Got it running, but rough
 

Well as posted in the other thread, got the truck running over the weekend. Since then I've driven it around a bit, but having issues.

Usually it'll start fine, sometimes will take a couple tries. Then it will idle fine, and drive fine at low RPM. If I hit the gas and get the RPMs up it'll miss and the check engine light will flash on for just a moment, and it'll continue to stumble like that if I keep the pedal down.

So I'm not sure if it is spark, fuel or air. The truck sat for about 8 months, so I did put new fuel it in on Sunday, but that mixed with a couple gallons of old. The new rotor was slightly shorter than the one I pulled out. I asked Napa about it and they said it was fine, so I'm also going to try to put the old rotor back in the distributor. Change the air filter (Really hope some stupid rodent didn't build a nest in there, didn't check...). Also I'm going to change the fuel filter, in case it got plugged with old gas. Lets hope one of those fixes it.

Maybe bad/old fuel. Maybe bad fuel pump or filter. Check you fuel pressure with a gauge.

I've already got the filter, so I'll change that and see if it helps, then if not I'll find a gauge to test fuel pressure. That something I can get cheap/rent?

I don't know if you can rent that but, I bought mine about 5 years ago for about $35. I can't imagine it would cost that much more now.

Thanks for the thoughts on fuel, that seems to be the case. Put on a new fuel filter (with new fuel lines, figure while I'm there...) and it ran great... for 5 minute. I was a couple miles away, luckily I got it limped home, though I had to start it a few times when it died. I took the old fuel filter and ran water through it backward, and some black stuff came out, either very fine black particles (from the fuel lines?) or oil. In any case at least I think it is isolated to fuel. I'm going to either pull the tank, or drain it and put in new gas. I was worried I'd see rust flakes, not sure what that black crap was.

Sounds like a fuel issue. Is your tank plastic? Mine is... Make sure your fuel filler tube is not rusted out.

Try cleaning your throttle body http://www.allpar.com/fix/throttlebodycleaning.html
Maybe the engine is choking for air when the RPM's increase because carbon build up, this happened to my truck as well and after following the guide and running some seafoam (1/3 in the vaccums, 1/3 in gas tank and 1/3 in crankcase) the problem ceased and the engine was running really strong at high RPM's.

Thank you for the insight! I'll give it a try. I changed the fuel filter again after siphoning out all the gas and running it till it died (to pull all old fuel into the old filter). After the new filter and new gas I'm getting the same rough running / dying issue I had before. Was about to call someone out to have a look ($$) I'll try the throttlebody cleaning.

I don't get a lot of time to work on it... Anyway got it running great now. Finally gave up trying to find out what the problem was, had cleaned the throttle body, everything looked great, lots of other stuff. Took it down to the local shop that has been good to me (actually pushed it down to the shop, couldn't get it started at all...) They found that the ground wire for the ECU was not tight, so it was not getting constant voltage, crazy! So $95 later and it is running great.

Now I just need to finish up all the other maintenance on it :)

Anyone have any good way to get the interior plastic back in good shape? The area that is bad is on the doors right under the windows, has lots of white streaks.

Thanks for all the encouragement!

Find a replacement panel from a donor or Junkyard. An alternative is to "spray" a polymer on it, but I have not had luck with wearability in regards to pastic surfaces.