I've read a dozen or so threads and am still having troubles figuring out which way to go. Since there is 170k on the engine, i've been thinking about just a rebuid, but seeing as I am broke right now and there isn't any knocks I want to try cheaper solutions first. I'm for sure replacing the distributor because it has never been done. My only hesitation in doing so is this.

The truck starts hard and idles rough which leads me to believe it's obviously the distributor, but when i step on the gas; the engine wont go over 3500 rpms and than dies. What??

 

wires.
plugs.
cap.
rotor.
distributer assembly.

all could lead to the 300...
just on the off chance you haven't been through it, this bad boy has some decent info



hopefully that will take your mind off of it for .05 seconds though

 

replaced everything except distributor, but does that have anything to do with the engine dying?

 

PO300 is one of those awesome codes that can be a lot of things...

there are a few threads discussing changing the dist as a whole, i just dont recall if it was in response to the 300 or not