The engine is hard to start can you help me?

OK great, I think you mean the raw fuel will be in the cavity around the regulator and injectors if the injectors are bad. OK it maybe a few weeks before I tackle it. My work schedule want allow now, luckily I have a second truck to drive, But I will up date the post and let you know how it turns out. Thanks Ken

Well, finally got time to tear the 98 down. Sorry it took so long, got my son's ride up to date and off to college with him, had a accident while mowing and broke my foot, and all the other time consuming things that life throws at you. I removed the intake and found fuel puddled around injectors on cylinders 6 and 8. The truck had gotten even harder to start and when it was running I could smell fuel. I changed the injector unit with a new fuel regulator. I went from the factory spider to a MFI unit. Truck started and ran like a champ. I turned off and several times if fired up great. The next day when I came home it didn't want to start and the battery ran down. The starter had become very noisy and started spinning and disengaged. My fear was the flywheel had damaged teeth from the kickbacks that had happened during this process. I removed the starter to check the flywheel. The teeth were warn but still there. The bolt hole that the starter mounts to, had split and the outside piece of the ear was broken off The starter can swing to the side and disengage the flywheel. So bottom line it seemed to be fixed the day I finished, but I do not know for sure. Now, how in the world do I fix the starter mount problem! The piece is broken off and I have it. There are two holes on the good side and the one that is broken but the starter only uses two. I uploaded a pic so you could see. Thanks for any help.

5.7l vortec, after sitting for a day or more truck becomes very hard to start, then seems to be missing at low speeds for the first 10 miles or so. If driven daily it seems fine.I replaced FI spider assy, didn't help. Replaced fuel pump and problem went away for 2 months and now is back worse then ever. Had mechanic check for 2hrs and couldn't find anything wrong. Problem seems to come and go. What should I be looking at next?
Thanks

Fuel pressure is OK. Today very wet and humid. Truck started fine but ran the worst it ever has. Engine miss up to about 40mph then runs fine. Idles smooth. No codes showing. If I rule out a fuel problem what would be the next thing to check?
Thanks.

Yep it had fuel so I got a new one starts up great! Thank you

I will

My truck will only start if I prime the carb. Runs very good after it primed, and sometimes it will start after trying sevral times but mostly it has to be primed.

We replaced the relay to the air conditioner compressor last fall. When the battery went dead because the air conditoner relay stuck a service tech used a portable booster pack to start the truck. Truck was starting normally before then and now we must crank two to ten times before it will start. The first several cranks it doesn't try to fire. Fuel pressure has been checked and holds for four hours. We replaced the crank sensor, cam sensor, fuel filters, rotor and cap.
If we turn the key on and off rapidly, before the fuel pump starts to pump, sometimes it will start when you crank on it the first time. The longer it sits the more we have to crank on it.

Thank you for answering so promptly. We were going to try the starter fluild in the morning. We didn't know if anyone else had this problem before and what they did to fix it.

Well I believe I have 2 separate issues but too much info is better than too little

A couple months ago I started noticing a lack of power at heavy acceleration I could not get the engine above 3000 rpm except in park also could not get to go into passing gear (even manualy dropping to 3rd or 2nd) this got better as weather got warmer (felt normal with normal driving attitude)

My fuel pump has made a high pitched whine since I purchased vehicle 23000 miles ago (found that this can sometimes be normal)

Anyway what brings me to you is now the truck will not start I came home for a quick lunch about 15 minutes trying to leave the engine would just turn no start no cough quick troubleshoot found that I could not hear the pump whine

after replacing fuel pump truck started right up I let it run for a couple minutes called it good went to bed
overnight truck fired up in morning, again for a quick trip and again for lunch (about 9 milies driven)
upon my return the truck died in park and have not been able to start since I could not hear or see the fuel pump relay functioning could not hear pump (this one quiet) could hear pump running after jumpering relay pins 87 & 30
(constant 12v at 87 with 12v at pin 85 (relay terminal relay removed))
truck still would not start

I replaced the relay still nothing
I have not yet done the fuel pressure test or checked into my spark

I was wondering if you might have any other ideas before I throw a pressure regulator at it

Carb cleaner wasnt enough to get it going but a quick shot of ether got it to turn over

found minor corrosion in relay sprocket not much but apparently enough to malfuction relay

got the pump going but could now hear it blowing bubbles in the gas tank (nylon tube lost its seat all no fuel was getting to the engine)

the truck starts and runs ok however it takes a little bit longer as though it is losing its prime

however the aforementioned problem is back as far as sudden acceleration (does not want to go above 3000 rpm or shift correctly) intermittant problem

I have not checked what psi the pump is putting out to engine now

thinking possibly dirty/clogged filter

Im pretty sure that its a HEI ignition under there but also sure the plugs could use a good cleaning or replacement