Please Help!! 1998 k1500 DEAD!!

Dear GMC Forum GODS,

I have a 1998 GMC K1500 with the Vortec 350. On the way to work this morning she died. The symptoms lead me to believe that it is the timming belt.
I was driving at highway speeds with no irratic driving and she "hiccuped about 2-3 times in about 5 miles (like a misfiring cylender) then lost all power with no increase with the accelerator. I was able to get here into neutral and get pulled over. It will not start but the flywheel turns freely. A hot oily, gasy smell permiated the cab imediatly after pulling over then quickly
dissipated. No oil loss, or any other fluid. The check engine light did not eluminate until she shut down. all vital guages were within normal limits. Unfortunatly I have not been able to look at it as of yet. Tomorrow I will have a chance. my questions:

What do you think? If you have any more questions let me know, I'll be following the forums.

What other things should I look for besides the timming belt?


If it was a fatial engine failure, what are my options? Can I get ANY long block ie: ~300 hp and add the factory intake and all the other accessories to keep her as stock as possiable.





Thanks in advance for your replies!!! fallguy

No timing belt on a Vortec 350, only a timing chain. If it broke, you would have known it.

Start with the basics: fuel, air and spark. There is a test port on the fuel rail. The Vortec needs about 60 PSI to start. Put a timing light on it to see if you have spark. Check the air filter to make sure it is not clogged.

From you description, it sounds like your fuel pump went out.

//2000CAYukon

how many miles do you have on it? have you ever replaced the fuel pump?

Thank you for the speedy replies fellas! Because this is my daily driver and work schedule prevented me from investigating the situation a little more closely, I had a shop work on it. It came back with having a lot of water in the distributor. The water knocked out the Cap and Rotor. I had some other work done but was able to get her back the same day.
I am in Washington State where we are living up to our stereo-type with about a months worth of rain creation large amounts of water across the roadway. This is probably the contributing factor since the cap and rotor was replaced less that 2 years ago. Anyhow... thanks for the replies <S>