giantjoebot

Got some tools, and been researching online how to do the valve adjustment. Haven't gotten the feeler gauge yet.

Any advice on which one to get angled or not angled feeler gauge? Couldn't find metric at any of the local part stores. Wish I had time to order one.

Also read online that its a good idea to get new adjustment screws?

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Inch feelers are fine, just find the thickness that corresponds to the metric clearance. I use 0.007"/0.011" (cold) or use 0.008"/0.012" (hot) which is closest to the factory spec of 0.20mm/0.30mm. The FSM lists both inch and mm clearances.

giantjoebot

Sweet! I'll get some angled ones tomorrow. Thanks

coyote jim

Not on your list was fuel filter. Did your "misfire" occur under load? Sounds like fuel filter or pumo.

Moonfish

There is an ouside chance that the power wire/ground from the battery have a bad connection or are bad. I've even forgotten to tighten down the little ground by the diagnostic connector under the hood on my 3.4 and it would barely run. Why it would be more apparent at low rpm, I have no idea.


And, I'm sure you all know that the TPS has to be set correctly to set the timing. When you put the diagnostic jumper in, the rpm should drop. If the rpm doesn't drop, the truck doesn't know it is idling via the TPS and you don't have the timing set right.

sixstringslut

My 88 22RE did something similar to what you described until I fixed the exhaust. Idled great...fast forward to present...exhaust went bad again, same old rough idle and hick-uping issue. Just a thought.

giantjoebot

I did replace the fuel filter. Sorry I forgot to add that.

The negative battery cable looks like its been replaced. I'll check the ground today.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Wow, Gremlins just love these things!

Roger-4Crawler helped me to avoid throwing any more parts at mine(as did many others on my build and troubleshooting threads)....... I went through everything, exhaustively, including thorough Vacuum Pump Testing, Leak Downs, Compression, ...plus all the parts I replaced, used or new, EVERY test within the FSM for IGN/EFI/EMISSIONS/ECU, etc., etc., etc. etc., ............. and guess what? IT WAS MOSTLY THE CAM! My original machinist put my original Cam(249K) back in with a bad grind.... Eventually, showing pics of it to engnbldr's Tod and Ted(and yotatechies alike).... They told me, straight out, ........"that cam is TOAST, and you'll be lucky if your rocker pads aren't toast as well!'.... Luckily they were fine... but,......

The reason I mention this, OP, is mechanical issues can cause this type drama as well. The reason I didn't notice much 'miss' or 'jumping' in the morning is because my truck was cold, nothing expanding yet, on top of a higher idle(after replacing the IACV)....but the second it went into Closed Loop,...DAYUMMMMMMMMM! It even began ticking like crazy, later, after the new CAM was installed...... Well, that also was mechanical... The TERRIBLE machining that my original builder did was causing bad header click and wrist pin tapping.... So, my point, is that after spending 300 hours or so, chasing my freaking tail, I learned a LOT! Wouldn't wanna change that.... But honestly?>>> The final thing that pointed me right to 'the gremlin' was a guru down the road from me.... Japanese Auto Center..... Lead Mechanic, machinist, owner, all standing around my rig..... The lead mechanic INSTANTLY, upon putting his hand on the motor, said, "CAM, plain and simple"..... He then proved it to be mechanical in nature by removing the fuel/EFI from the picture and connecting the motor to Propane for a short time.... All the EFI out of the picture and GUESS WHAT? ........it still missed like a pig! LOL.

Please, unless you're doing this for fun..... If you can't find the issue withing testing EVERYTHING within the ECU/IGN/EFI/EMISSIONS troubleshooting sections of the FSM.... let a professional take a look for ya..... I paid nothing to find out, and even if I had, I would have DEFINITELY paid 89$ for a diagnosis! lol.... Just consider it, ya know?

By the way.... My compression was 168-167-164-169, leakdown was fine..... but nonetheless, my cam was still toast, ...ya feel me?

