97 C1500 Stalls/Rumbles

[JCP0521]

I have a 97 C1500 4.3L. It died on the turnpike the other day, just cut off while doing 70mph. When I got to the shoulder, I was able to start it after a few attempts. It was making a knock and rumble sound in the engine along with a ping in the catalitic converter. The exhaust smells rich. I had it towed home. I can start it and it idles OK. If i touch the gas it clunks and knocks and dies, but then starts fine again. Tune up done 1 year ago with new spider assembly kit. I scanned the comp, no codes. I pulled the dist., the gear is solid, I cleaned the contacts on the cap and replaced the rotor. I double checked the wires and made sure they were connected to the cap in the right firing order .
It idles great when I start it, The second i touch the gas it rumbles, bangs, clunks then dies, even while holding the gas down.
The dist. read between 19 - 21.5 degrees on the scanner
Any help would be greatly appreciated..

[MT-2500]

Is the dist reading advance or camshaft retard reading?
If camshaft retard it is way off.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/ga...hp?photo=51302

How is that fuel pressure?
Good hot blue spark to all plugs?

[JCP0521]

I had it towed to the garage. Distributer cap had 2 cracks, which I never seen, #5 spark plug wire was bad, according to the mechanic. Garage replaced cap, rotor, wires and Oil Change. It runs great again after about 400.00. $112.00 labor and $75.00 computer diagnosis, and probably paid twice the price for the parts. I've learned to inspect everything thoroughly now from the beginning, no matter how simple it may be.

[MT-2500]

Thanks for letting us know how it went.
MT