Did you do the spark plug re-route TSB yet? I had a misfire and that cured it. If you're smelling gas, that's in complete combustion. If a plug is not firing, that means unburned fuel is coming out of that cylinder. Double check the plugs--I had new plugs and when I did the re-route TSB, I found that one was cracked and intermittently mis-firing, which not only caused a misfire, but a very strong gas smell because that cylinder wasn't firing at all. After replacing it, I still had a misfire, and that was when I did the re-route that cured it completely.

If it still misfires after all that, I'd replace the O2 sensor. They're not extremely expensive and can be the source of all kinds of headaches. Mine misfired and backfired all the time because of a bad O2, mostly around town. On the highway it was fine.

Are you sure no codes are there? A single misfire triggers a CEL on my truck. In fact, everything seems to trigger it on my truck--it happens so often, I've come to ignore it.

 

I am going to check all those things this weekend. I'll let you guys know what I found. Are the injectors difficult to inspect/ change out? And is it one unit to replace for all eight cylinders, or eight different injector units that can be replaced individually? I've got a Haye's manual, but I've never messed with the injectors and the info about them is a little slim.

I have not done any spark plug re-route yet. If you could give me a link I'll check it out though. That's not a procedure with which I am familiar.

Matt: I am positive I am not getting any codes about the missfire. The 94 and 95 (maybe some 96 models too?) are a bit different from your 98 model in the way that we get error codes. I don't get nearly as detailed info about errors as you do. I have to flip the key on-off-on-off-on-off-on and count the number of times the CEL flashes. My year model only reports a handful of problems (maybe two dozen or so). Right now I'm getting 1-2-3-7-5-5. Error codes are given as two digit codes, so that means code 12,37, and 55. 12 is a battery disconnected within the last 50 start cycles (I knew that, I was resetting my radio) 37 is a torque convertor problem, and 55 means end of sequence.

According to my manual, an injector problem should throw a code but it has not done so yet. However, in a 13 year old truck I wouldn't be suprised what was 'supposed to' work that doesn't.

Steve

 

NEW DEVELOPEMENT:

I took the truck to my dad's house (two hour interstate drive) to get him to help me go through the engine over the weekend. I bought a little fuel about halfway there and I thought the engine was going to implode and die right there. Missing and coughing and backfires worse than ever. I managed to get it to catch up and get it back on the interstate and the missing subsided in a few minutes. I parked it in my dad's driveway and yesterday morning we went out to take a look at it. Cranks up fine, idles, won't backfire, runs like it just came off the showroom floor.

Grr. I hate a problem that dissappears when you try to show someone. Anyway, I drove it around and visited the fair in town and bought gas again on the way home.

Immediately after I bought the gas and started it up it runs rough again. I'm thinking I have a bit of crap in the tank that gets stirred up when I fill it?

Are any of those fuel additives I see around worth buying? Or maybe another problem I'm overlooking?

 

sounds like you know what the problem is. fuel pump taking a dump.

 

No mention of whether or not the cat was checked.

 

that is similar to the intermittent problems
that pop up only when the fuel pump is hot
enough to malfunction

only sure way to diagnose it is to have a
mechanical fuel pressure gauge hooked up

if you end up pulling the pump assembly
consider jacking up the cargo box from the
driver's side
rather than the more difficult dropping of the tank

 

Got through the engine bay last night. Plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, pcv valve, cat, and all sensors are clean. I did find that I'm having a bit of a plenum leak, but I don't think that's the culprit.

I bought some fuel additives in a hope (yea, right...) that bad gas is a problem.
And driving it home, it started acting up again. It feels like it's running out of gas, and that makes me pretty sure it's the fuel pump going bad. I just don't understand why the problem comes and goes, and then act like nothing is wrong. I don't get it.

 

Can I let the passenger side of the bed pivot on the loose bolts?
Or what is the best way to pivot the bed on the passenger side so the driver's side can be jacked up?
Thanks.

 

I believe you can, but you must loosen them to give them the play you need to lift the driver's side bed.

 

Thanks aim4
Has anyone actually done this? Are there any tips/tricks to make it a smooth job?