PS> I did have a HUGE portion of my issues coming from not only the bad cam but also the 'guides'....... They were well over .012 in slop between the valves and guides...why? >>> CUZ THE KNOB RE-USED EVERYTHING in my fairly expensive/supposed 'FULL REBUILD'! All original valves and left the guides in.... just changed out the seals. This kept it from smoking even a drop....but WOW, when I pulled the head? WAY too clean on the tops/corners of most of those pistons.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

2 problems I DID find got better by replacing parts were ones that were desperately needed..... 'CAT' and '02'.... Both original and both replacements improved my idle, A LIL BIT! From there, ...the drama just seemed to go on endlessly! hahaha.

giantjoebot

I did take it to a mechanic, and they just told me thats normal for an old engine. I know its not because I got 140k, and I've had engines with 250k that did do anything like this. Maybe I just need to try someone else. Maybe I'll try the dealership this time. I doubt they're open to today. If I don't figure anything out over the weekend I'll take it in to have it looked at. If anyone have any recommendations on a good mechanic in California North Bay Area, please let me know.

To be honest it was fun at first, but I'm getting tired of not figuring this out, and spending money on things that don't fix it.

I always the adjust the TPS, idle, and timing at the same time. I'll check the idle today to see if it drops

Sixstrigslut, by exhaust, which part do you mean? Did you mean the exhaust manifold?

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

He probably does.... but any exhaust leak can wreak havoc..... I just don't see that being your issue, exhaust-wise, other than a REALLY bad CAT, anyway.

I hear ya... keep at it, man.... I'm not suggesting you do the 'guru' thing, first.... And I'd likely not bother with the dealership...(Mine did great for me, ....I know the foreman...But still, he wasn't familiar very well with anything OBD1, not enough anyway, ya know?... He did help me conclude that the donor ECU I got WAS NOT an 87, but in fact, it was an 88..... Which immediately threw 02 and Knock Sensor codes.... put my old one back in, voila, no more codes!)

That's the thing... I didn't have a SINGLE code, other than the 02 which I mentioned. TPS only cuz I'd unplugged it(before I realized that throws a code and stores it).... AFM, same thing. Nonetheless, it RAN LIKE A STUCK PIG, STUMBLING FOR IT'S LIFE TO GET AWAY! lol.

The TPS was very distinctive..... It would seem to be dying, then reach 2700rpm or so, then BAT OUT OF HELL.... then by 3rd gear, no missing... But I realized/learned, that's only cuz the rig is running so much leaner as it gets into higher gears/less load/Higher RPM's as well, etc.

Someone will chime in with a good Guru for ya..... Not sure if Roger takes rigs in/nor if he'd want to... but I mention him because you really want someone like him, ya feel me? That is, of course, if you don't find it yourself

Ask anyone, man... I'm the first to say, "KEEP AT IT, MAN!"..... but I, as well, had had enough at one point, needing some help.... and WOW, that one visit would have saved me around 200+ hours of chasing my tail and REALLY high levels of stressin! LOL.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Might check that you are getting vacuum to the top of the fuel pressure regulator:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...ine_Pix/8.html

Without that (i.e. if the fuel pressure VSV is not working or mis-connected), the engine will load up/run too rich, until you hit about 2500-3000 RPM then it'll work normally. The vacuum is used to lower the fuel pressure at low engine loads and if it is not working right, you get too much fuel pressure and that means too much fuel and the engine runs too rich until you can get enough air into the engine to equal the higher fuel flow rate.

giantjoebot

Did a cold valve clearance. 1 and 2 intake were really tight, 3 intake was tight, and the rest were all fine. I ran inside because the fsm print out didn't have the torque values for the valve cover. Then when I looked that up under the head it had a section for cold valve adjustment, but its the same as the hot valve adjustment. Just thought it was weird, and I would mention it. I'll check it when its hot if I have time today.

I'm pretty sure I already checked the pressure regulator vacuum, but I'll do it again

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Yep...........

