sar4x4 Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 So I started up my truck last night to go from Halifax to Dartmouth. It seemed to be missing a bit on one cylinder or so and running a bit rough. Shaking, but the idle speed was good. And power was good. I thought it was just cold and would even out as she warmed up but it didn't seem too. When I shut her off she seemed to shudder / stall. This morning she started right up with a touch of the key. Again, she ran a bit rough and didn't seem to stop being rough when she warmed up.. Then she stumbled when I was changing lanes. She has never done that before. Engine speed seemed good, power seemed good, but exhaust seemed a tiny bit louder than normal. Started it again a noon hour and BACKFIRES. Muted, but pretty noticeable and really rough. I took a quick look and spark plug wires seemed to be in place but I have not had a chnace to paly with her yet. I suspect on the weekend I will trailer it to my brother's garage, but not sure when I will have a good chance to look at it. I have to let my brother in his garage once in a while! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightpath Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Sounds similar to my wife's Dodge Journey. It was hitching, especially when you laid on the gas. Thought it was all sorts of things until I picked up 4 new spark plugs and put them in. Got a good look at the old ones, couldn't really see anything wrong until I noticed 1 plug had a line down through the center of it, just enough to make the spark randomly miss or whatnot. Put new ones in (with dielectric grease on the part that sticks into the wires) and it's been running great since. Could be a hole in the intake/exhaust manifold gasket too. My Eagle developed one over time, caused a horrendous miss, backfire and the like. What vehicle is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAZZING-XJ Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Xheak the plugs and wires and cap if all look ok coud be cam.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sar4x4 Posted November 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 Plugs were new in the spring, same type as the ones I had in for 6 years, so I'm assuming they're okay for now. The wires and cap are 10 years old........... good Accel wires and cap, and probably less than 20k on them, but still they are over ten years old. And the fuel filter isn't much better! I guess I will check all of those first. Wait, not check, but buy new ones! lol Transmission fluid and filter, over 5 years old.... some things really fall behind! Someday I hope it is something major in the engine, and then I'll drop a crate engine in. This one was full of smog gear new, and never had any great amount of power. It's my Small Block Chev, in my '84 Burb. I guess I need to check the oil for coolant as well..... And check the gaskets though it's not a in-line motor with a single gasket for both intake and exhaust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjoecanadian Posted November 1, 2013 Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 Sounds like timing, mine did that till I put the timing light in the truck and adjusted the timing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlered Posted November 1, 2013 Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 with all the damp humid weather we had the past week..before all this heavy rain started ,,,id say check for dampness UNDER your dist cap ....iv had this prob before on many SBC ....specialy the older style . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sar4x4 Posted November 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 Sounds like timing, mine did that till I put the timing light in the truck and adjusted the timing. with all the damp humid weather we had the past week..before all this heavy rain started ,,,id say check for dampness UNDER your dist cap ....iv had this prob before on many SBC ....specialy the older style . That is a very good idea. I will be checking the wires and the cap first, (eventually replace them as well), and check the timing, which I have never checked in the 15+ years I've owned the truck!!!!!!!!!!! She just ran good! I'll do the wires and cap in the parking lot tomorrow morning. If that doesn't work I'll trailer it to my brothers where we have a big garage and all the tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sar4x4 Posted November 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 With help from Calvin who saw me walking the streets to PartSource, changed the distributor cap. HEI distributors have the coil in the top of the cap, and the hole the button goes through to the rotor was a good half inch in diameter, normally it's only 1/4 inch, and the 'button' itself was broke off. But like many folks know, an HEI will fire across almost anything, I've seen them much worse and still run! Truck starts well and seems to run smooth, but there is still a back-fire or after-burn out the exhaust occasionally. So next is wires.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sar4x4 Posted November 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 The small backfires that were coming out of the exhaust seemed to stop the next time I started it after Calvin left. (I'm sure there is no relationship there though! lol) Maybe there was some unburned fuel in the exhaust system burning off or something, I dunno. She is running quite normally again! However, I thought I felt it miss once or twice while she was still cold so I did order new spark plug wires. I'm not driving the truck this week so when I put the wires on I will check the timing as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e36m3 Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 nice! your truck should be ready for the club run! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlered Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 thats good news ....nothing toooooo serious .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.