96 Blazer Stalled out at red light, restarted and made it a block to the gas station. Shut the engine off and never restarted. Gauge lights didn't come on when key turned to just before crank, but WOULD crank. All other power accessories came on fine. Jumpered 10 and 11 in fuse panel and gauge lights and fuel pump came back to life. Cranked and cranked and apparently just wouldn't spark. Fuel rail spits so it's getting gas. I'm stumped. It's prolly easy tho... Be kind :-)

 

You need to check for spark at the plug. It should be a nice blue spark not yellow. Next would be to check fuel pressure. 60-66 psi KOEO. Pressure should stay above 55 psi for 10 minutes. You need at least 50 psi for the injectors to open.

 

I'm 99% certain it's not fuel/pump related. As I said I jumpered the 10 and 11 fuses and I had the gauge check come on and pump prime. I replaced the steering column a while back with a SY pull and my suspicion is with the ignition switch or lock cylinder. How does one go about testing the ignition switch with a multimeter or ensuring the lock cylinder is engaging the ignition switch or whatever it has to do?

 

Not sure on testing the ignition switch,but 96-98 was bad for em failing. why? No clue. before anything do this. Pull the plug wire off the coil. Now barely stick it back on. Have someone turn it over,if it sparks the coil works,thus should everything else. If you have good spark there do the same to a plug wire. If no spark its the cap or rotor.


No spark at coil? replace the pickup coil in the distributor. not that? look at the ignition control module. its under the cap. what the electrical wires plug into. Make sure you buy only a ac delco.

 

It is in fact the ignition switch. Took off bottom column shroud and fumbled with the ign switch wires and voila, started right up. Couldn't hold the wires where I was for too long so of course it died again but at least I know now. Can't these things be taken off/cleaned and work again for a while? Money is tight and 70 bucks for the new one isn't feasible right now.