hey friends. i've got a little problem with my 97 z-71. it will not start. battery is fine. turns over good. everything works except gages and daytime running lights, and not firing of corse. don't know what to try. help?  

First problem is that it's a chevy!!   Just kidding. Does it have gas? I know silly ? but a logical one. Check each one of these if possible.   

Fuel filter, fuel pump, distributor, coil, wires, plugs, timing, starter soleniod, starter. I know you said that the battery is good, but check it again. Check the altenator also. If the alt is not working properly, the battery will not have a proper charge to start the truck.

I don't know about chevy, but alot of manufacturers are putting the filter inside the tank, making it a real pain to check or change. Same with the pump.

i've checked wwhat i could. it's like the power isn't turning on to the electrical system. starter turns over fine. new battery. just that the gages and daytime running lights don't come on. i tryed putting a little gas in the throttle body, still no fire. don't know??  

Hey greengate! Your alternator means next to nothing for starting a truck, so don't swap it yet! If you have now electricity when you try to start it's all about your battery not supplying power. Either it's dead or you have a loose connection or broken wire somewhere so the circuit between the battery and the ignition could be bad. If you CAN start after a recharging a battery but in minutes lose electricity THEN it's your alternator.  

it's not a dead battery. everything works but the gages and the firing. the motor turns over fine, it just wont fire up. the gages don't come alive when you turn the key on, but the turn sigs, radio, heater fan, and anything else does. brake lights work. daytime running lights don't come on like there suposed to when you turn on rower to key. installed new battery and cable ends. still the same. got me all screwed up.  

Are you shure you are geting spark at the plugs? if so is the timing right ir the plug wires in the right order?  

The guages are what are throwing me off.  My guess would be to first check the fuse box to see if there is a fuse for the instrument cluster.  It doesn't make much sense that the guages not working would have anything to do with the vehicle not starting.  Maybe whatever electrical problem that occured caused the fuse to blow.  As for not starting.. doesn't sound like the battery, definitely not the alternator, check the coil, wires, distributor cap, distributor...  Process of elimination  

did you CHECK for a spark? there are cheap testers at you local automotive toy stores.

If there is no spark it could be the igniton module in the destributor or the fusable links conected to the starters "S" terminal or onthe back of the alternator.

or have it the computer read with an OBDII reader and it will give you a path to follow.

fixxer, no it doesn't have spark. not checked fusable links yet, didn't know where they were located. also will not link up with obdII. shows link error when you try to hook it up.  

Spend the $15 on a Haynes manual at the parts store. It has a troubleshooting guide.  On 88-98 models there is a way to short the diagnostic port to flash the trouble codes. I'm not sure if the '96-up OBDII will do the same thing. Check all your fuses, that would be my first shot, then coil, and distributor.