88 chevy won't run

The wife took the 88 chevy 1/2 ton to work today and tonight when she went to leave it would start for a second and then die out. It has the 350 with throttle body injection. It has been running fine and worked fine when she went to work. Ignition key has been getting stiffer as the winter has gone on, don't know if this has anything to do with it.

Any guesses on where to look first, thanks for any replies?

You mena as in runs if you do not let off on the key from the start position?? If that is so you may have a broken wire since some are wired up to give more voltage to the coil when starting the engine so when you let off of the key it dies because of a bad wire. If it is set up so you can hot wire it that would tell you if that is the problem. Could also be a clogged up fuel filter

Standard troubleshooting applies: Figure out if the problem is fuel or spark by giving it a shot of ether.

Possible fuel problems: Fuel pump or fuel filter.

Possible ignition problem: Bad pickup coil inside the distributor.

My '88 had all three problems at different times.

I guess i didnt try to hold the key to start after it fired up, but yes thats what it seems to do, it acts like it is running and when you let off the key it shuts off. Was wondering about the fuel filter too, but it ran fine the 25 miles to work, but it hasnt been changed for a few years so that could be an issue also.

whatch out for your starter if you hold the key to start after its started

If you try the holding of the key don't hold it long or you could be replacing the starter next. That truck is a tad new for me but if it is like my 1980 you should be able to hook a wire into the coil that is in the cap and run that wire right to the battery, + side of course or you will smoke things. If it runs when you do that then you know you have a broken wire some place and again if I remember right that will be on the soliniod which means going under the truck and it your weather is like ours right now that will e no fun

turn the key to the ON position and listen for the fuel pump. It should turn on for about 10 sec. if it don't turn on, start looking there.

I have one of those 1988 1/2 ton Chevys.It might be a fuel filter which is in the line back by the tank.It might be the fuel pump,but you would think if it started it would be pumping.Mine would only run at an idle when the pump went bad.It would go when it was cold but after maybe a mile it would die when you pushed on the gas.Put a new pump on it and fixed it.They usually run when the filter is full of stuff but if its real full it might not run long.
Mine wouldnt start one day and it was a rotor that had a hole burned in it and the distributor cap was in bad shape.
Maybe look for wires that are unplugged or something.For a computer controlled vehicle its not real complicated like some are,but still can be a problem.I have taken mine to O'Riellys and got them to put a code reader on it after I got it running and sometimes it might tell you if you have some electronic problem with it.So far I always was able to get mine running but not always real good.There is a knock sensor maybe in one of the freeze plug holes by the starter that I had to replace one day ,but dont remember why.

I had a Ford car that would start and die and it was a catalytic converter was plugged so bad that it wouldnt run.

1988 is electronic ignition. Doesn't work that way; there's no ballast resistor in the system.

Ignition switch. Not the actuator, the switch.

Allan

Try another key if have a spare the one you're using may be worn. If there's any way to install
a pressure gauge you could check that fuel pressure. I did that on a Chevy Citaion with the 2.5L engine. I silver soldered a 1/8 fpt
on the fuel line between the fuel filter and the TBI. Had to drop the tank and install a new pump. The sock on the pump inlet was full of rust restricting the fuel inlet. Hal

Sounds like a module going out.

1980 is also electronic ignition and yes there is a start by pass on the 1980 but not ballast resister

they have a resister wire instead of a ballast resister

GM's have NOT use a resister or resister wire in the ignition system since they went to the HEI system in the 70's.

Kent