element138

Hello Techs,

I will begin by stating that I could have searched this topic much more extensively...I am stranded in VA and I just need the guidance, thanks for tolerating my sorry state.

So, it's an 86 pickup with 22rec

The deal:
starts sort of smooth but within a few turns it sounds like it's missing and stalls out. When starting and applying the throttle, it just does the same thing with more vigor. Smoke is now billowing out of the exhaust and (this is the interesting part) air is intermittently BLOWING out of the intake tube that leads into the air filter, pressure knocking the MAF sensor gate back and forth.

what I know:
-Replaced the spark plugs, the old plugs were no more than 3000 miles old and showing carbon deposits.
-I have no catalytic converter
-The MAF is tested and operating fine
-All the cylinders pressure test to around 180psi
-As far as I know, the TPS is fine
-I changed the oil last night, drove 300 miles and the oil is looking rather dark, it feels right but, dark
-the oil filler cap smells faintly of exhaust.

Any input would help me get on track and make suggestions to guide the local mechanic in his diagnostic (saving me time and money)

please please please and thank you!

Mitchell12

What's your spark timing lIke? Guess the dizzy could have rotated a bit or something.

iselloil

Mine did the same thing,ended being a clogged muffler.

RBX

FIRST.... Check for engine codes!
Check ALL vacuum lines.
Could be a bad spark-plug wire.
Could be bad ignitor
Could be bad TPS, or misaligned.

element138

checked the spark wires, all are fine

I'll check the engine codes, igntiming and the vac lines and report back



The real question:
Regardless of what caused this, if I fix the initial cause, will it solve the subsequent problem?

uggghhhhhh and to top off the winter wonder-nightmare, it's snowing

Gamefreakgc

Does the smoke smell sweet at all? If it does, you may have the beginnings of a blown head gasket.

thedrewski86

Are you sure this isn't it? It sure sounds like a possible culprit.

element138

I should mention that the truck is parked next to Advance (convenient location, at least!) and I'm running across the street to Starbucks to post and reply here on the forum and back across to run ideas through the strainer...

I'm not entirely certain that the muffler is not clogged but, I feel like the smoke and exhaust wouldn't be flowing out if it were in fact clogged...

Haven't chanced a whiff of the exhaust yet, I'll check that out next I try to run it.

Checked the codes (in neutral and not running), indicated as follows:
6-No ignition/RPM signal
7-TPS or related circuit
10-Starter Signal
11-Switch Signal, TPS or Neutral Start Switch [Truck will NOT start in Neutral, related?]

Should I try to check the codes with the motor running? Could that result in different code results?

element138

I should mention...

yesterday morning, I started the trip north with a fresh oil change, drove for about 50 miles, picked up a half tank of gas to get me through to central VA (really cheap gas) The truck was running so so smooth the whole trip up the Interstate. I pulled off the highway and filled up on the cheap gas, started up the truck, within 100 feet, it starts misfiring and bucking so I limped it over to the Advance store.

Is it conceivable that I somehow filled up on bad gas? Seems rather unlikely but, weirder things.... staying warm

cman1

iTrader: (1)

Definantly!!!

Chip N Sawbones

Maybe water in the gas? That would explain the rough running and misfiring. Drain the fuel filter, add a bottle of dry gas to the tank and try again.

kingoddball

Within 100ft - new fuel wouldn't have flown into the carb yet?

element138

It's fuel injected

Our new best buddy at Advance let us pay for a bottle of HEET, the water remover in the red bottle. dumped that in along with a 1/3 can of SeaFoam for good measure. Cranked it a few times but the fuel treatment didn't seem to be affecting anything. I pulled the gas tank drain plug and took about a 4 ounce sample of the fuel. After letting it settle, there did not appear to be any water in the fuel.

Moving on to the topic of muffler clogging, I noticed a bead of wet black drip coming from a seam that runs along the length of the muffler. I decided that, if there is a clog or excessive moisture in the muffler, I could stab a few holes with my Buck 119 special in the front end of the muffler where the exhaust pipe comes in. This idea being to allow the wet to drain out and might effectively bypass the rest of the muffler for the purpose of exhaust flowing more smoothly. I started it up and it ran MUCH smoother than it has throughout this mess; still a little rough, I decided that the holes in the muffler just needed some expansion. With a wide smile at the prospect of victory, I cut them open a little bit further leaving a gash about 3" long and around 1.5" wide.

I turn the key, the starter turns, the motor will not catch. it just turned and turned until the battery more or less gave up. I begged a jump from a pimply sandwich artist at the local subway, got a good long charge out of it and cranked the starter. same thing, just cranking away and not catching

seeking a bar in a strip-mall paradise, the mayans saw this coming

88redyota4x4

I'm sorry to hear about all this, its funny cause i actually live in the roanoke area, what's the status on it

element138

status is grim for the night. I cleared the diagnostic codes and, after cranking it, got an ignition related code. I dialed an ohmmeter in and the primary resistance read 1.0 (spec is 0.5-0.7) secondary resistance read 15,600 (spec is 11,200-15,600) so it seems like it's not too too far off?? Pulled the #1 plug and crank tested, spark was flowing a little weak but...I think the cylinders were flooded from all that cranking without ignition. I pulled all the sparkplugs and they're all filmy with gas smells so I left them out to hopefully let the cylinders dry.

We have a place to stay in SW Roanoke but no way to get there from Salem. Have to keep my funds available for any parts that need purchasing tomorrow so we're probably going to head to Denny's after Starbucks closes BLEHH

88redyota4x4

That's exactly what it sounds like to me, if I didn't have to be at work in the morning I would have no problem lending a hand but good luck with it all

element138

So, let the plugs out overnight, dried as best they can. sprayed the tiniest amount of starter fluid in each plug hole, inserted the plugs and turned the key, it cranks but still no catch.

The igniter assembly shows primary resistance of 1.0, it should be 0.5-0.7 and the secondary resistance is at the top end of spec range at 15,600. Mechanic down the road had another ign assembly from a salvage, the primary resistance on that ign. was all over the place, the secondary resistance showed 14,400.

I hooked up the new ign assembly and, with my battery close to dead, cranked the motor, it sounded like it was almost ready to catch but really low crank power due to the weak battery.

Pulled the dizzy cap and and the contacts were pretty rough so I bought a new cap and am charging the battery.

First, I'll be trying to crank on the old coil with the new cap. If that doesn't catch...
Second, I'll crank the new coil on the new cap. If that doesn't work...
Third, everyone come to Salem, VA and see me push the damn thing off the nearest cliff

element138

Denny's has internet!

I'm giving up, by the way. buddy's driving up his big diesel and towing me back to Asheville UHaul dolly-style

kingoddball

Any update on this?

element138

I pulled the air hose at the front of the throttle body, kept it just barely open enough to spray in some ether but keeping flow through the MAF, it runs smooth and idling nice, but when the ether runs out, its back to the same misfire and stall routine. so, again, im thinking bad gas. Drained the gas, all16gallons! Added 2 gallons of 93 and tried again, cranking the starter to try pulling through whatever is left in the lines,, it almost felt like it would hold a smooth idle and (cranking it the starter is dead.