1997 won't Idle. Nor will it start unless you give it gas

[Captain Ledd]

I had hoped my factory service manuals would have helped me diagnose things, but under all it's "diagnosis" sections, it tells me to look in another book that I don't have, so phooey.

1997 2.3L manual trans, approx 210,000 miles.

I just did the timing belt a while back, was a huge pain in the ass. Ever since I did that at random times while starting out, it would buck and chug. After that it would run fine through all gears and it idled fine. It would do it cold or hot or whenever it felt like it. 75% of the time I was able to get moving without a problem.

Flash forward several weeks.

I moving some wood out of the field and I try to start it and it sputters for about 30 seconds and dies. 2nd try it starts fine.

I moved the truck by my old Cadillac to try and move it (now that I had weight) and successfully dragged it a ways to it would be easier to get stuff out of the barn again. My dad helped with this and kinda gave the engine a really good revving.

After that, it wouldn't start again. It starts to start and will sputter for a good 5-15 seconds after cranking but then will stop. It starts fine if you give it gas, it'll rev up just fine if you give it gas. But will die as soon as you let it go back to idle.

Fuel pressure is within spec.
Plugs and wires have maybe 20,000 on them, plugs are still in good shape (engine is somewhat apart currently)
8,000 on new fuel filter

I can't help but think I screwed something up during the timing belt. But I checked it like 8 times before I bolted stuff back together and the truck makes power and drives like it always has. If it's a tooth off anywhere it'd be noticeable.

I'm leaning towards fuel injectors, but those are $70 apiece and alot of money pissed away if they're not the problem.

I don't know what else to check though? or really I know what to check, but I don't know what I should be seeing/getting when I check it.

Would an O² sensor do this?
IAC? Do they have those on '97's?
MAF/MAP sensor?
Some other sensor?

 

[dbest1a]

Is the PCM giving any codes ?
You may want to use your code reader to check ?

Don't do like I did n start buying a bunch of parts, even though my truck needed em b4 reading the PCM

 

[steve63]

you listed all what i would look for,lol,97 does have IAC,got any trouble codes?

 

[4b316]

Sounds like a vaccum leak somewheres.

 

[Captain Ledd]

you listed all what i would look for,lol,97 does have IAC,got any trouble codes?

I know what could go wrong and what things can do it. I don't know what to check for. Voltage? OHM's? I have no idea how to test the sensor.

Sounds like a vaccum leak somewheres.

If it would stay running I'd love to test for a vacuum leak. But that'll have to wait a bit because the upper intake manifold is already off.

Still working on getting a code reader.

 

[Bryan22]

get a multimeter and check the coil packs. primary resistance should be less than 5 ohms, secondary anything in the 10-15k ohms range is fine.

 

[grandpa]

Check your EGR valve. If your valve is not closing completely, you will not idle.