97 Silverado Engine Kills
 

So, my '97 Silverado and I were in line at the local fast food joint the other day and my truck simply shut off while at the window. Truck was in OD and the brake was on, not moving, and then the engine died. Since then, the truck has died while driving down the road (less than 2ooo rpms) and when the RPMs are high, the truck lags like when a tranny is slipping but the RPMs drop, then regain. I can start the vehicle right back up again by slipping it into N and turning it over. I am not sure if it is an electrical or vacuum issue. But I am confident that the knowledge of this forum will help catch the culprit. Thanks in advance for the information.

Also, checked the tranny fluid when i got home (was low), and filled to the HOT mark while hot. And I did a quick check of vacuum lines and PCV (PCV wasn't actuating, i pulled it off the valve cover and plugged it with my thumb while the vehicle was running and it started rattling again).

Now i'm stuck driving the family car...

Check your fuel filter or I should say go ahead and replace it. They are too cheap to reinstall one that isn't new.

I just replaced it this summer; and it isn't sputtering like I would think a clogged fuel filter would act. When it shuts off it seems like there is an electrical (kinda like a solenoid activating) click and the motor dies.
No SES.

Check your cable connections and if you still have the original double positive going to the battery make sure the lead spacer that goes between the terminals is not squished. If you tighten the positive terminal make sure that neither one can be moved. I just went through this on my 98. It would just die like someone turned the ignition off. It would restart though - new battery terminal and spacer fixed it. I made the mistake of just making sure the terminal was tight and not making sure there was actually a good clamping force on the terminals. The terminal was bottoming out in the battery socket due to the spacer being squished.

I do have the double positive and will check the tightness and contacts of both on the battery. Hopefully this will be the resolve, I will update tonight.
Thanks for the help thus far!

I just went through almost the exact situation you are describing. Two months ago my 98 had all the same symptoms as yours. It started doing it occasionly and became more frequent. Ended up being the fuel pump on its way out. Just curious, does your engine light come on/stay on when it happens? Every time mine died in flight, it threw a P1361 code. Kept referring it back to an igniton control module.

Yeah, I just replaced the fuel filter and we'll see if it happens again on the way to the parts store tomorrow... (wasn't the double positive cables-Mr_Shamrock, however, much obliged) Took it to the shop and they told me it had low fuel pressure. Hoping it will be the filter, but looking forward to the garage time with my truck and fridge. BTW, drop the tank OR pull the box? I have a steel I-beam that runs the length of my garage and I was thinking that a come-along would hold the box up while I replaced the pump. (with proper safeties attached to the box to prevent my body from adhering my pickup frame and box, of course)

Also, no check engine light.

Definitely lift the bed off. When I did mine I just loosened the passenger side bolts and removed the drivers side bolts and jacked up the drivers side high enought to get to the pump. One man job - less than 3 hours.

Here's mine...

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/v...k/100_8192.jpg

http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/v...k/100_8194.jpg

Mr_Shamrock,
You definitely do not get paid enough for the wisdom that you share!!! You have no idea how much you are appreciated. Thank you kindly for the information.

Respectfully,
Josh

Where might these bolts reside, and what are they screwed though? My truck is behaving rather poorly as of late, and I've been smelling gas fumes. I think I need to put a new pump and regulator in my tank. Possibly even replace the tank.

On a truck that's never had the bed removed, or tank removed, would it still be easier to undo these bolts on the bed? I've never set my eyes on these bolts. I'm not sure where they would be.

I'm not afraid of cutting off the tank straps either. I have a car hoist at my disposal if that helps make things easier.

Just crawl under your truck and you will see them going up through the frame and into the bed. There are 4 on each side. There will be just a hole on the bottom of the frame rail to stick a socket through and then you will see the bolt heads going through the top rail into the bed. I have done it both ways and this is WAY easier. The last one before this one had a 5th wheel hitch so this method wasn't an option and it was a major PITA! Not only are you wrestling that big tank, but the fuel lines get pulled in directions they weren't meant to be pulled. I ended up breaking one of the ends of the lines and had to remove the entire fuel line to have a new end crimped on. It caused me to have the truck down almost 2 full days. The truck in the picture was back on the road in 3 hours.

You will also have to remove either the hoses from the gas filler (there are 2 - one is a vent) or just unbolt the filler assembly from the bed (easier) and there will be a wiring harness going up to the taillights it is just one plug that needs to be disconnected.