And in addition to the 'YEP' I would add, .... 'You can test the FPR, itself, using a vacuum PUMP, ....just do it carefully as a MightyVAC can pump some pretty serious vacuum into something that is only supposed to get like 10 inches of vacuum.' IOW, you could be getting vacuum from the VSV, ..but then have no resistance in the diaphragm inside of the FPR(cuz it's blown maybe? lol)..... thus, like Roger said, you'd have constant full on high fuel pressure. However; This usually(from what I've read from people like Roger and others) results in Fuel in the actual Vacuum line running FROM the VSV, TO the Fuel Pressure Regulator(The diaphragm is the only thing holding fuel back from cruising up into that Vacuum line drawn on by the VSV.) You can also, as I think you've done, 'just take the line off the FPR, coming from the VSV, off, then plug the line, and you SHOULD, at idle, feel a bit of a raising of idle as the FPR would then be passive and allowing the rail to pull full pressure from the line, right through it. Make any sense? hahaha.

giantjoebot

After adjusting the valve clearance it seems to be running better. Haven't checked hot yet. Instead I did a Scotty Kilmer smoke test, except I improved upon it. I linked to the video, but you take a hose and a cigar, and blow smoke into the intake manifold or where ever you want to smoke test. I stuck a condom over the throttle body intake, which worked perfect. The condom blew up, and created constant pressure and pushed out the smoke. There was a lot of smoke coming out of the EGR vacuum modulator. I checked the fsm, and I can't make out if it should be open or not when the engine is off. There was also smoke coming out of the cold start injector gasket, and I think the bottom of the throttle body gasket. I never replaced the cold start injector gasket, and I have replaced the throttle body gasket, but have since taken it off once. Or it could be coming from between the idle air control valve and the the throttle body. I don't know if there is suppose to be a gasket there. I'm all excited, but I have no idea if this means anything at all. So if anyone could please tell me if this means anything at all, please please do. The engine was hot when I turned it off. Not sure if that would cause the EGR vacuum modulator to stay open, if its open when its cold, or if this means I would need to new one. It would explain a lot. That was the first thing that I expected when this started happening, but had a mechanic test the EGR system, and they said it was fine, and moved on to other things.

Checked the vacuum to the FPR, and there was vacuum, and the idle changed.

http://youtu.be/zMok2y05jNE

Did I just post something so stupid that I lost everyone?

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Vacuum leaking from the CSI is common, and it IS a leak, not normal.. You can get some 'cut out' 3M at the parts store and cut one to fit... I would.

leaks at the throttle body are also common, ....and also, not normal, lol. That gasket should be SNUG, otherwise, you're pulling in unmetered air, ....which is not good/causes issues.

Not sure on the Modulator, while I did test the hell out of the emissions system when chasing my own gremlins! hahaha. There is a test for it in the manual and even one in most any MightyVAC or otherwise vacuum pump kit.

He's hilarious..... Very animated guy, eh? lol.

giantjoebot

I know right, and he always wears sun glasses. What the hell is up with that. Is there something wrong with his eyes, is he just high all the time, or does he just think it looks cool.

I'll get some gaskets asap. I did get a a gasket for the CSI, but it didn't fit right so I put the old one back on. It could just be a vacuum leak, which would make it run lean, and correct me if I'm wrong, then adjusting the TPS the way I did would compensate in a way. But then there would be to much air and fuel, and it would run like crap?

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Well, you don't want to adjust the TPS according to the 'OTHER CRAP THAT'S WRONG', right? lol..... Not razzin ya, ....I get ya. So yes... I THINK, because you're pulling in un-metered air with a vacuum leak...it's not getting noticed by anything but the 02 Sensor..... In which case, MAYBE, I'm not sure, but the 02 would tell the ECU to 'dump more fuel, it's too lean'????? I should know that off the top of my head, ...just too tired and overwhelmed with info lately/today especially! hahaha.

turkey

your egr should be shut when off or at idle. it should be open at a high speed. If it was working right (shut at idle) you could pull the vacum line off the vsv and suck on it to make the valve open and the engine will stumble and miss and try to die. Mine was staying cracked open all the time not enough to idle the engine down and kill it but it made it run terrible. I dont have emissions testing in my state so i pulled egr system off and prob solved. Hope this helps i spent alot of time testing and threw alot of parts at it that did nothing.

giantjoebot

Thanks guys. I'll be working on it tomorrow, and let you know if I find anything. I appreciate all the help, and advice.