Ive been looking around and figured Id ask.

MY 3.0 is acting odd. Its in my 89, its coupled to a automatic tranny.
The truck has been regeard for the 33" tires.

It stopped idling for me. It wont idle in park for nothing. Infact, it dies pretty much everytime I stick it in Drive.

Generally in the morning, when I do get it to go, I got to pump the gas and it backfires in the exhaust a couple of times and sluggishly takes off.
Except it wont change gears. It will stay in first for about 2 blocks before it finally starts switching..
There after it drives fine.

First issue:
Wont idle, and this is out of the blue.

Second issue: No power at all at 700-1500rpms.. It chugs and spits and pukes, but really doesnt go anywhere until she warms up..

Third Issue: Tranny wont shift. Its been flushed, but Im starting to think she is just worn out. Once I go a block or two, she runs fine... Most likely low pressure.

The really big deal is not being able to take off without pumping the gas. Tonight was nothing short of embarassing. I was out with some jeep guys, tooling around in the 13 inches of snow that fell. And everytime I came to a stop, I had to really work to get the truck moving again.

THe truck has always been this way, to a degree. More so now.. Now power at all. It has a new distributor, plugs and wires. I had my local shop set time on it, and verify that it was right, but Im wondering if I have a massive intake leak, and my timing is off.

Anythoughts?

 

Possibly an AFM (vane air flow meter) malfunction. Or a leak somewhere between your airbox and throttle body. Those intake hoses will crack over time.

It could also be a severely clogged fuel filter.

 

Ill swap the fuel filter out, and look for cracks, I wouldnt be suprised with how rough the ride is with the 33s, that with the negative degree weather we have been having that something broke in the engine bay.

The trans not shifting bothers me too..
Anything I can do on that end, short of a rebuild?
I love the truck, and was about to put it on the market to get an newer one, and then it all goes to hell.

ITs almost as if she knew what I was planning.

 

Bingo..
Found a split in the intake tube going to the intake mani from the mas air meter.

Made the repair, idles fine, drives fine, no hesitation, no pumpin of the gas to get her out of the hole

Thanks fellas