Suburban running rough

[Burbdood 74]

Hey all, I've done a search, but I couldn't quite find the answer I was looking for so I'll pick your brains.

My 88 Sub started running rough a few days ago. I swapped out my injectors last week because I had a bad one. I also put in a new AC Delco fuel pump in it just today but it's still hesitating and surging on idle, hot or cold. I'm not getting any codes but about 1 month ago, my SES light came on and gave me a lean condition code, (sorry, can't remember the actual number), but it went away the same day and never returned.

My thought is the EGR valve may be sticking, but it and the EGR solenoid is only about a year or two old. I have no vacuum leaks and I sprayed carb cleaner around the base of the throttle body with no change of idle. What am I missing here?

Please help..........it's for the children......think of the children!!!

 

[Confedneck]

have you checked the IAC?

 

[Burbdood 74]

Haven't had much time to monkey with it yet.....but I'll check it out tomorrow.


Anybody else?

 

[shady]

I hate to mention it but the rubber lines in the tank crack. causes lean condition while accelerating. but if thats it it should run better at idle.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Have you checked the ignition wires, cap and rotor? This is where I would start. Easy check for arcing plug wires is to fire it up at night and see if you have a "light show" with the plug wires firing through the insulation anywhere.

 

[Burbdood 74]

Have you checked the ignition wires, cap and rotor? This is where I would start. Easy check for arcing plug wires is to fire it up at night and see if you have a "light show" with the plug wires firing through the insulation anywhere.

Didn't work on it today as I had a serious case of "screw it" today but cap, rotor, ignition module, plugs and wire are all about 1 year old. Guess I can't rule 'em out though.

 

[Burbdood 74]

Found the problem I hope. I changed my stock coil for an MSD coil, (what a PITA that was!) and I fired it up. I noticed that gas was pouring from the top of the passenger side injector and just dribbling into the intake. The hell of it is, I just had the injectors replaced last week so somebody either missed a gasket or ripped one or an O-ring.

 

[4xcrazy]

Or installed the injector wrong, they are designed to go in one position, but can go in other ways if somewhat forced...

 

[Burbdood 74]

Or installed the injector wrong, they are designed to go in one position, but can go in other ways if somewhat forced...

If it was installed the wrong way, is it likely to be damaged in any way?



Damn it...................I can't stand not being able to do some work due to limited time, knowledge or space. This sucks.

 

[4X4HIGH]

There is a short pin on the injector that has to line up with a slot in the injector pod and if you don't line it up it will usually break the injector pod and or bend or break the pin on the injector. One injector will have the pin facing forward and the other backwards.

 

[Burbdood 74]

Well that wasn't the problem. I fixed the leaking injector, it was just a torn gasket, and it has a beautiful spray pattern, but now the darn thing will barely idle and it won't even get out of it's own way.

I'm going to check the EGR to see if it's sticking and I'm going to pull off the distributor cap and see how much play I have in the rotor to see if my timing chain s stretched or not. What else could it be folks?

 

[MTChevy]

Im thinkin theres a vacuum leak somewhere.

 

[MTChevy]

Iac?

 

[Burbdood 74]

Well if I don't get flooded out by the Yellowstone this weekend, I'm going to be all over this engine compartment looking for bad vacuum lines, checking the IAC, EGR, etc. etc. etc.


I want to get back to my 4" lift instead of monkey-farting around with this crap!

 

[MTChevy]

Well if I don't get flooded out by the Yellowstone this weekend, I'm going to be all over this engine compartment looking for bad vacuum lines, checking the IAC, EGR, etc. etc. etc.


I want to get back to my 4" lift instead of monkey-farting around with this crap!

Yeah you might be better off investing in a boat! The flooding in this state is outta control!

 

[jeff in co]

Sounds like there is rain all over the place.....didn't know it was up in Montana too! I was just looking at a boat for my sister-in-law who lives in Billings.

To the PO.....distributor maybe??

 

[Burbdood 74]

Sounds like there is rain all over the place.....didn't know it was up in Montana too! I was just looking at a boat for my sister-in-law who lives in Billings.

To the PO.....distributor maybe??

Yeah, the rain is pretty bad up here.....all of the surrounding towns around Billings are under water and my house is only 2 blocks from the Yellowstone river. The park 1/3 mile down the road is flooded but not that bad.


As far as the distributor goes, I'm hoping it's something simple like a sticky EGR valve or a bad vacuum line, but if it is the distributor, might be time to step up to an MSD dizzy!

 

[Burbdood 74]

Ok, update......

I took the EGR off today and checked to see if it was sticking at all. It wasn't, but I sprayed some carb cleaner in there anyway and slapped it back on. I then took the IAC out and cleaned it as well and put it back on too. Then I took the vacuum line off the EGR solenoid and it ran like a champ. It held a good idle and didn't surge at all.

So, if my thoughts are right, my likely problem is a bad EGR solenoid right? What sucks is the fact that I replaced it with a GM part 2 years ago too!

 

[jeff in co]

Ok, update......

I took the EGR off today and checked to see if it was sticking at all. It wasn't, but I sprayed some carb cleaner in there anyway and slapped it back on. I then took the IAC out and cleaned it as well and put it back on too. Then I took the vacuum line off the EGR solenoid and it ran like a champ. It held a good idle and didn't surge at all.

So, if my thoughts are right, my likely problem is a bad EGR solenoid right? What sucks is the fact that I replaced it with a GM part 2 years ago too!

I'm not the expert on the EGR thing so hopefully someone else will chime in if that makes sense or not.

If it is, do you have any warranty on the GM EGR by chance? If you do go aftermarket, pay attention to some of the "general" type EGR's. Some of them are so generic you have to put in certain orifices to get it match your vehicle. Try finding one that at least looks like the GM one you are pulling out. I paid a little more but sure gave me more confidence the part was going to work!

Off subject.....my sister went down to Meeteesee to meet up with family and we stayed here in CO. She said it was raining yesterday so it doesn't sound good up there still.....

 

[Burbdood 74]

Off subject.....my sister went down to Meeteesee to meet up with family and we stayed here in CO. She said it was raining yesterday so it doesn't sound good up there still.....

Well the forecast for today and the early part of the week calls for rain off and on, so no, it's not good news at all. The worst part about it is the fact that the mountains have around 30' of snow pack and it hasn't even started to melt yet. So we're looking at a 1-2 punch with flooding. First this, then the melt water. They said that in just May alone we've gotten ~ 9" of rain.