1997 s-10 wont start

[1santa]

Hi i have a 1997 s-10 it has been a good truck but when i was driving it home the other day the gauges on the dash all stoped working. the speometer droped and the motor stopped then all of a sudden it all came up and running. And i finished driving home. today i went out to look at it and i thought maybe battery cable conections or something they are clean and tight. then i went to turn the key on and i could hear the fuel pump so i fired it up no problem and shut it off. then i went to turn the key on no fuel pump sound and it wouldnt fire up. so pluged in the scan tool and it said bad conection to the computer port. but when i fooled with the ignition i got the fuel pump sound and the computer port was fine and no codes on the reader. when the key is on i have a radio and the fuel gauge goes above f but when the fuel pump kicks on it drops to were it is for full in the tank and fires up. does this sound like a fuel pump, a fuel pump relay, is it the ignition switch and if it is why does the gauges and radio have power and no fuel pump hum.
I need help this electronic stuff is tuff not like the good carb days.
Thanks Nate

[blazee]

This sounds like the classic ignition switch failure. 1997 was by far the worst year for them. If you do a search for "ignition switch" in this forum, the blazer, jimmy, or sonoma forums, you will find dozens of people with the same symptoms.

[jimmyv-21]

should be the ignition switch- they have poor solder welds and they crack with the change in weather.

[1santa]

Thanks guys i will give it a try