1997 Chevy Truck 97 K1500 w/305

Do you have spark? is there fuel pressure? Unplug cam shaft sensor see if it fires

Yes - I have spark at the plugs...

I've flooded it a couple of times while trying to start it so I know that I'm getting gas (wet plugs).

Also - in case you need to know, the truck started fine before I pulled the engine. Never a problem.

Will one tooth on my distributor keep it from firing? I would think that if I'm off a tooth it should still try to fire - even if it runs like crap?

With the engine cranking, is there spark at the plugs, injector pulse.

yes - with the engine cranking I get spark at the plugs.

What is injector pulse? I'm assuming you're talking about the fuel injectors?

Put timimg light on engine see what you got

[quote:bcb1b84dde="glenklein"]yes - with the engine cranking I get spark at the plugs.

What is injector pulse? I'm assuming you're talking about the fuel injectors?[/quote:bcb1b84dde]

I didn't see the earlier posts, you might check cranking vacuum? See if there is any.

when you installed the dist. was the timing marks still dot to dot? If so , there is your problem. A v8 chevy is 180 degrees out when you line up the marks. It's actually lined up on #6. Easy to fix, pull #1 plug and rotate engine in the direction of starter motion with finger over #1 plug hole till it begins to blow your finger off and turn crank to top dead center and reindex dist. to the #1 position. Also remember you will have to set the cam retard with a scan tool at your local mechanic shop if you don't have one of your own ! Hope this is your fix !! William

[quote:b2a783e44e="slimwillie"]Also remember you will have to set the cam retard with a scan tool at your local mechanic shop if you don't have one of your own ! Hope this is your fix !! William[/quote:b2a783e44e]

Will the cam retard keep it from firing?

I can rent a scan tool at autozone - but I've never used one... is it a straightforward process or should I leave it to my shop?

cam retard is basically a signal used by the pcm to determine where the camshaft is at in the total scheme of things. Yes cam retard can cause one NOT to start if it is off far enough. My next question is was the dist 180 degrees out? If so your plugs are probably fouled out and this will cause a no start after the problem is corrected.Clean or replace the plugs (yes I know they're expensive) and reindex the dist. Heres an easy rule of thumb to get the dist close.look on the bottom of your dist cap and mark where #1 electrode is located inside the dist cap.(it will be strange looking as the electrodes dont line up with the corresponding plug wire terminal) With your timing marks on TDC on compression stroke #1 cyl Put the rotor pointer at the mark you made on the outside of the cap and the engine should start.Dont forget to replace or clean the plugs after everything is done or you will be chasing your tail in circles. It should be the very last thing you do!Please respond

ok... thanks all!

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow after I work on it tonight!

I am at a complete loss...

I pulled my plugs - cleaned them up and left them out over night.

I pulled the valve cover on the passenger side - driver's side valve cover means that I have to pull the AC to get it off.

I bumped the engine around until I saw the #6 intake valve open - then brought my timing mark up to TDC - which means my rotor should be on the #6 plug in the distributor.

I bump the timing mark around 1 more time (on the harmonic balancer) - and now I should be on #1 TDC compression stroke... line up the rotor with #1 on the distributor cap - go to start it... nothing. It cranks over fine but won't start - getting gas and spark.

Someone said Chevy V8's are 180 out? What does that mean? You asked if I lined up the timing dots - are you talking about the dots on the crank and camshaft gears for the timing belt? If so - yes, I did line those up.

Help please! If someone would be willing to call me, I'll gladly pay you for your time. I don't want to tow this to the Chevy dealer.

(269) 985-5735
home: (269) 473-3616

Thanks - Glen

Well... I think I found the issue. My harmonic balancer seems to be off. I don't understand how that can happen seeing as how it's keyed to the crankshaft.

I pulled the valve covers and while watching the intake valves - I can see #1 intake open and then begin to close as #8 is opening. The mark on my harmonic balancer is nowhere in sight in order to bump to my timing mark on the timing chain cover.

I almost had it firing (sparks and exhaust) by setting it according to my intake valves - figured I was a tooth off - moved the distributor - went to start it again - and my starter quit.

Now, when I turn the key - I get nothing... solenoid doesn't click or anything and all my dashboard warning indicators are stuck on. I'm guessing that I missed a ground connection somewhere, or blew a fuse.

The crappy part of this - I also totaled the wife's mini-van Saturday afternoon (on the way back from the parts store) and am now down to zero vehicles until the insurance gets straightened out.

Gotta get my ignition problem figured out tonight after work because I think I'm close to getting it to fire.

William - I know you tried to call but my wife accidentally deleted your messages.

