98 running rough/doggy

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BeatUp98

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Got to take it for a short drive today.

1. Small puddle of oil where truck was parked and had milky oil top. Not 100% sold its leaking coolant somewhere as there was condensation all over the concrete floor. Maybe someone could chime in. However the fact I know it had the head gasket replaced and the person who did it had the freaking head off the motor and still didn't drill/easy out the broken exhaust manifold bolts makes me think they probably also were dumb or lazy enough to not have properly done the head gasket job.

2. Still pretty doggy but not as bad throttle doesn't want to operate in the mid range have slow acceleration through 2k rpm and then I have to floor it if I want it to go higher. Didn't do a wot test as the exhaust is too loud and didn't want someone calling me in mistaking me for a kid trying to be a punk.

3. Will probably just use the truck sparingly until I can begin the restoration. I bought it to only drive the the home improvement store and haul off trash and stuff that needs burned anyways. At this point I don't want to completely rebuild the motor without the funds in place to knock out other large parts of the truck. The total plan is a frame off DIY job. It's for me to learn on and get some time away from the old lady and baby when I can. As long it doesn't blow up before then no big deal but even if it does no big deal lol. Just a $900 beater.
 

C30454

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Assuming it's running on all 8, you're going to need some kind of exhaust before it will run properly and not flag false codes. Exhaust is not a constant flow OUT of the motor, it is more like a two steps forward, one step back kind of flow. And on every backstroke you are sucking oxygen up that open pipe and your o2 sensor is seeing it, causing the engine to run much richer than necessary, and likely flag some false codes as well.

As far as the running poorly mid throttle, you need to have someone with a scanner check the cam sensor offset. If someone has had the heads off they had the distributor out, and it's likely not adjusted properly. This most often affects part throttle more than WOT. Spec is + or - 2*, they usually start running noticeably bad a -12* and up. Also check fuel pressure while driving, and at WOT.


Tom
 

BeatUp98

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Thanks for the info tom if it is running out of time would an autozone scan throw a code out there before I go pay a mechanic to actually pull the timing reading and inspect it.
 

BeatUp98

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Got an appointment set up today to get the truck in for exhaust. He's just going to weld in new pipe all the way back with some quiet thrush style cheap mufflers. Estimated me about $290. Don't want to spend another $200 on cats yet only have $1300 In the truck right now and want to get the codes pulled first just don't want to get pulled over trying to get somewhere to get it done and the exhaust place is just down the road. Will update how the exhaust makes it run if any different.
 
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