Thread: 1997 Chevy Pickup Won't start

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Hi all, my husband Steve's 97 Chevy truck won't start. It began acting up driving home one night, couldn't go over 30 mph. He limped home and thought it was the fuel pump, replaced it and still nothing. Changed a couple other fuel related things, still nothing. Hooked it up to a pc reader and no signal sent from the truck to the unit. Figured it was the truck's pc, he got a new one, had it flashed, and STILL NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It won't turn over at all but will try to crank.
ANY IDEAS?????????????????????? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LowJo

He is getting fuel pressure but no spark.

LoJo

Last night I went out in the garage to help him and when you try to start it, it tries to turn over but doesn't seem to have any spark. He changed the fuel pump, and something else fuel wise and still nothing. Then replaced the computer, had it flashed and NOTHING, the computer won't even send a signal to the code reader. I am trying to get him on here but he is at work and can't get into the forum unless he has a break.
Could the anti-theft thing have something to do with it? Is there a sequence he has to go through to get it reset?
It is driving him NUTZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As I said earlier, it began by acting like there wasn't enough fuel getting to the engine, he said he really had to work at getting it to do 30 mph coming home so he figured it was the fuel pump. He dropped the tank and changed it and still wouldn't work. Then thought since the computer wasn't sending a signal to the reader, it was a faulty computer. He changed that and still won't start.
He thinks it is something simple that he is missing but don't know what. I wish he would get on here so he can explain it better.

LowJo

Originally posted by DennyW
Well, you threw me off. You said it would try to crank. I would check the timing chain. LT should be along shortly to help on this also.

how many miles and what kind of motor? just guessing and not knowing if its jumped time or not, if you have good fuel pressure. a new computer, on codes, the conv. is not stopped up, then it don't leave much but the module. if it had fuel and no codes then the module would be next anyway. if its vortex then that's another story.

I have to make this explanation short don’t have much time it has 65 psi fuel presser it is a vortech with crank censer the crank censer is good the old comp was intermittently talking to the diagnostic comp we thought it was the comp we got a new one had it flashed now it wont talk at all to the diagnostic comp no spark it will crank strong good battery no check engine light when you key on the comp is not responding 99% sure the comp is good ??????

THere I will let Shaggy answer now, I'm just the wife

Originally posted by SHAGGY
I have to make this explanation short don’t have much time it has 65 psi fuel presser it is a vortech with crank censer the crank censer is good the old comp was intermittently talking to the diagnostic comp we thought it was the comp we got a new one had it flashed now it wont talk at all to the diagnostic comp no spark it will crank strong good battery no check engine light when you key on the comp is not responding 99% sure the comp is good ??????

check all of your fuses make sure you have not blown one. if the computer is getting voltage then it should give you a reading. if it dont then that would be the computer. i dont think that is what it was to start with but it looks like it a problem now. the crank senser would give a code if that was bad. the module wont give a code. is it a 350 or 4.3? was it flooding the last time you drove it?

IT IS A305 NOT FLOODING IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP TO START IT ONLY HAY 40 PSI. NOW 65 OK, IS THERE A RELEARN THING I NEED TO DO TO GET THE COMP TO ANSWER

ALL THE FUSES ARE GOOD, THIS SUCKS TRYING TO DEAL WITH A PROBLEM LIKE THIS IN BETWEEN THE PHONE RINGING AND THE AGENTS CRYING SORRY IF I SOUND SHORT

Originally posted by SHAGGY
IT IS A305 NOT FLOODING IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP TO START IT ONLY HAY 40 PSI. NOW 65 OK, IS THERE A RELEARN THING I NEED TO DO TO GET THE COMP TO ANSWER

no relearn, but you check engine light should come on when you cut the key on and then go off. if you cant talk to you cpmputer then youve got a bad compute or no voltage going to the computer check the fuses.

Have you done a battery load test?

Some tips IF it is a Vortec 5.0 or 5.7:

97 trucks are not VATS equipped (anti theft)

Turn on the key. The MIL should illuminate. The MIL is the "check engine" light. If it doesnt, that tells us what direction to go.

What kind of scan tool are you using? Connect the scan tool and turn the key on. You should get the VCM data. If not, that tells us a direction to go.

When trying to crank, does the fuel pump run for 2 seconds and then shut off? This is normal.

The 97 Chevy Truck shop manual has a specfic troubleshooting routine on page 6E-557. Usually, it is not the VCM that goes bad. IT can be the ICM.....there is also a specific Ignition troubleshooting sequence suggested.

mike in tucson

VCM is the vehicle control module....the computer to all of us. The computer is pretty rugged and fails less than it gets credit for. Most of the connections are either reading a voltage (like from a temperature sensor) or making a circuit. The computer outputs are sinking....that is, they complete a ground circuit rather than furnish a voltage....pretty immune stuff.

ICM is ignition control module, on a Vortec, it is a blob next to the coil and it has the heatsink on it.....kinda equvalent to the HEI module under the cap on the older distributors.

One more thing, the way the truck ran when it was limping home should give more info......if it was a detectable fault, the trouble code was stored in the memory and the MIL (check engine)light was illuminated. If the thing limped home with the MIL on, it was in a "limp" mode.

Also, the stuff that got us older guys in the past is still valid......a crack in the rotor or cap that grounds the spark will still apply. Even though the OBD systems are really smart, they only point you in a direction.

mike in tucson

Originally posted by robot
VCM is the vehicle control module....the computer to all of us. The computer is pretty rugged and fails less than it gets credit for. Most of the connections are either reading a voltage (like from a temperature sensor) or making a circuit. The computer outputs are sinking....that is, they complete a ground circuit rather than furnish a voltage....pretty immune stuff.

ICM is ignition control module, on a Vortec, it is a blob next to the coil and it has the heatsink on it.....kinda equvalent to the HEI module under the cap on the older distributors.

One more thing, the way the truck ran when it was limping home should give more info......if it was a detectable fault, the trouble code was stored in the memory and the MIL (check engine)light was illuminated. If the thing limped home with the MIL on, it was in a "limp" mode.

Also, the stuff that got us older guys in the past is still valid......a crack in the rotor or cap that grounds the spark will still apply. Even though the OBD systems are really smart, they only point you in a direction.

mike in tucson

robot, you need to go back and read the rest of this thread. and by the way that motor has a dist. and module just like the old HEI did.

HUH?

Rereading the original post says that it is a 97. A 97 truck had Vortec injection with a computer, not a TBI. The distributor is plastic with a flat, low profile cap. It has the cam position sensor integal to the distributor body.

The computer is black and mounts on the driver side fenderwell in a snap off bracket.

I have five 96-97 units here right now, we are in the process of putting one in a Toyota Landcruiser. That's why I have the shop manuals, the Snap On tester, etc.

What am I missing?