Here is the backround on my mother'* Bonnie and any help would be appreciated, Thank you in advance.

1997 H-car 3800-K 124,000 mi
This was my dad'* car for the last 8 or so years, and he was a GM tech for 35 yrs. As some may know or believe the last thing he wanted to do is work on another car on his personal time. So keeping that in mind this car needed a LIM Gskts/ UIM Gskts and plenum, which he kept "nursing" along the last couple of years.

My dad passed away in Feb.....the car was loaned to my aunt and she ran over something BIG. the oil filter adapter spring a leak as a result. She "says" she pulled over right afted the light came on...(i don't believe that?)

I replaced the adapter&dented filter, and that went well. I dumped 4qts in it and started it up and ran it till it quieted down completely, then it died and would not restart. I smelled raw fuel and that led me to replace the Fuel Press Reg. Now when cranking in seems to want to start but won't. What i do hear the entire time cranking is light sounding backfires through the TB followed by a louder backfire when releasing the key. I believe that the quieter pops/backfires are due to a now fully leaking intake gskts....what say you?? Sorry this is so long...and tks again

take the plugs out one at a time and see if you have spark, see if the plug looks fouled, and watch for coolant when someone cranks it over. did you check the fuel pressure?

Well fuel pressure is good after i replaced the FPReg. It has spark as it seems to want to start, meaning the engine is about to take off and run then it "falls on it'* face" after 10-15 seconds of cranking then acts flooded. removed the #'* 1,3,5, and 4 plugs and cleaned them up and left cyls open to allow them to dry out (24hrs) re-installed plugs...crank over...seems to want to start again then "falls on it'* face" again. *NOTE* I forgot to mention in first post that the i had to fill the radiator with a GALLON of 50/50 Dex-Craptastic after i noticed the overflow jar was bone-dry... I will look for coolant out of the cyls this time and update this with results

Thank you

Try holding the throttle open a tad while cranking. If it takes off let go of the throttle. If you have to feather the throttle to keep it idling, then you may need to replace the IAC valve on the throttle body.

Tried the things you have suggested with no results or changes. I am thinking that since my aunt drove it with no coolant or oil (See First post) that the already weak upper and lwr intake gaskets may have blown completely out and now causing the back firing through the TB and no-start condition (Vacuum leak) the Vacuum lines (2) on the TB blow off when i stop cranking. I have repaired that situation at the TB.

Any thoughts on the idea of intakes leaking???

Any and ALL please reply
TKS

Well I am back on the case and I have found a problem...

I am starting to tear the top end off this thing and when I removed the air box I found a "liquid" on the air box and on the airfilter and in the ribbed tube from the TB to the Air box. There is enough in the air tube to fill a shot glass. It is black and runny (Oil and Antifreeze??????). When you get it on your fingers it feels sorta slimey and leaves my fingers black like a thin layer of grease. Could there be more wrong than just lim and uim gskts, and plenum??

Right now i do not want to go any further....I would like to chat on the phone but i am not sure if i put my # here that i may get in trouble with the moderator ??

It probably is oil and coolant...and this is more than likely where its at...



That is not normal. Eh, don't worry about the oil. Oil can usually be found down in the recessed areas and is normal. But when the coolant builds up, well...thats what happens.

Your plenum should be fine, but it'* recommended you get the upgraded kit with gaskets. Do lower and upper intake gaskets plus the plenum and you should be fine.

As far as the phone number, your welcome to post it, but remember, Google pretty much has full access to this forum and it indexes everything it sees. Including phone numbers. Hello SPAM TEXT! PM it instead. This includes emails.