1987 Chevrolet Suburban wont start

I have a 1987 Chevrolet Silverado Suburban with a 454 EFI that died on me while driving down the road. I got it pulled home and checked for spark with my volt meter and there is sometimes and other times I check there is not spark! And also when I was checking the spark, I tried to start it again and there was fuel spraying out of the injectors like it should. Well, I tried it again today and it had spark but no fuel. Started with a little ether. After letting it sit a few minutes, I tried it again. No spark and no fuel. I has a new cap and rotor. Fuel pump is pumping great! Can anyone help. Thanks.

Virtually anytime an older GM vehicle (with an HEI distributor) simply dies on me when driving, it's been the module. Its the small, plastic thing located in the distributor just below the rotor. I have read here at AF a bad module will work, but poorly when it cools off, although I have never tried it. Usually the car is hooked up to a tow truck by then).


With other vehicles, it's been a bad ignition coil. When these things go bad, often they will work when cool (albeit with a very weak spark, so starting is difficult) yet die after a few minutes as they warm up.

I had an extra coil that was laying around that I know was good. I put it in and it didnt do any good. I will see what I can do about the module. Also, would this have anything to do with it not getting any fuel?
Thanks.

I had an extra coil that was laying around that I know was good. I put it in and it didnt do any good. I will see what I can do about the module. Also, would this have anything to do with it not getting any fuel?
Thanks.

on this vehicle I would think that after 2-3sec ,if the engine don't start ,,the pump would be commanded off [safety feature]...

the distributor module is suspect....also these modules fail usually after 180-220,ooomi...BUT if you have bad wires and high voltage arcing ...these modules fail much sooner...

Put new module, cap, rotor, relays and coil on and nothing has changed. Still no spark or fuel. Fuel is getting to the throttle body but not coming out the injectors anymore.

Put new module, cap, rotor, relays and coil on and nothing has changed. Still no spark or fuel. Fuel is getting to the throttle body but not coming out the injectors anymore.

check the ground points. the ecm will ground the return of the injectors...if the grounds are bad the injectors will not energize to allow fuel to flow..

the injectors always have 12 volts on them ,,,its the grounding that causes the fuel to flow...more throttle longer injector is energized..also the ECT tells the ECM/COMPUTER to properly adjust the injector flow with temp changes,,so this part may be also suspect.

check the ground points. the ecm will ground the return of the injectors...if the grounds are bad the injectors will not energize to allow fuel to flow..

the injectors always have 12 volts on them ,,,its the grounding that causes the fuel to flow...more throttle longer injector is energized..also the ECT tells the ECM/COMPUTER to properly adjust the injector flow with temp changes,,so this part may be also suspect.

Where would the ground points be located? Thanks

I would check the pickup coil in the distributor.

Where would the ground points be located? Thanks

the engine compartment on the engine,,then on the frame in the engine compartment check from the ecm cable harness wires coming off to ground lugs mounted on engine/frame...

i had a 90 chevy subur 350 eng TBI was getting then not getting spark. At the time i was to busy to work on myself so i gave to my machanic he changed all that you have with no change he was on phone with GM they were at a loss. A friend suggested changing brain, my machanic said they don't go bad. It was the brain.