Rebuild with Problems... Need some Help.
My questions are as follows:
Was the rotor properly aligned with the cam?
Are you certain the Cam Sensor is clean? When I rebuilt my truck I got misfire codes on the odd banks due to the sensor being dirty.
Did you inspect and clean the fuel rail? Sometimes they collect loose debris.
Per the above: Did you inspect the inlets on the injectors? A clogged inlet can result in a misfire. Running the injector through a sonic cleaner will solve that problem.
Are the spark plug wires routed properly? THIS IS A BIG ONE.
Have you cleaned/replaced or set the spark plugs to the proper gaps?
Last edited by Gary-L; May 12, 2009 at 05:22 PM.
Man, you guys can't diagnose shiat. "QUICK, TEAR OUT THAT OLD PART AND INSTALL THIS NEW ONE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BECAUSE IT ONCE HAPPENED TO ME AND AFTER $1850 IN SWAPPING PARTS, THAT WAS EVENTUALLY THE CAUSE!!!!!!!!!!"
VW I am only going by what he said in his first post as I'm sure everyone else is. The person stated that the cat is bad.
Thanks Guys for all comments its helping out... but
First of all I am a she, a female
Lol
Second, no I didn't go cutting off parts without knowing for sure if that was the cause, I unplugged the O2 sensor first.
Third, Yes I know for a fact my cat is bad, but I also know cutting it off before the engine is running correctly could cause problems of its own
VW thank you for your advice, your giving me some other places to start.
The motor seems to smooth out around 1200 to 1500 rpm, after doing some other things this morning i took it out and it died at a stop sign. WTF? Uggg.
First of all I am a she, a female
LolSecond, no I didn't go cutting off parts without knowing for sure if that was the cause, I unplugged the O2 sensor first.
Third, Yes I know for a fact my cat is bad, but I also know cutting it off before the engine is running correctly could cause problems of its own
VW thank you for your advice, your giving me some other places to start.
The motor seems to smooth out around 1200 to 1500 rpm, after doing some other things this morning i took it out and it died at a stop sign. WTF? Uggg.

Sorry I didn't know you were a she but it has no bearing on your engine. My point is and has been if you have a known part that is bad and it has the possibility of causing the current problem it might just be a good place to start. But that's just me. You know the cat is bad if you want a way to relieve some pressure it may be causing remove the o2 sensor before the cat. Your engine isn't going to run right unless it can move air.
How about pressure testing the cat first, to be certain?
Man, you guys can't diagnose shiat. "QUICK, TEAR OUT THAT OLD PART AND INSTALL THIS NEW ONE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BECAUSE IT ONCE HAPPENED TO ME AND AFTER $1850 IN SWAPPING PARTS, THAT WAS EVENTUALLY THE CAUSE!!!!!!!!!!" 
Man, you guys can't diagnose shiat. "QUICK, TEAR OUT THAT OLD PART AND INSTALL THIS NEW ONE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BECAUSE IT ONCE HAPPENED TO ME AND AFTER $1850 IN SWAPPING PARTS, THAT WAS EVENTUALLY THE CAUSE!!!!!!!!!!" 
Thanks Guys for all comments its helping out... but
First of all I am a she, a female
Lol
Second, no I didn't go cutting off parts without knowing for sure if that was the cause, I unplugged the O2 sensor first.
Third, Yes I know for a fact my cat is bad, but I also know cutting it off before the engine is running correctly could cause problems of its own
VW thank you for your advice, your giving me some other places to start.
The motor seems to smooth out around 1200 to 1500 rpm, after doing some other things this morning i took it out and it died at a stop sign. WTF? Uggg.
First of all I am a she, a female
LolSecond, no I didn't go cutting off parts without knowing for sure if that was the cause, I unplugged the O2 sensor first.
Third, Yes I know for a fact my cat is bad, but I also know cutting it off before the engine is running correctly could cause problems of its own
VW thank you for your advice, your giving me some other places to start.
The motor seems to smooth out around 1200 to 1500 rpm, after doing some other things this morning i took it out and it died at a stop sign. WTF? Uggg.

Do you know if the fuel pump is operating properly? If possible, see about checking the fuel pressure. I trust you replaced the O-Rings (upper and lower) on the injectors if you dismantled the fuel rail, but if you didn't you'll be lucky if you don't have a fuel leak. Anyway, that's a sidebar issue.
Pull the distributor cap and then remove the CKP (camshaft sensor). Inspect it for cracks and inspect the wire and connector for damage. Yes, this little bastard can wreak a lot of havoc with the engine and firing. If it looks good, clean it thoroughly as well as the contacts. Put some dielectric grease on the connectors and then reinstall it. Check the routing of your plug wires and make certain you have them routed properly. I have a copy of the diagram if you need it. Just drop me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll shoot it to you.
Do the same with the crankshaft sensor. Remove it, inspect it, clean it and the contacts, and reinstall. Then (oh yes, there's more) clean the IAT and test it.
If you can get her rolling again, find a mild grade and accelerate slowly. If she bogs down, then the cat is definitely causing more problems at which point I would recommend your replacing it. How old are the O2 sensors? With a rebuild, and if they're over 60K miles, replace them.
I have a few threads out here with my engine build, so perhaps you can glean some information from what I endured.








