No start, need help, out of ideas

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mkingan

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my 1999 tahoe z71 died the other day and had to have it towed. I have run though some diag. but im running out of things to check. It is a no start. All plugs/wires checked. spark at all. fuel pressure is 60 psi checked and does not leak down. It will not even start with starting fluid. i don't know what check next. I really thought it would least start with the starting fluid, id imagine since i have spark on all 8 plugs, that would kind of eliminate ignition. Dist. cap, wires, rotors plugs are all 6 month old. It ran great then just died. Turns over fine just nothing. What am i missing? thanks
 

OR VietVet

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Well, you need 4 things for the engine to run. Spark, fuel, air and compression. When you turn the engine over does it sound normal or is the sound more hollow? If you in fact have spark ALL the time, fuel delivery and/or starting fluid and good timed compression, you should get at least a cough or two. If you have jumped time bad enough that could explain why there is nothing. Any work done recently to the engine?
 

exp500

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Test your IGN Module with ohmmeter. Check Your Dist cap for burn thru inside. Hope this helps.
 

Doubeleive

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SUDDEN death and everything checks out = likely bad ignition control module
sometimes they die slow and sometimes all of a sudden
they run about $70 on rockauto
 

OR VietVet

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I can't seem to buy the module or pickup coil or bad cap or bad rotor, if in fact he has spark at all wires and plugs. My response was based off of his supplied info. Or, did I miss something in his OP?
 

avalonandl

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Sounds like ECM or engine pickup sensor.

The fact its not firing with starting fluid means its not sensing where the engine rotation is.
 

wjburken

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I can't seem to buy the module or pickup coil or bad cap or bad rotor, if in fact he has spark at all wires and plugs. My response was based off of his supplied info. Or, did I miss something in his OP?
Only thing I can think of is the distributor jumped a tooth or something.
 

OR VietVet

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Unless the distributor is not bolted into place tightly, I have never seen a distributor jump a tooth. I have seen drive gear shear a roll pin though. Cam or Crank sensor possibly but if they were causing a problem would it still have spark?
 
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mkingan

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ok went back out there, hooked another battery to it and cranked it over continuously. it back fired 2 twice. the distributor is only 4 months old, so is plugs wires, cap, rotor. (billet assembly complete). i'm thinking that it must have jumped time. my opinion in if it got fuel, spark and compression which it does, it seems its out of sequence, IE timing. i have followed many diagnostics and everything on the voltage, resistance and olms checks out on the modules for the ignition from what i am assuming. i dont know what else to check. i can start replacing modules.
 

OR VietVet

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Bring #1 cylinder up to TDC on the compression stroke and pull the cap and see where the rotor is pointing at. It better be at #1 plug wire tower. You could also have a loose distributor lock down bolt and the distributor has turned. You will need help to do this. Pull #1 spark plug, cover the whole hole with your finger, have your helper bump the engine till you feel compression that pushes against your finger and then look at the timing mark and move the harmonic balancer to pint the TDC mark at the line on the balancer. That is TDC.

Still have not responded to my question about the cranking sound of the engine when spinning.
 

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