tbikid

Ok first off I would like to apologize if I did not start this thread the right way/in the right place. I have searched and read many many many different write ups and articles and still need and would greatly appreciate as much insight as i can get.
Now about my truck. I bought a 1992 DLX 4WD about a year and a half ago with about 280k on the odometer with a rebuilt 22re from a mechanic that had a couple similar trucks and runners like the one I bought. I've put about 40k miles on it since then and although I got used to it (being my first 4cyl 4wd and finally accepting everyone telling me thats what a 4cyl does) losing speed uphill and not being able to accelerate very quickly. I also had oil and coolant leaks that I just kinda dealt with for a while.
About a year ago I started having major overheating issues and ended up flushing all the lines and then replacing the thermostat (with a dual-stage), the water pump and finally a radiator which finally seemed to fix all those issues.
About 3 months ago I finally figured out the underlying cause of the bad cooling components when the coolant stopped leaking onto the ground but went through a gallon and a half in 2 days and found chocolate milk on the dipstick and in the coolant. Well I did my research and started disassembling the front of the motor (also noticing chocolate milk inside the distributor) and alas; broken plastic TC guides an a ripped up TC cover that someone had "tried" repairing this before by welding it.
I ordered LCEngineerings dual row timing chain kit and besides a couple of the bolts not being quite right and having to use a couple that I took off everything went back together great and since this repair haven't had the tiniest oil or coolant leak.
*** After getting it all back together I proceeded to set the timing at 5 deg BTDC while the TE1 and E1 were shorted (the idle did drop a hair when shorted). I also hooked up a dwell/rpm gauge to set the idle PRIOR to setting the timing, although I lowered the idle significantly from where I did have it just to keep it running before this repair it still wouldn't go much lower than 800 rpm with the idle adjustment screw all the way in, is that normal? Once the timing was set I drove it a little bit and it kept cutting out and lurching. I asked my dad for help and he adjusted the timing one way and that didn't help then the other (i believe retarded the timing) and the truck ran great. Now it was less than 15 degrees F outside when we did this so please tell me if that could be the problem. But the next day (I think the high that day was 25) I drove it up and down on my way to school and my mind was absolutely blown at how well the truck pulled going up hill, maintained speed and accelerated without skipping a beat. THEN about three days later when outside temp got a lot warmer about 60 i think, on my way home from school (about 20 miles before problems started) It started stuttering and cutting out really bad in all gears and even neutral if I pushed the gas more than just a hair it would cut out and almost stall even if i floored it. Temp gauge in the truck read normal op temp and I also made sure the distributor hadn't moved and wires and everything was good.
*** After pulling over and cutting the truck off for a few minutes to cool down it seemed to stop cutting out but all that power and throttle range that I had gotten used to the last couple days disappeared and hasn't been back since. It does a lot better when the motor is cold like in the morning but still not as good as it was at accelerating and pulling up hill. Once at operating temp for a little while its like every gear if I give it just a touch of gas it does good, anymore the rpms level off and the truck slows down. It still starts and idles cold amazing compared to what it used to do and 95% of the time it idles and starts fine after it has run for awhile, every once in awhile it will start and the idle will almost die then level off.
I've read as much as I can find about these issues and I know that it could possibly be the AFM, the TPS or a few other things or a combination of all of them. I have used 4crawlers write-ups to test both and I believe there was one resistance on the TPS that was just slightly higher than the range but I will include my readings for the TPS a little later.

BIGGEST QUESTION RIGHT NOW: I have tested both the AFM on my truck and another used denso one I bought off eBay and I'm not sure whether or not either one is good. 4crawlers writeup states that the resistance values of TEST 1 should be less than that of TEST 2, on both AFM's I have TEST 1 was higher than TEST 2, does this mean they are bad?
Also both of them pass the first dynamic test but on the second one 4crawler states if there is any value while opening the vane reads infinite on its way from 0-1000 ohms then its bad. Well neither one reads any resistance outside that range but the one on my truck currently goes up to 900 ohms and then starts dropping before its all the way open. To me it seems like that isn't right and the one I ordered goes up and down all the way to open and max's at like 500 ohms so I'm pretty sure its toast.
Other info I should probably add; exhaust has been shot since I've had it so have a new complete header to tip system and new tps is en route from LCE and my truck already had the stock air filter box gone and a K&N cone on it not sure if that would make a difference too.
I appreciate any input or ideas and I apologize for the long post and probably forgetting to include more than a few things but thanks!

tbikid

Forgot to add all the new parts I've replaced in the last few months: spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and button, ignition coil, and now a couple of weeks ago I finally got my exhaust taken care of; LCE header kit with studs straight to a pro flow magna flow muffler then tail pipe.
The kit I got came with a high flow cat but decided to run it without it since everything lined up great without cutting the pipe and I haven't seen any definitive posts whether or not a cat helps or hinders the power/milage. Anybody know for sure??
I like the way it sounds and the truck has way more power especially since I was able to bring the timing back to what it should be and it also has the infamous cutting out loss of power problem a whole lot less.
Even though it doesn't happen nearly as much it still does, after running for a while warm sometimes it does it sometimes not, it almost seems like after driving for a while and if it idles for a few minutes (waiting for something or stuck in traffic) it seems to bring it on. I know there's a bunch of other reasons I haven't gotten around to checking yet but I'm starting to wonder if there are some wires grounding somewhere causing the computer or fuel pump not getting the required voltage granted it could be a separate issue but one of my brake lights is way dimmer and completely goes out when my headlights are on and I hit the brake, also the stereo dims when the brake pedal is depressed any suggestions would be very appreciated, thanks.

an1176

The tps will effect some things but mostly fuel milage and idle issues. I don't think your problem is tps. It sounds to me your cam timing is off. I would get it to tdc and verify it by making sure your rotor is pointed at #1. Once you've done that pull the valve cover look to see if the off colored timing chain link is at the mark on the sprocket. If it's not or off a tooth I would say you found your problem. Good luck.

tbikid

I appreciate the input and will try and do some more research on the cam timing but unless there is some other factor to it when I installed the dual row timing chain conversion I kept everything in top dead center with the right link of chain on the sot of the cam gear, also making sure the right rocker arms were loose/tight to confirm I wasn't 180 off.
I do agree however about the tps because the truck idles perfectly cold or warm but at the same time when I checked the TPS to make sure the throttle had to be opened just a little bit more than the 0.85mm (as specified by the writeup on 4crawler) before the resistance between IDL-E2 becomes infinite.
***** Could the TPS being that little bit off cause any problems that are more apparent when the trucks been run for a while?? I know it means the ECU's not properly switching from Idle and back. I've got a new TPS to put on but the old screws are ate up and I'm going to have to take the throttle body off to do it.
Still possible it could be electrical or fuel related, I plan on checking the fuel pressure, replacing the fuel filter and checking my injectors soon.
I recently fixed two of the main grounds ( the one from cyl head to firewall, and the distributor wiring harness to power steering bracket) and got rid of a random ground wire that went from my negative on battery to the chassis, should I put this ground wire back on is it supposed to be there???? I wasn't sure since the previous owner had all kinds of random wires from hooking up driving lights and it didn't seem to run any different when I removed it.

One thing I would love some information about and may ask this elsewhere but how would I go about making my own snorkel kit for this truck that uses a MAF sensor instead of AFM, AFFORDABLY. I feel like my AFM could be my problem but even if it's not it would help power, milage, and off road wise better than anything else. Thanks again!