Engine weirdness in the city (could be tranny?)

[Pampo'sTruck]

I drove my truck a lot more than just the 5 mile commute to work with 2 stop signs in between. I actually took it out on the interstate for a good 45 min drive and did some city driving then another 45 min interstate trip back. I thought my truck was running great until I got into the city. It sort of stumbled a little bit in parking lot situations and even died out once. These situations were also accompanied by a check engine light. Cleared right up and ran great on the interstate though... But coming on my road home it's 35mph speed limit it honestly felt like it was sputtering or missing or something but if I get into the throttle a bit it smooths out again. Any ideas what that might be? This is immediately preceding a tuneup and oil change. I thought it was running better honestly it felt more "peppy". Just the city driving it got wonky and check engine light was going on and off seemingly at random.

I checked the trans when I got home and the fluid on the stick was full of bubbles. What the heck is up with that?? I'm pretty sure when I checked it before it was on the normal cross hatches, now it seemed over full and completely laiden with small bubbles.

I'm hoping I didn't do something wrong during the tune up(not sure what that could be?), but I'm also hoping my troubles arent transmission related.

 

[poncho62]

If the check engine light came on, it threw a code....put a scanner on it and see what code is there.

Also, when a trans is overfull, the fluid will foam up....I would drain a bit out

 

[Pampo'sTruck]

Looked into it a bit. Looks like I can just use a piece of wire and jump some ports and count the flashes to get the code. I'l try that tomorrow. Thanks for the input! I'm going to drain it and change the filter on the trans a.s.a.p. It smelled a little burny. Not like, celery nasty burnt but there was deff some heat built up. Also it never had a fluid change since the tranny was put in...

 

[ShadowRejects]

Stumbled and died? IMO I would check all the vac lines and proceed from there. Could be a handful of things.

I would probably change out your fuel filter, maybe even your distributor to while your at it.

If the fuel filter is very dirty or clogged, It can cause a rough idle and struggle to actually get gas to the engine to power the truck, I.E, the cause of the stumbling and stalling.

Your distributor isnt mandatory, But I would pop it open and check things out. You said its throwing a code? If it is, then its probably neither one of what I just recommended. Best bet would be to run the code and tackle it from there. You will be surprised. Just about every damn sensor on my truck has gone out lately. took it 21 years but it happens.

 

[Pampo'sTruck]

Yeah it's a brand new dist. cap and rotor, i didn't change wires but did the plugs. I should have done the fuel filter, I bought one, but didn't change it so it's going to get changed as soon as there isn't a 2 feet of snow outside lol. I did actually visually inspect the vacuum lines, there aren't very many, and didn't see anything obvious. I had the thought it might be vacuum related because I was actually on the brakes when It sort of felt like it wasn't running right. The check engine light was coming on and off again.

I learned about the jumper wire trick last night so I will try and get the codes off it and go from there. Does it store them up? Or will it only give me codes if the light is actually on? Also I'm not positive how it works. It explained that 1 long and 2 short is 12 and that will be the first code it gives for sure. It will give the 12 code 3x first right then move on to the next code?

That leads me to beleive if for example the code was 42 there would be 4 long and 2 short flashes? It would do it 3x then on to the next?

Thanks again for all the help you all are awesome!

 

[Pampo'sTruck]

Ok so, I pulled the code using a cool little jumper tool to put it into diagnostics mode. And to make double sure I counted the codes like 5 times before I came inside to look it up. It gave me two codes. 12, which is to be expected, and also 15. The 8th vin digit is K on my truck, so according to http://www.troublecodes.net/gm/89-90_57k , 15 = Coolant temperature sensor signal indicates a temperature colder than -27° F for 30 seconds after the engine has been running for at least 30 seconds.

No I know for a damn fact that it doesn't even get that cold here, not even with a wind chill. Is there more than one temp sensor? I know the one on top of the manifold near the thermostat housing is sort of broken. I.E. It still work but the clip doesn't "clip" anymore. I can watch my temp rise and fall with the opening of the thermostat. Could it be some other one? And would that cause my engine to run odd??

I haven't let out any trans fluid yet. When I get paid I will get a gasket and filter and change out the fluid. I also haven't changed the fuel filter which I'm sure needs to happen.

 

[Pampo'sTruck]

Well, I feel like such a noob, but also that I should have known better lol. I changed the fuel filter yesterday because the way it was acting that's one the first things that popped into my mind. I was relying on all the new info I gathered on here about engine diagnostics and transmission symptoms that I ignored my gut instinct.

Anyways, I reset the computer via disconnecting the battery for ~10 mins and flashed it a couple times. Changed the filter and it's been running, starting, and not throwing codes ever since. lol...

Here's my question to those more experienced than I, Is there no code for problems caused by the fuel filter, so it just throws a random code???