This truck is on my last nerve

[Hipster]

Did you check or replace the ignition coil?

that too

 

[pro17]

Hook up a scantool for data. Even a cheap ALDL cable with android app from ebay will give you good data on whats going on. ECT temperature, IAC steps, MAP info, etc.

 

[Tom P]

Check, double check, and then triple check your distributor and then even if you think your right, swap it 180* to just make sure. I've talked to a lot of people who swear on their life that the dizzy is in the right place and they fight it and fight it until they're pulling their hair out and looking for C4 to make the problem go away. They finally check it one more time and turn it 180 and she fires up.

However this doesn't explain the first set of issues you ran into when you did the exhaust. If you have fuel, you have air, and you have spark, then your issue is most likely timing. Either from your distributor or your cam shaft. Have you pulled the valve covers lately? Perhaps make sure all of your valves are opening and closing?

 

[DaFuzzy]

I did in fact swap the ignition coil, while not with a new one... It's a coil that I know is good.

It could possibly be the dizzy or ignition module. Ive heard of them being bad from the manufacturer before. I never rotated the dizzy but I did swap plug wires connections 180*. I will definitely try rotating the whole unit as well though!

Not gonna lie, somewhere in my head I think its timing just from gut instinct. I did pull the valve covers and can watch each valve open and close, now whether they hang a bit or not I can't gurantee.

I will certainly look into getting a cable and checking data, as well as triple checking my dizzy. Thanks again everyone!

 

[skylark]

Bring number one up on top dead center. Verify using a piece of wire through the spark plug hole to feel for the top of the piston. Then look at the balancer and see if the balancer is on the mark. It is possible that the outer ring shifted on the harmonic balancer.