I just bought this truck a few months ago had about 170k miles on it. Since it has gotten cold i have had a few issues with it but i could usually get it started. First, when I would get up to around 50mph it would kind of "Hiccup" and jump a little, but only in the morning and if it sat for 2 days without being driven, afterwards it would run fine. Then about a month ago I couldn't get it started for about 5 min it would just rollover and act like it would fire then wouldn't. Finally it fired up, it shook a little and ran weird for about 5 seconds and then was fine. But today......nothing, just rolls over and wont fire, not sure if this has anything to do with the hiccups or not. My first thought was fuel tank, but i turned the key and can here the buzz coming from that area. My second thought was Plugs, but i am no mechanic and dont want to go dropping a bunch of money for nothing.......anyone know what to do??

 

A guy I work with has the same problem on his 98, so if someone could help us both out because it is literally the same exact thing

 

I start with checking the fuel pressure. You might hear the pump running, but is the pressure high enough.

 

cant really check the fuel pressure if it doesn't start....can you?

 

Can you say electric pump.

 

To check to see if you have fuel, Follow the fuel lines (silver tubes) running on top of the intake manifold and there is a green cap I believe close to the firewall on the line. All it is a screw cap and when you take the cap off it will have a valve stem just like tire. You more than likely should be able to push it in with your finger and when you do if you don't have gas getting on your hand then you found the problem.

 

Is it a TBI or first generation vortec?

 

ok, getting fuel....i found the port and pushed it in and fuel came spraying out. Guessing now its not getting fire....any suggestions? trying to at least get it started so i dont have to pay $100 for towing.

not 100% sure but want to say Vortec

 

Take a wood handle or insulated phillips screwdriver. Pull spark plug wire of an easy to get to spark plug, #1 or #2, thats front driver, and front passenger side, whichever is close, and safe to get to. You'll need someone to crank it with screwdriver in the plug wire boot, and about 1/4 inch away from the engine (ground) are you getting spark? If so, what color is it?

 

I personally ran into a few of these problems before and they tend to vary alot, but since you have a decent amount of miles on the truck I would start with the little things first like a fuel filter, pressure regulator, etc... Definitely sounds like a fuel dilevery problem