97 Chevy K15000 not getting spark! Then, there are a lot of things to blame. Worn-out spark plugs or their wiring, a bad ignition coil, a faulty ICM, or a faulty distributor are the culprits that are responsible for no-spark issues.
In this automotive troubleshooting guide, we will break down every reason that causes the no-spark problem. So, read on till the end.
Table of Contents
Why Is My 97 Chevy K1500 Not Getting Spark [7 Easy Fixes]
Your 97 Chevy K1500 is not getting spark due to bad spark plugs or its wiring issue, a bad ignition coil, a faulty control module, or a bad distributor.
Below, we will describe each of them and provide their solutions as well. So, keep scrolling.
1. Foul Spark Plugs
Bad spark plugs are to blame if you don’t get any spark from your 97 Chevy K1500. Basically, the spark plugs (as the name suggests) supply the spark to ignite the air/fuel mixture for turning the engine on. If these plugs get damaged or worn out, they will not provide any spark.
A dirty air filter, driving the car too much at low speed, rich fuel/air mixture, or filthy fuel injectors are what cause the spark plugs to go bad.
Solution:
Open the hood and inspect the spark plugs for damage. If it is covered with black carbon, understand it gets bad. Replacing the spark plug is the only option to get the spark for operating the engine smoothly. The following video will help you replace the spark plug on 97 Chevy trucks.
2. Spark Plug Wire Issues
Only the fouled spark plug is not at fault, the damaged wire of it is also responsible for not getting a spark.
If the spark plug wires get faulty, you will notice the following symptoms when driving your car:
- Trouble starting the engine
- Engine misfires
- Decreased fuel economy
- Erratic idle
- High-pitch radio noise
Note: Other factors can also manifest these signs. The best bait is to test the spark plug wires electrically to determine whether they are at fault or not.
Solution:
Before going to replace the spark plug wiring, we recommend you inspect them electrically. Just grab a multimeter, set it to Ohm, and test the wires by attaching the two leads of the multimeter to the wires.
We suggest you check this video to learn how to check the spark plug wires correctly. If the resistance of the spark plug wires goes out of range, you must replace them.
3. Wiring From Cap To Plugs Are In Wrong Order
You will get no spark on the 97 Chevy if the wires from the distributor cap to the spark plugs are in the incorrect order. Now, you may ask- how can I understand that the wiring from the cap to the plug is in the wrong order?
The wire will backfire. If the cap is turned on 180 degrees or it completely gets turned, it will cause this issue.
Solution:
Attaching the wires to the right distributor port or spark plugs will solve this issue. We recommend you check the manual and plug the wiring correctly. If you are not electrically inclined, we recommend you hire a certified mechanic to do this task for you.
4. A Bad Ignition Coil
A faulty ignition coil also contributes to a lack of spark problem. Your car needs a proper mixture of fuel/oxygen to generate power. And it requires a spark to ignite the mixture.
In this case, the ignition coil converts the voltage of your car battery to a level to let the spark plug do its job to ignite the fuel/oxygen mixture.
If the coil gets faulty, it fails to produce enough voltage to make the spark for igniting the fuel/air mixture. As a result, you will get no sparks or weak sparks, which is not sufficient for turning the engine on.
Faulty spark plugs or plug wires cause the ignition coil to go bad. You will notice these signs if the ignition coil is at fault:
- Poor gas mileage
- Car stalling
- Hard start
- Sudden backfires
Solution:
Some ignition coils offer plug & play design. It means you can easily replace them with little skills. But some of them are hard to access and a bit challenging to change the ignition coil.
The following video will help you in terms of replacing the coil. Alternatively, you can hire a professional to do this task for you. In this case, you may need to spend around $300 or more.
5. Faulty Ignition Control Module
The ICM generally controls the electrical current flow to the ignition coil. If the ignition control module fails, it will never supply electrical current flow to the coil. In other words, the ignition coil fails to get the voltage it needs to fire the spark plugs.
Your Chevy will stall occasionally if the ignition control module is at fault. In worst, you will fail to start the car when the ICM gets completely defective.
Solution:
A simple test will let you know that the ignition module is bad. Just leave your Chevy idling for half an hour. Then, tap the ICM with a screwdriver.
If your vehicle stalls understand there is no alternative to replacing the ignition control module. On the other hand, we recommend you hire a certified mechanic to make the replacement for you.
6. Bad Distributor
A distributor is an internal yet critical part of your car’s ignition system. As the name suggests, this part distributes sparks to every spark plug of your vehicle. The distributor is connected to a lot of components like a crankshaft sensor, ignition coil, distributor rotor, and every spark plug.
If the distributor gets defective, it fails to provide a spark to every spark plug to fire & ignite the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. Consequently, your Chevy will not get any spark and fail to start the engine.
Solution:
Before replacing the distributor, we highly recommend you inspect other components associated with it. Check the crankshaft sensor, distributor rotor, cap, and the outer terminals of the distributor for damage.
If you hook up a scan tool, 97 Chevy will throw the error code ‘p0336’. It indicates there is a problem with the crankshaft sensor.
YourMechanic has an in-depth guide regarding this. You can read that article to learn how to inspect the distributor rotor, its cap, and also spark plugs.
Once you figure out there is no issue with other parts attached to the distributor, you must replace it. It will cost you around $83 to $123 to replace the distributor.
7. Blown-Out ENG-1 Fuse
You should take your eyes to the engine compartment’s fuse box. Inspect the ENG-1 fuse and other fuses as well to see whether they get blown out or not.
The pink wire of the crankshaft sensor has the ignition power at the sensor. If you lose the power from the fuse (ENG-1), there will be no power on the crankshaft sensor and other sensors.
If the ENG-1 fuse is blown, you should discover what shorted the pink wires to every sensor and the O2 sensor.
Solution:
We recommend you bring your car to a professional mechanic if you get no spark on your Chevy due to a blown-out ENG-1 fuse. The mechanic will sort out the reasons that cause the fuse to blow out.
FAQs:
What would cause a Chevy truck not to start?
Your chevy truck will not start because of a dead battery, bad alternator, and a faulty starter. Once you address these problems and solve them, you can start your Chevy truck again.
Will a crank sensor cause a no-start?
Yes, a crank sensor issue can prevent a car from starting the engine. This sensor monitors the position of the crankshaft. If it fails, the sensor can’t provide the correct information to the ECU, which causes engine starting problems.
Can a blown fuse prevent a car from starting?
Yes, a blown-out fuse prevents a car from starting. If the fuse gets damaged, it doesn’t provide the power the starter relay needs to get the power, spark, and ignition to move the car.
Conclusion
If you get no sparks, you can’t start your 97 Chevy. Foul spark plugs, wiring from cap to plugs in the wrong order, or a bad ignition are responsible for the no-spark issues.
You must address those problems and fix them to get enough sparks to start the engine again. Fortunately, we mentioned every troubleshooting step to deal with the problems and solve them.
So, follow the troubleshooting steps we mentioned. If you fail to solve the no-spark issue after following our guidelines, don’t hesitate to reach out to a certified mechanic.
About John M
John contributed as a technical head at an automobile company just 2 years after his post-graduation in Automobile Engineering. He loves to lead a free life, so he left his job & started blogging. Now, he does research on every automotive problem, part & product and seeks a better solution & best products & shares his findings with his readers to help them as well as to minimize their struggle.