Hello all. I have a 96 k1500 with 238,xxx miles I use as my work truck. Last night while doing 75 on the interstate I decided to pass someone and noticed the truck would not accelerate. Put foot to the floor but the RPM never increased and engine never revved up. Coasted to a stop a battery light came on like truck died. Tried to crank but no start. It was hard to hear over the traffic flying by me but I could swear I could hear air somewhere around the throttle body? Could this be a vacuum issue? Its worth noting the truck liked to stall a bit on takeoff in the mornings. Someone said EGR valve was causing it... also it has stuttered while driving before as if the battery died but it came right back to life and kept going with no more headache other than it resetting my radio and its clock... ECM? Fuel Pump? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks in advance.

 

The clock and radio resetting indicates that it is an electrical issue. Check your battery, battery cables at both ends and all your grounds as a starting point.

 

Put a good battery in off an extra truck last night with no better success. All lights are on and radio works but truck wont crank. When it does start to crank it abruptly dies again. Im sure its something simple. Will trace the wiring later today. Thanks for the reply.

 

At starter,loose, corroded wire?,then trace the feeds to fuse box and ignition switch,fusable links are in the path,could be one of them loosing connection,green fungus is a giveaway on the end of a link

 

Cant find any bad wiring or fungus. Found that the noise I was hearing at the throttle body is it backfiring into the throttle body. Lifted plate while wife cranked and everytime the truck acts like its trying to turn a flame pops up inside throttle body immediately goes out and truck dies... any ideas?

 

So it cranks now? I would start with a new cap and rotor,buy quality,there are some cheapos out there

 

Maybe I have said this wrong... it will try to turn over just not actually fire up. While cranking it sounds like it might try to start but then kind of puffs and goes back to cranking. Never actually hits. Thought a loud puff of air was coming from in or around the throttle body but while holding the plate open and letting my wife crank it I noticed the puff sound was a flame starting inside the throttle body and dying then the engine just goes back to cranking.

 

Im actually thinking timing chain at this point. I knew when it happened and I tried to recrank on the side of the interstate I thought I could hear a type of grinding noise from around the pulleys. Im no mechanic and didnt even know at first that the timing chain was behind the water pump.

 

To test a chain,put a socket on alternator or crank and feel for play,many things up front could make a noise

 

Could you elaborate a little more on this? How would I test the chain by putting a socket on the alternator? The truck being out of time would explain the fire shooting into the throttle body wouldn't it?