Engine cranks but does not start

GOVTMAN

MEMBER
2000 CADILLAC ESCALADE
5.7L
V8
4WD
167,700 MILES

Weirdest thing is that I removed one (just say #3) spark plug wire and the car starts quickly. If I place #3 wire back it will not start.

I placed #3 wire back and removed a different spark plug (just say #6) wire from the opposite side of the engine and it won't start.

I pulled #3 wire and placed #6 back and it starts.

I placed #3 wire back and it won't start!

I removed #3 wire from the distributor cap and plug and it starts!

Can someone please advise what is going on?

Could it be the whole distributor that needs replacing or just the cap and points?

Thank you in advance for your help.

3 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,755 POSTS

Hi,

I need you to remove the distributor cap and inspect both it and the ignition rotor under the cap. This vehicle doesn't have points or a condenser, so something with cylinder 3 is causing a short and preventing the other plugs from getting power.

I attached a pic below. I circled the distributor cap and highlighted the rotor. Inspect both. Make sure there is nothing cracked, corroded, or damaged. If you want, take pics of the insides for me to see.

Next, before you remove the spark plug wires from the distributor cap, mark them to make sure they go back to the same spot on the cap. You don't want to mix them up.

Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Take care,

Joe

See pic below.

Image (Click to make bigger)

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Monday, February 14th, 2022 AT 6:02 PM

GOVTMAN

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Joe, thank you for your time and effort. I'm not such a handy kind of guy but will try to do the procedure that you just mentioned. I do recall now about 4+ years ago that I had a "driveway tune-up" done by a handyman and found out he had cracked the cap or something like that. I believe he told me he used a zip tie to keep it in place or something similar. Someone else had mentioned this engine has a plate inside it that allows it to run on four cylinders and there must be something wrong with the plate? Never heard of this before. I hope to get to the bottom of this. I guess a cracked top can be replaced rather easily.

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Wednesday, February 16th, 2022 AT 3:18 AM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,755 POSTS

Hi,

I'm not sure what plate he is referring to. I don't believe GM started using the cylinder deactivation system until 2005.

Try what I suggested. Also, if you can get a couple of pics and upload them for me to see, I may notice something.

Let me know.

Joe

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Wednesday, February 16th, 2022 AT 3:52 PM