Hoping someone might have an answer to this. My truck sputters and loses power when driving. I guess as I reach around 3k rpm it starts sputtering, then when I let off the gas it will smooth out. I have found that moving the distributor a bit helps, but only for a short time. My timing light just went out and have not had time to replace. I have continued rotating the distribute when this happens and it runs much better but then the same issue comes up again. People have suggested the timing chain. Anyone have any ideas on this?

 

the timing needs to be set correctly and then left alone.

 

I would start off by correcting the timing per the manual. Then replace the plugs, wires and fuel filter

 

sounds like it could also be fuel starvation, and what you are experiencing is "lean misfire". do you know what your fuel pressure is? it should be around 29 to 35 psi under hard acceleration. if it is significantly lower, it won't run correctly. i've been there chasing it, and at least now, with a good fuel pressure gauge installed, i can diagnose/eliminate fuel delivery/etc by looking at the reading.

wally

 

I was beginning to think it might be my fuel pump acting up. It is as if it is running out of gas. I will check the fuel pressure and also get the timing squared away. I started thinking about it today and realized it is acting like it did when my alternator went out. Don't thing the fuel pump was getting enough juice to push the fuel. I will check that. Does that explain the improvement when I adjust the distributor though? It runs great for about a week every time I do that.

 

probably only coincidence. the pump can fail various ways: sudden; intermittent; gradual; etc.

 

Check your tps and wiring. Sounds like fuel cutoff if it is at the same rpm all the time. Check the wiring at the ecu for water.