95 Suburban K1500 dies & won't start - ChevyTech

[Dapapadon]

I could use a little (lot) of help on my Suburban. ChevyTech, if you read this please help! 1995 K1500 Suburban with 5.7 V8, automatic w/ 121,000 miles.

I bought this Suburban about 2 years ago. It was an auction wreck & I replaced the front sheet metal & radiator. Only 1 fender is original. The truck always started & ran with no problems. Then last spring I was heading out to go shooting and the truck dies about 3 miles up the mountain road. No tools so I backed it down the forestry road to the main road & called a tow truck. Ever tried backing a Suburban down a tight road w/o the engine running? Not fun. Neither was the $300 tow bill.

As soon as we unload it & the tow truck leaves I try it & it fires right up. I put it in the shop with the local guy I use. He has it 2 months & finally gets it to not start. He replaced the Ignition Control Module.

I start driving the truck again and 4 weeks later it dies as I pull around to back up and leave work. Same thing, will not start for anything. So I get a co-worked to push me into a parking spot with a forklift. Two days later my son & I go get the truck, it fires right up & drives home fine.

I leave it parked for several months then replace the fuel pump. I took a guess at the problem, it was the original pump so I figure it needed replacing. It fires right up after replacing the pump, AC Delco pump from Rockauto.

By this time the tags have expired so I get a trip permit so I can drive it around and I need to go to DEQ for a smog test. I drive it around the neiborhood some then on the third day I figure I'll drive to work on my day off. I stop at a local store on the way. As I'm leaving there and pulling onto the main road it dies again. Same old thing, cranks but will not start. Napa is a block away so I get a can of starting fluid and a fuel pump relay. Neither had any affect. Although it did seem like it coughed a litlle once or twice with the starting fluid. Another $125 tow truck ride home. By that time I'm frustrated with the problem & decide to wait for warm weather. Oh yeah, truck doesn't start when i get it home this time.

So now the weather has warmed up. I've been drive my old 70 Chevy C20 all this time and felt the urge to start back on it. So I'm back to the forum and start looking at post from other people having GM TBI problems. Why didn't I think of that last year. Anyway, ChevyTech recommends checking the fuel pressure first on TBI engines so I ordered an Actron GM TBI fuel pressure gauge with adapter and the adapter to replace the fuel filter. The gauge will not fit the filter replacement adapter but the one that came with the gauge did fit behind the filter.

I get 14 psi when I turn the key on and it holds at 14 psi with the engine running. Oh yeah, now it wants to run again. The fuel pressure does drop as soon as I shut the key off. So I'm guessing I have a regulator or injector problem. My son will be home later this evening & I'll watch the injectors as he shuts the engine off.

I need a game plan to find the problem. Could the fuel pressure dropping when I shut the key off be part of the problem? Can I leave the fuel pressure gauge adapter installed until the problem returns? And I'm usually by myself when this happens. But I can get my son there most of the time. Right now I'm not sure if I have a fuel or ignition problem. I need to get together a tool kit to locate the problem. And keep $200 in my wallet in case in need another tow truck ride.

Sorry this got so long.

Don