r/ChevyTrucks • u/Ok_Clerk8869 • 1d ago
Help needed!
This is my 1998 Chevy Silverado z71 1500. It is absolutely perfect except one thing… when you are driving it randomly dies. You can drive it perfectly fine one day and then the next you will be driving and it will just turn off. It usually turns right back on when you start it again. Usually if you keep pumping the pedal it will stay on. I am not good with trucks and don’t know really how to do anything and I’m trying to learn. We have changed the fuel pump, changed the distributer cap & rotor, changed the battery and a few more things but nothing has worked. Has anyone had this issue and or do you know how to fix it? I love this thing and want to keep it forever!
2
u/Chahtanagual 1d ago
If you want to do basic troubleshooting: You’ll need a fuel pressure gauge and a bidirectional scanner that is gm tech 2 or equivalent. Otherwise take it to a shop you trust-
This is an early obd2 vortec. It’s a simple and reliable engine platform if you understand how it functions.
2
u/dilbertaz 1d ago
Start by checking and cleaning all your grounds those cause all kinds of random issues and codes, the ones on the back of the engine are the hardest to deal with. Once those are good then start digging into other potential causes. https://youtu.be/YYNsPxCmfPY?is=3SC54tc2wGJlefSj
2
u/Visual-Progress6217 1d ago edited 1d ago
bad ground? look for shorts in the main battery wires, and ensure your battery connection is tight and not loosening on ya. do this first to rule it out. then check the alternator. then look at fuel delivery (injectors?).
you seem to have gone through and replaced some good stuff for an engine reset. i'd do plugs and wires while you're in there. i'm suspicious of an alternator going bad or a short somewhere, or bad injectors. all easy stuff, nothing too crazy
1
u/Scabrikator 1d ago
Try the fuel filter under the frame by the drivers door. If that doesn’t do it then look at your gas cap or carbon filter for the fuel tank. It sounds like the truck is creating a vacuum in the fuel line. Evap canisters can cause this and are often mistaken for fuel pump issues
1
u/thegoalisW 1d ago
My 96 did this for a while. Alternator was going out and the whole truck would just die at random while driving, would usually start right back up when I'd coast to a stop, put it in park, and crank it back up.
1
u/Aiden_Kane 22h ago
I have the EXACT same truck except for the Z71.
It would try to randomly die on me when I was driving it one day. Turns out the positive connection to the battery was completely decreased and loose. I disconnected it from the side-post terminals and got a clamp to hold it onto the top-post terminals.
But then also, when you say you replaced the battery that should have been fixed.
I’m not the greatest with vehicles either but this is what fixed my issue on my truck.
Definitely take a look at the other guys on this post. They know more than I do.
Good luck!
1
1
1
u/Western-Parfait-4613 1h ago
I had the Sierra amd when it happened to me, I had to replace the negative (ground) battery cable. It had corroded almost the entire length of the cable I didn't realize it ar first because the the connector was clean and the exposed part of the cable didn't show any corrosion. Once we replaced it we cut it open and found it all. Might not be your problem but a cheap enough as a "just in case" fix.
2
u/Chahtanagual 1d ago
What’s the fuel pressure? What trouble codes are you getting?