99 Chevy Tahoe Question

[C-Money]

So...Our 99 Tahoe would not start the other day. It was running a tad rough at times after a recent trip to Canada. Put some HEET in it with a fill up back here at home, and the rough running quit after a few miles. Problem solved, I thought. We used it a lot over elk season, pulled the utility trailer, etc...After elk season, the Tahoe sat for approx 5 days.  I figured I should run it in to town just to turn the wheels on it, and discovered it would not start. Our mechanic figured the fuel pump they put in it last spring went out, so we banged the gas tank and tried to start it like advised , nothing. Tow truck took the Tahoe into town to the mechanics on Monday. Got a call yesterday that the cap and rotor were fowled, and it needs a complete tune up. Ok, the symptoms make sense that they are correct. Here's the BUT.....Before we took the Tahoe to Pennsylvania in 2013, we had some sort of coolant leak fixed that is common on that vintage 350. At that time, we had a complete tune up done on it. Plugs, cap, rotor, wires, & belt. That was at 98,000 miles. Now in 2016, at 116,000 miles, is it normal to need plugs, wires, cap, rotor again so soon? Is there another issue to look for on a stock 99 350? I am not running 2 stroke gas in the thing, I buy 90% of the gas I run in it from the mechanic. I trust this mechanic, and call the owner of the business a friend. Just not sure why the fuel injected 350 would foul out so quick....thanks for the help...

[Woodchuck]

That is early for another tune if decent parts were used. If it is a spark issue I would start looking at ICM or possibly distributor. Coils are not entirely uncommon. 

[C-Money]

ICM?

[Woodchuck]

Ignition control module

[C-Money]

Thank you!

[Woodchuck]

Good luck man.

[Henrydog]

That seems way to early for cap and rotor problems.  What do the plugs look like.  A good mechanic can tell a lot but looking at the burn patterns on the plugs

[C-Money]

 Just spoke to the Mechanic, said there is play in the distributor.... This could cause fouling?

[jackelope]

Mechanic said there is play in the distributor....

So it needs a distributor, not a cap and rotor.

[C-Money]

Said cap, rotor and plugs were all fouled. Gonna have them do a full tune up, and distributor....Cost = OUCH, but its better than a new car payment.

[Henrydog]

If the distributor moved sounds the time would be retard to the point it would not start. 

[coachcw]

need more info what don't you have , fuel ,spark, air . that thing should make white / blue spark , weak orange spark could foul plugs , they need sixty pounds of fuel pressure to fire . I have seen internal leaks in the injectors but not super common . Id get a fuel gauge on it and see what you have for psi. don't let 55 lbs fool you . if the distributor was out of time it would have set a check engine lamp with a cam  correlation code , if the coolant sensor faults it will foul the plugs  too you will see -41 on a scanner .

[C-Money]

need more info what don't you have , fuel ,spark, air . that thing should make white / blue spark , weak orange spark could foul plugs , they need sixty pounds of fuel pressure to fire . I have seen internal leaks in the injectors but not super common . Id get a fuel gauge on it and see what you have for psi. don't let 55 lbs fool you . if the distributor was out of time it would have set a check engine lamp with a cam  correlation code , if the coolant sensor faults it will foul the plugs  too you will see -41 on a scanner .

DANG!! I hope the mechanic gets it right. They have a good name....It just doesn't seem right. Hope they checked all that stuff. I wont have any more $$ to get something else fixed after this bill...it will be a while! Why do big repairs come right before Christmas. Like I said before...OUCH!

[jackelope]

need more info what don't you have , fuel ,spark, air . that thing should make white / blue spark , weak orange spark could foul plugs , they need sixty pounds of fuel pressure to fire . I have seen internal leaks in the injectors but not super common . Id get a fuel gauge on it and see what you have for psi. don't let 55 lbs fool you . if the distributor was out of time it would have set a check engine lamp with a cam  correlation code , if the coolant sensor faults it will foul the plugs  too you will see -41 on a scanner .

DANG!! I hope the mechanic gets it right. They have a good name....It just doesn't seem right. Hope they checked all that stuff. I wont have any more $$ to get something else fixed after this bill...it will be a while! Why do big repairs come right before Christmas. Like I said before...OUCH!

I'd be calling him and questioning it before the work is done. Coach pretty much is a GM wiz... The check engine light/cam correlation code is the kicker there.

[C-Money]

Right, no check engine light...just would not start.