'88 S10 2.8 V6 Sputters and quits often.

[kmpoling]

I have Chevy S10, with 5 speed manual.
My truck sputters and quits often when cold and runs better when hot. I have Drove around with a timing lignt on the center wire and found that the spark goes out during the episodes, so this will eliminate a fuel problem. I have replaced the following: Pickup coil, Ignition Coil, Ignition module, Plug wires, Spark plugs. I have checked and set timing. (with the "brown" wire to the PCM looose) This is driving me nuts, as it often dies in the middle of an intersection while dirving, and people blow thier horns at me. While hot the sputtering is mostly while accelerating. I get no codes. The only thing I have not checked or replaced that I feel that it could be are: PCM or Main Computer, Map Sensor (sends manifold pressure to the PCM), Throttle position sensor. All wiring. Beyond this, I have no Idea? Can someone help me? At first I thought it was a fuel problem, but the timing light trick proved it was electrical. >KP

[BlazerLT]

How about the cap and rotor?

Why would you replace the coil and everything and not do the cap and rotor?

Fuel Filter?

Set timing to ZERO with the timing wire UNATTACED?

[kmpoling]

Blazer LT, I forgot to mention that I did replace the cap and rotor because it was so easy to do. I have the new fuel filter to put on. but I knew the problem was electrical. I saw another thread that mentioned on a 1984, where the Ignition Key switch was causing ignition probelms. I will do the timeing light trick and wiggle the key switch to see what happens. I will set the timeing as you said to 0 deg. with the wire loose, (this wire is the brown one under the passenger side dash? But I will need to get it to run at all before I get to do this. It is within 2 Deg of 0 right now.) Thanks for your reply. >KP

[kmpoling]

Hello all, I have sent the truck to a GM Mechanic and he has fixed my sputtering problem. It costs me $280, outch. He said it took a lot of time to find the probelm. Here is what he found: a wire in the harness was streached so that the copper strands were broken and the insulation looked good. The wires would make intermtent contact. I believe this wire was one of the ones in a large bundle that is between the Computer and the distributer. Location: just as the bundle enters the firewall into the cab just above the starter. I hope this tid bit of information will help some of you with intermitant stalling, quitting and sputtering. This was the "hard fix". Regards, Ken Poling.

[phatwhiteboy]

Originally Posted by kmpoling

I have Chevy S10, with 5 speed manual.
My truck sputters and quits often when cold and runs better when hot. I have Drove around with a timing lignt on the center wire and found that the spark goes out during the episodes, so this will eliminate a fuel problem. I have replaced the following: Pickup coil, Ignition Coil, Ignition module, Plug wires, Spark plugs. I have checked and set timing. (with the "brown" wire to the PCM looose) This is driving me nuts, as it often dies in the middle of an intersection while dirving, and people blow thier horns at me. While hot the sputtering is mostly while accelerating. I get no codes. The only thing I have not checked or replaced that I feel that it could be are: PCM or Main Computer, Map Sensor (sends manifold pressure to the PCM), Throttle position sensor. All wiring. Beyond this, I have no Idea? Can someone help me? At first I thought it was a fuel problem, but the timing light trick proved it was electrical. >KP

hope this can help you out, mine had the same problem and it was the throttle positioning sensor

[ZL1power69]

phatwhiteboy, welcome to af. This thread is now over 2 years old. please refrain from posting in old threads.