Cranks But Won't Start - 1999 Chevy Tahoe V8 Vortec

[bradlays]

The Tahoe is cranking but it won't turn over and idle. It's been sitting for about 6 months and the battery has been dead. I connected jumper cables and charged the battery the entire time I was messing with it, which was about an hour. Once the battery had a little charge, I tried starting it and the entire time it sounded like it wants to run but it won't stay on.

Here is what I've attempted to do to get it running.

1.) Put a little gas in the carburetor
2.) Checked the air filter; it wasn't too bad.
3.) Checked the spark plugs connected to the distributor cap
4.) Made sure radiator was full
5.) Checked the oil levels
6.) Added more gas in the tank
7.) Checked the fuel relay fuse; it's in grey plastic so not sure how to check if it's blown.
8.) Checked the fuel filter, which was dirty and probably needs to be replaced.

None of this has worked.

Should I try replacing the fuel filter or does this sound like it could be something else?

 

[MO Viet Vet]

Sounds to me like you need to get a battery in it so it cranks fast enough. It does not have a carb, it is fuel injected. Check to make sure you have spark.

 

[bradlays]

Sounds to me like you need to get a battery in it so it cranks fast enough. It does not have a carb, it is fuel injected. Check to make sure you have spark.

Thank you, I'll replace the battery and see what happens. I unpluggled one of the spark plugs from the distributor and tried to start it and it didn't sound like it wanted to start like it does with it connected. Does this mean the spark plugs are most likely good? If not, what should I look for?

 

[MO Viet Vet]

Ok, we need to get the vocabulary right. You unplugged the spark plug WIRE from the cap, not the spark plug. You are checking for spark. You always need a good battery for cranking speed because even if you have all the needed items for the engine to run but the battery cranks too slow it will not start. If you remove the plug wire at the spark plug and hold it close, using insulated pliers for protection, you should be able to see spark jump from wire to plug tip when crank engine. Or you can remove 1 spark plug and plug in to the plug wire and then hold the plug threads against metal for ground and then crank engine and look for spark at the plug gap. If no spark then suspect the cap and rotor. It also give you a chance to look at a plug. If you have spark then you may have a fuel delivery problem. Attach a fuel pressure gauge and then just turn key on and see if have fuel pressure. Then crank the engine and check pressure. For the engine to run you have to crank with a good battery, have spark, have fuel, have injector pulse and have to be in time with good enough compression.

 

[Nurser]

I've had similar issues with my 99. Once was the fuel pump, the other was a cracked distributor cap.

 

[lesterl]

First off did it fire off and die on the gas in the Throttle Body? If so, Check your fuel pressure for near 60PSI, unplug the MAF sensor ELECTRICAL connector and retry cranking..... If it runs with ELECTRICAL unplugged from MAF sensor then MAF sensor is bad. Check the codes if you can....