Break Down

[dvanbramer88]

My Truck broke down today, I was driving down the highway and the oil pressure dropped to 0. Check gauges light came one. All power lost, and pressing the gas pedal would make the engine shake, before i can pull it over and stop the engine shuts off. When i hit the starter it wants to start but bucks and kicks and sputters out. No smoke when it went, All oil is still in motor, no oil on road or tow truck's bed. I checked plugs and wires. I had to go to work as soon as i got home so i had little time to explore. Tomorrow i will dig deeper.

I plan to check: Coil, and coil wire. Distributor and Cap, (i have a 350 Vortec; 97 K1500) I have a feeling the worm gear on the end of the distributor broke/wore out and that would explain the drop in oil pressure as well because that gear also spins the oil pump. The last time i had it apart that gear showed signs of wear but i didn't have time/money to replace it at the time. I am hoping it is this gear and not the timing chain....

Any other suggestions of things to check would be nice.

Also no dents in the valve covers, again no bang, no smoke, engine just sputtered out as i pulled over, i dont think i broke anything as far as a lifter or push rod.

[fishsticks]

IIRC the 4.2 is a non-interference motor. If that's the case you should be OK internally even if you have timing chain trouble.

[chevycrew]

(i have a 350 Vortec; 97 K1500)

I have 2 of those motors in trucks here and they are stupid reliable. How many miles? Auto or stick?

The bucking when gas pedal was pressed sound like a spark issue to me, and the oil pressure gauge showing 0 could have been just that the engine died. A manual trans would still have had the engine turning over with weak spark, when fuel was introduced it tried to burn...

Did you get a check engine light before it died? any codes present?

[bartonmd]

Fuel pump.

Mike

[Stoked]

Fuel pump.

Mike

I have a 97 c1500 5.0 and the same thing happened. It was the fuel pump. Short term fix that worked for me: smack the gas tank a few times and try and start. I was able to drive it a block away from a mechanic, pushed the rest of the way.

[navigator]

some models of the pickups have a fuel pump test wire on the driver side near the firewall.
it is a red wire that appears to go nowhere.

If you put 12V on you should hear the fuel pump turn on.

[navigator]

I think there is also an inline fuse that sometimes blows and folks replace their fuel pump and that doesn't fix the problem.

[Trail X]

Simple way to check the fuel pump is to have your ear to the fuel tank while someone turns the key to the run position. You should hear it prime.

However, if you're still turning over the engine while there is no fuel in the engine, there should still be oil pressure.

I've ran out of fuel on the highway (which would be the same affect on the engine as a bad fuel pump), and the engine didn't give a low oil pressure light. But that was in the TB, different engine.

[bartonmd]

I suspect the engine actually died, which caused the oil pressure light to come on...

Could really be a bunch of different things if the oil pressure light came on while the engine was still spinning more than 500rpm, though... Loose connection somewhere that took out the ground for the engine, which would show low oil pressure, as well as not allow the engine to run... Actually, my friend had this happen on his '97 Z71... It wouldn't start several times, and he started carrying a wire brush and stuff with him to clean up the ground on the passenger side of the engine, to the framerail...

Mike

[dvanbramer88]

Fuel pump is 5 months old and i can hear it come on when i turn the key, thank you anyway. I pulled the distributor this morning and as i had "hoped" the gear on the end had a large section of teeth sheered off. What happened before, the ass i let work on my truck didnt tighten the retainer clip enough and the distributor began to wobble and wear the gears. One day about a year ago, my truck wouldnt start, mechanic neighbor says sounds like timing as he is listening to me try and start it, he grabs the distributor and turns it by hand and the truck fires up. A the time i couldnt afford a new one and the teeth were still intact even though some were worn very thin, we put it back in, tightened it up. HERE we are today, those teeth are sheered off.... I just picked up a new distributor,

And the comment about those trucks are stupid relaible, chevy crew, I KNOW! thats why i love them 239,850 miles as she sits now. ran great until it crapped out yesterday...
Automatic, i wish i had a manual.

Ill let you know if it fixes it or not.

Check engine light is burned out, but i have a scan guage and Ive been periodically checking it, No codes. The oil pressure dropped BEFORE the engine shut off, it just had zero power as the distributor was still spinning but not enough to turn the oil pump fast enough. Before i could change 3 lanes to the shoulder it died.

[bartonmd]

ewwww... You may run into problems from the oil pressure having been down to 0, because the oil pump is driven by the distributor...

Mike

[navigator]

I would at least change the oil before starting it, those teeth are likely in the oil pan somewhere.

[chevycrew]

I agree, oil change, then fire it up and hope for the best.

Check engine light bulb is a really easy fix, unlike the TB its just a plug and play bulb.

[dvanbramer88]

welp, obviously with the stripped teeth id run into timing issues.I knew it wouldnt be as simple as put the new dist. in the same way the old one came out. Before i could get someone to help me find TDC and put in the new distributor, it started pouring... so an easy fix turned into a weekend project with the rain...

[chevycrew]

When setting the timing, you really only have a window of a few degrees to keep the computer happy.

I dont remember the procedure, but I know when used a scan tool to set the distributer to get it exact.

[dvanbramer88]

When setting the timing, you really only have a window of a few degrees to keep the computer happy.

I dont remember the procedure, but I know when used a scan tool to set the distributer to get it exact.

I had the same probelm last time when my neighbor discovered that it was loose, he pulled it out and forgot to mark it.... I know that one tooth in either direction off and it wont run for beans.. The bonus is the actual dist. can only go in one way, its just a matter of getting the location of the tab on the rotor right. You got to pull Cyl. #1 spark plug off, put your finger over the hole and either bump the starter or have someone turn the motor by hand and wait until your finger gets blown off the hole, That's TDC, set the distributor to cylinder #1, put in in, and you golden. With my truck i do know that you CAN NOT adjust timing with a computer or scan tool, you need to get the dist. right. now the PC or scan tool will display the timing adavnce and is a good aide in figuring out which way you are off.

[chevycrew]

Its not as simple as once its in right, its good. You still need to fine tune the timing advance at the distributer.

If you are on the correct tooth, but have the distributer twisted a few degrees it will throw a code and go into a limp mode. The scan tool is only used to see exactly where you are at.


You can also drop it in and drive it, after a few keys cycles if no code, you are good. If not, reset the code and twist the distributer to a new spot, and try again.


I have a lot of time with my wifes race truck after the 5.0L spit out the bearings at 85k miles, now a 5.7L, custom tune, big cam, heads machined for bigger springs, etc...