For anyone following this thread -

I got it turning over again... followed the troubleshooting guide from the manual and found a blown starter relay in the underhood fuse box - replaced it and it's cranking again.

Now I'm back to trying to get it to fire.

Hey
pull #1 plug have someone rotate engine by hand. you put finger in plug hole rotate till you feel compression. Then put screw driver in hole feel top of piston rotate till pistion all the way up. Now you are true TDC . look to see where balancer mark is and rotor. if mark on and rotor points to #1 then it should fire.
let me know

Hi Docfixit

I think that's been part of my problem this whole time.

The timing mark on the harmonic balancer is not even close to TDC on my timing cover.

When I see intake #1 close and #8 open - I know I have to be close to TDC because of the firing order:

1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

If #1 intake is closed and #8 is open - I should be able to see the mark on my harmonic balancer... I don't understand how it could be off - since it's keyed to the crankshaft - unless whoever had the truck before me had work done to it.

My dots on the timing and crankshaft gears (for the timing chain) lined up fine before I put the engine back in the truck - (crank dot at 12o'clock - cam dot at 6 o'clock). I even marked the chain and gears with paint before disassembly and put it back together the same after installing the crank kit.

When those dots are lined up - is that supposed to been TDC on #1 compresion stroke? The manual doesn't say -

Ys when dots line up that is TDC #1 compression stroke. Balancer has a rubber ring that the outer ring with mark attaches. They can slip and throw mark. But engine will run if rotor points to #1 on cap.
If you do what i said in last post all doubt will be removed.

Ok thanks - I'll try it again tonight...

Was CKP sensor replaced? wiring O.K.
Was key way up on top of crank when you installed balancer? Just some after thoughts.

CKP has not been replaced yet. Replaced timing cover but used old CKP. I do know that Chevy has a service bulletin that says to replace CKP if engine does not start though... right now, I'm assuming my problem is with timing.

I had it close on saturday - lots of exhaust and and chugging. Figured I was a tooth off - moved dizzy one tooth - went to try it again, and that's when the starter relay popped. Couldn't try to start it again last night because I needed to charge my battery.

I don't remember where the key was when I put the balancer on for sure.

O.K. good luck will keep fingers crossed

One more question? I just bought the right compression tester.

Will my compression readings be low - since the engine is only turning over and not idling at higher rpm's, nor hasn't run in a while and will not be at normal operating temp?

Or, should they be pretty close to spec (>100psi) while turning over without spark?

Compression reading should be spec. at starter RPM.
You should have @150 psi what do you read?

won't know until tonight... still at work. Thanks!

Sorry all... not much to report this morning. I'm chasing down an intermittent short or open to my starter solenoid. Thought I had it fixed (see previous post) and now I'm back at it... it's doing the same thing as earlier. Turn the key to start - and nothin'...

I can hear the fuel pump kick in and the new starter realy at the underhood fuse box click... but nothing at the starter solenoid - not even a click.

Hopefully will find it tonight and get back to my firing issue... thanks.

ok... just in case someone has issues in the future and finds this thread.

For starters... I put the compression tester in cylinder #1 - found the compression stroke. My harmonic balancer had NOT slipped - TDC was right where it was supposed to be.

I was one tooth off on the distributor. If you're even one off, the engine will not fire.

Secondly - truck ran great for about 5 mins and then died.

When I originally tore the crank apart, I laid out all of my nut caps, nuts, etc. just the way I took them off.

RULE #1 - kick buddies out of the garage for reassembly.

They started grabbing nuts for the push rod caps from anywhere - the nuts SHOULD go back on the same bolt they came off of - otherwise when putting the torque wrench to it - you will not get a good reading for 22# torque.

I burnt up one bearing (which seized after 5 mins) and messed up the threads on two push rods... not only that but scored my new reman'd 2020 crankshaft.

RULE #2 - don't bother with a 2020 reman'd crankshaft... buy a 1020. After seizing that one bearing, I also scarred the crankshaft - it's too far out to be reground.

End result - bought a reman'd engine from O'reilly's today (3 year warranty/40,000 miles = $1800.00 including fulll gasket kit)... should be here soon. My uncle decided after tearing into it that it wasn't worth the effort to rebuild because of low compression in a couple of cylinders. He also couldn't buy new bolts for the push rods, and I had a few close to being burnt valves... by the time we got done going through it - we decided to just buy the reman'd engine...

Mostly because I HAVE to use this truck to tow my Lund... could've got it running but would not have felt like we made the best choice for salmon/walleye fishing all across Michigan.

Truck will be on the road again soon - with a new engine.

Many, many thanks to all who tried to help!

Great advise and Rules to go by Hope all ends well and you get to some fishing.