97 Suburban will not start, what to check?

[ScottyBoy]

A friend of my wife has a 97 suburban. Her husband claims its not getting fire. He claims the spark plugs, wires and fuel filter have all recently been changed. Its turning over but will not actually start and run. My wife volunteered me to go look at it for them. :face palm: Of course she didn't even ask me first.
Anyways, my wife told her that we will go over there this evening and I would look at it and see if I can find anything wrong with it. So what is the obvious things I should check for? I know that these engines are notorious for the spider injectors going bad. Any other common fuel or ignition related problems these 350 Vortec engines are known for?

 

[Kennyray]

A friend of my wife has a 97 suburban. Her husband claims its not getting fire. He claims the spark plugs, wires and fuel filter have all recently been changed. Its turning over but will not actually start and run. My wife volunteered me to go look at it for them. :face palm: Of course she didn't even ask me first.
Anyways, my wife told her that we will go over there this evening and I would look at it and see if I can find anything wrong with it. So what is the obvious things I should check for? I know that these engines are notorious for the spider injectors going bad. Any other common fuel or ignition related problems these 350 Vortec engines are known for?

Try some starting fluid to rule out fuel. It's probably the fuel pump.

 

[PenguinLTZ]

Another vote for fuel pump

 

[dirtyoldman]

So,any luck?

I was thinking spider(happened to Grumpy's '99 burb) or maybe ignition module.

 

[Zembonez]

Another vote for fuel pump

Sounds like the best place to start

 

[ScottyBoy]

It fired up for a few seconds when starting fluid was sprayed in the throttle body while cranking.
The guy just replaced the cap and rotor, ignition coil, plugs and wires all in the past week AFTER it stopped running.

 

[Zembonez]

Well... if it starts on an external fuel source it obviously is not ignition.

 

[ScottyBoy]

He also said he had a guy check the fuel pressure with a gauge. It only had about 10-12 lbs. of pressure when the key was turned on. But it climbed to about 40-50 during cranking.

I am leaning towards the fuel pump. So is he, he bought a pump today.

 

[dirtyoldman]

Don't suppose you have a gauge to check the fuel pressure

I've heard if you suspect the fuel pump you can smack the fuel tank and maybe get the pump running.

 

[Kennyray]

He also said he had a guy check the fuel pressure with a gauge. It only had about 10-12 lbs. of pressure when the key was turned on. But it climbed to about 40-50 during cranking.

I am leaning towards the fuel pump. So is he, he bought a pump today.

I would say 50 is to low for it to start.