97 K1500 wont start anymore

cooter69 · April 10, 2014

Ok so I have a 1997 K1500 5.7, back in September a stupid Toyota rear ended me. I got $2000 from the insurance company for my bent bumper. Me and my dad took the 2000 dollars and bought a bumper out of a pick and pull for 50 bucks. We decided to do some much needed work to it such as new shocks tire rods control arms balljoints brakes tires springs and oil change in everything. To do the shocks and springs and brakes and rear end oil change, we took the bed off so we could just hang the back end from my old swing set. We did all the work to it little by little over a month or two and we keep starting it and letting it run but on day it wouldn't start at all unless we pour gas straight in the engine and it would only run till it burnt up the gas. We ended up changing the fuel filter and pump since we had the bed off. We got it running no problem and everything was fine. When we got everything done on it, it was late and we were going to drive it but we realized that when we turned on the lights the taillights were on all the time and the third brake light wouldn't work at all not even the cargo light. So we decide to not drive it like that and we still can't figure out why its like that. Then when we had the ice storms come in in February (i live in south Carolina) i could not get it to start at all, i wasnt wanting my block to freeze and crack but it would just sit there and turn but would not start. As of right now it still wont start and the tail lights are still messed up and i have no idea what is wrong. It wont even start if i pour gas straight in. Back when it was still running i had two codes that were there for years in the truck and it was for the mass air flow and a circuit malfunction bank 2. Now it won't start and my scanner now reads no codes at all. If anyone knows anything that can help me with this pleas help me i really mis my truck

Twink · April 10, 2014

Hey. After reading that it looks to me as if you need to just buy a s10 for about $500.

8.1HD/ALLISON · April 10, 2014

Start with the basics, need to check for fuel, spark, and air. Has to be missing one or more of the above.

Sent from my LGL86C using Tapatalk

cooter69 · April 10, 2014

I know im getting the correct fuel pressure to the engine and im still getting a bright blue spark from the coil and all the plugs.

Dirtautoguy · April 16, 2014

Sounds like all that's left is air if you have fuel and spark. It also sounds like maybe your tail lights are grounding out somewhere. On my 96 the dome light 3rd brake light are connected. They always have power to them but the switch on the dash changes the ground. Does the dome light work? Do the two manual lights on the side of the dome light work? It could be the switch on the dash if all the wiring is fine.

I can't remember exactly how it's setup but it seems like there is something that grounds to the bumper but I can't remember if it's just the liscense plate light or the tail lights if I get the chance I'll go look today. Last check the connections where the tail lights wiring split it should be just behind the rear bumper.

Also, don't overlook the fuel pump relay it's like a $10 part but it can go bad mine did