first real issue with the engine...

I got a voicemail from my daughter saying the truck is running really sluggish and the engine shakes. She says once it's out of first it's fine. My fear at 155K- tranny.

So I start it up as soon as I get home and it idles rough and the idle surges every once in awhile. I take it around the block. It's clear it's missing and it does do better at higher speeds and RPMs. I cleaned the IAC again. No change. I think I'll swap the plugs next. I have Champion single electrodes in there. They were last changed at 149K. I did the timing belt, water pump, thermostat, valve cover gaskets, and spark plug tubes at 140K. Again I now have 155K. The valve cover gasket on the driver's side is leaking again. I suspect one of the plugs in bank 2 may be covered in oil. I changed the fuel filter on Thursday - pump???

Any other suggestions? I have no idiot lights on. I did not check for codes. Coil pack bad, maybe?

Thanks for any ideas.

Plugs, vacuum leak, egr valve stuck open. Thats what I would go with first.

Could be a bad coil pack. I had one go bad a few years ago and it sounds as if you are experiencing the same symptoms I did.

Plugs first, clean the egr next (cheap stuff). Maybe I can get to it after soccer games tonight...
I'll let you know and thanks!

My guess is not your tranny; my truck did this same exact thing for a few weeks in January, turned out two O2 sensors were bad with the other two on the way.

One thing I've noticed with electronical transmissions is if ever the engine is not running right, it's always felt as if it's a transmission issue - been there myself, many of times this last year thought the same thing.

FWIW - forget Champion plugs, install NGK's - best thing I ever did.

Could also be a cat convertor.

Plugs first, clean the egr next (cheap stuff). Maybe I can get to it after soccer games tonight...
I'll let you know and thanks!

it's not egr if its doing it cold. anyway test the egr system, rather than clean.

ignition. plugs, wires, coil pack, ignition module.

my suggestion is test and isolate the problem first, before doing anything.

i have had the coil pack problem too, and as stated above, this sounds similar to my symptoms, too. it's pretty easy,and cheap, to test first.
the old remove the spark plug wire trick to see if all cylinders decrease in rpm relatively the same. and/or use an inductive timing light on each wire. and/or use a cheapo (or expensive-o if you're so inclined) short tester along each wire. and finally, go out in the dead of night, pop the hood and look and see if you see any sparks aflyin. i did. and it turned out to be one of the three coils (which provide the spark for two cylinders, but it was just one cylinder that dumped in my case)

i ended up replacing the whole module with all three coils, but you can buy the coils individually and replace just the one if you wish.


hth


happy hunting


//bc

Well it's 1:25 am or so and I couldn't wait to get started. I pulled it in the garage and boy was it chugging. I started pulling plugs. #4 is the culprit. Wet and black. The coil pack had that smell of burned electrical components. Looks like coil pack #4 will be swapped out as soon as I can get it. I pulled the Champions (3701) which were holding their gap and looked good, except for #4 of course. I had picked up NGK single electrode platinums, as luck would have it, and put them in. I don't want to drive it until I get the new coil pack, but I did back it out of the garage. Fired right up, but as the idle settled down it started chugging again. I'll update tomorrow. Thanks again!

i know they are expensive. especially o.e.m. is there any way to test them with a digital volt meter? if there is you might find some more (coil packs) that are on the edge of going bad. did you code it also? i can't believe a misfire that big ( a no-fire) didn't flag codes in the obd-1 or 2? i guess stranger things have happened. can't wait to hear the outcome. good luck. mike

...obd-1 or 2? ...

his profile says 1997 rodeo -- so obdII


hey surferfletch -- would you please consider putting your vehicle particulars in your signature? it'd make life easier for us memory challenged. thanks


//bc

I'll do it!

It's all better! I ordered a new coil from NAPA as I rolled out of bed this morning. They told me they'd have it in a couple of hours. They quoted me $130 over the phone, but when I picked it up it was only $88. It's the original Hitachi coil in a NAPA box. I just went down there and threw it in. Smooth as butter again. I'm sure I could have just replaced the one fouled Champion, but I'd like to see how these NGKs work out. I was a little surprised at how badly it ran all of a sudden with this problem. Thanks for all the help! This board is priceless.

Oddly, when my coil went bad in my Jetta, it never threw a misfire code either. An 0304 code would have narrowed it down quicker, but after I pulled the second plug (I started with #6 by the brake booster to get the worst one out of the way) I pretty much knew what was up.

Now for the sig...

Sig check

Sig check looks great. Glad you got the rig fixed. You know, for some odd reason, I keep thinking you have a 4x4, didn't realize you and I both are the odd-balls with the 4x2's.

Yeah. I was just thinking the other day that the main reasons that I didn't want to get a 4 wheel drive vehicle back in '98 was that I didn't want another system that needed maintenance or that could break down, I didn't need 4 wheel drive in the burbs, and I didn't want to pay more. I haven't seen a transfer case thread yet, I don't think. And after having the Jeep for nearly 2 years now, I see how little is needed to maintain them. Makes me wish I had the 4x4. It would have been a struggle with the starter swap, but that's a small price...

The only 4wd problems I've seen on 2nd gens is one post about the front axle actuator that was stuck (I think there's a few of those posts), and protetypes '01 had a control module go bad.

The first one can be avoided by switching in and out of 4wd a few times a year to keep it free.

The second I think was the result of the tranny shop during the numerous times his was in trying to get a rebuilt one that actually worked.

Even on the trails I've done in mine the only reason for putting it in 4wd is for the low range. If there was a 2wd low option I would only need 4wd about 10% of the time.

Oh, I have seen a couple posts on 4x4wire about one of the needle bearings in xfer case going bad.

If there was a 2wd low option I would only need 4wd about 10% of the time.4L with manual hubs UNLOCKED = 2L.

Same here mostly, just got the 4x2 because we were living in the desert and didn't feel the need for a 3rd 4x4 - already had a '91 Rodeo 4x4 and the current '85 Toy p/up 4x4 that we're retiring this year.

Can't say that it's 4x2 system has given us any short-comings however; sometimes I think we forget it's only a 4x2. This last time out with the boat, cause the water levels are down so low, we had to back WAY out into the water on a very steep dock - pulling out, one back wheel slipped a slight tad, stopped and kicked it into Winter Mode, truck crawled right on up the dock.

4L with manual hubs UNLOCKED = 2L.

:twak:

:rofl:

That kinda defeats the purpose. Would still be turning the front drive shaft, diff, and cv's. Might as well just be in 4wd then (yes, I have thought of that before). If we could shift into low range while still in 2wd it would be handy.

Besides, I dont have manual hubs... YET