head as to what it could be and id like your guys opinion as to be the most likely cause. my thoughts are as follows

1: i have an injector issue, either the injectors are fouled or they arent firing in the right order

2: as i have read in other posts with these vortec's, my issue could be the fuel pressure regulator

3: somehow my timing is messed up and everything is out of wack.

like i said i replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump so its nothing behind the motor causing the issue. To be honest im either thinking my injectors are plugged or my timing is off but a second opinion is always good.

thank you for your help!!

ok here is an update for you guys she still isnt running!!! after checking the fuel pressure again it wasnt anywhere 60 while cranking so i took the tank out and had to replace both the tank and the pump (tank had a hole in it). afterwards i have the proper fuel pressure while cranking, but she still wont start!! it cranks and pops and sputters but wont run. i checked the plug wires and some were mixed up so i fixed them, but no luck. so at this point i have ruled out any issues other than the motor. so now im trying to figure out what is preventing the truck from running. i have proper spark etc. i have not put cylander 1 on TDC on the Compression stroke and checked if the rotor points towards the first cylander terminal yet to see if the timing is right, but im not positive if its timing because it ran before it was parked. so i have a few ideas in my head as to what it could be and id like your guys opinion as to be the most likely cause. my thoughts are as follows

1: i have an injector issue, either the injectors are fouled or they arent firing in the right order

2: as i have read in other posts with these vortec's, my issue could be the fuel pressure regulator

3: somehow my timing is messed up and everything is out of wack.

like i said i replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump so its nothing behind the motor causing the issue. To be honest im either thinking my injectors are plugged or my timing is off but a second opinion is always good.

thank you for your help!!
Use a noid light and make sure your getting power to the injectors. You can use a 12V test light and a small gem clip. The test light should blink when trying to start.
A mouse could have chewed through a wire.

Use a noid light and make sure your getting power to the injectors. You can use a 12V test light and a small gem clip. The test light should blink when trying to start.
A mouse could have chewed through a wire.

You need to set dist.

On no 1cylinder on TDC compression set the rotor to no 6 stamped on dist. base.
Pointing it to no one plug wire will mess it up.

well turns out the motor is toast two bent push rods on one side of the motor and no compression on the other side of the motor so looks like ill be replacing the motor

well turns out the motor is toast two bent push rods on one side of the motor and no compression on the other side of the motor so looks like ill be replacing the motor
I would pull the valve cover on the other side sometimes the nuts come loose an the valve won't work.

I would pull the valve cover on the other side sometimes the nuts come loose an the valve won't work.
honestly a 305 with 225k on it needs to come out anyway the mielage on the motor isnt worth the work needed

I would pull the valve cover on the other side sometimes the nuts come loose an the valve won't work.
also the new motor is a used 305 same year vortec chevy with 86k miles on it