I replaced an intake gasket on my 2000 4.3. I have searched and searched for answers but all I'm finding is people that it just wont start. I checked the timing and making sure the distributor shaft is in correctly, checked to make sure firing order is correct. It starts up after a few cranks but it has problems. I'm lost if anyone can help out it would be awesome

 

How does it run when it finally starts? Couple things come to mind for me, like not re-attaching the vacuum hoses, clogged an injector, or there is a leak somewhere.

Assuming that the distributor is definitley installed correctly.

 

Recheck everything you reinstalled

 

once its running it has a small miss and a strong smell of fuel

 

vacuum hoses are all attached i didn't think about the clogged injector but if it was a clogged injector it wouldn't start would it?

 

if it smells of fuel that means its spraying fuel in there but not igniting it. so possible spark issue. maybe you knocked off a spark wire.

also i did a intake before that the truck was **** to get started back up. it dumped so much oil and coolant into the cylinders that i actually put a set of used plugs in there, cranked it about 200 times to get it started, let it burn out all the oil/antifreeze then replaced it with new plugs, and the plugs i pulled out had crap all over them.

something you can try is if you get it running try pulling a spark plug wire off one by one. if you find one that doesnt make the engine idle down then you can at least pinpoint which cylinder is being the problem

 

You have 6 injectors so it's quite possible it could start with one or two of them clogged. Also check the electrical connection to the injectors..it's real easy to bend a pin.

 

i got lucky when it blew the intake gasket cause it blew to the outside instead of dumping antifreeze into the oil. only has 2 injectors ill check to see if it has a bent pin or not. ill also recheck all the plug wires to make sure they are on tight. still open to more ideas until it is fixed though so keep them coming

 

Do you see fuel in the engine bay? Could be bad fuel line connection at the lines you had to disconnect to get the intake off.

 

yeah that is possible.