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UH OH weird problem

T

tacoma

1/2 ton status
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Location
tooele UT
ok. As I write this I am searching the Innerweb for answers: I am travelling across the country, truck is dead right now. Here is detailed report, live from the Flying J at exit 15-B, in Gary Indiana.

anyone in the area, feel free to come on up and help me, I am not looking forward to the potential bills.

ok. Truck is a 1987 454, TBI crew cab dually. Has been running great, smooth, no trouble, no problems at all. Has 148k on it.

About 400mi ago, I got some gas at a BP. Truck had an exhaust leak since I got it, it got a lot louder around the same time as the BP fillup. Filled both tanks. Drive away, truck starts to kind of hesitate just the tiniest little bit under hard acceleration, but pulls away with authority. All is well.
Later on.... starts kind of... not really responding on uphill pedal mashes. Just kind of motors along. Hmmmm bad gas! I think.
New gas in one tank. Same symptoms. Oil pressure, temp, tranny fluid, coolant all check out ok. Mild curiousity, what is going on? but not worried yet.
Truck is kind of loud and I can feel a little roughness in the gas pedal. Still cruising at 75mph but seems to be working a little to do it.
Roll up the to 80/94 toll area, slow to a crawl and.... truck is stumbling badly in N, running rough and surging in D. Very dramatic difference. Very concerned about getting stuck here.
Pay toll, accelerate briskly, smoothly, but sounds odd now that I'm listening. 20mi to go. Truck will not go faster than 58mph, and thunks/knocks and acts governed somehow if pedal is pressed. Now very concerned. Doubting bad gas theory.
Roll into the Flying J, truck dies, rolls into spot it currently sits.


No-tool diagnosis, 25hr driving binge and no food(all my tools are in the van I'm trying to get to in this truck. :( )
Fuel filter is fine. Or appears to be anyway, no discernible obstructions. Fuel, air, spark seem to be present due to the fact that the truck will start but runs REALLY rough. Calls are made. Nylon timing gears? that would suck. I suspect loose distributor but no, it's solid. Cracked rotor? Hmmm would be strange, but I can't check it until morning.

So. Any theories???? ???? I am really hoping it's something small. Timing seems to be off but I am not thinking real clearly right now, very tired.

thanks everyone. This is not a good thing to have happen right now.
 
Without tools going to be pretty tough to diagnose. :(

Check the basics...bad vacuum line(s), especially to the MAP, (pull and make sure it isn't plugged) bad cam lobe(s), burnt plug wires, damaged terminal(s) on the cap, bad rotor, fuel pump getting weak, etc. Check and see what the fuel looks like coming out of the injectors while it's idling.

Just spend time looking at the basics closely. Things like a cam lobe with this many miles would be an outside chance at the problem I'd think...my dads 454 cam (just two lobes) went flat shortly after rebuild, but pretty similar issues.

I dunno about the noise issue though...an exhaust leak can interfere with O2 sensor operation, and sound annyoing, but that's usually it. Perhaps the pipe to manifold stud(s) broke and that's where some of the noise is coming from? Check tightness of things like t-case mount, crossmember bolts, etc.
 
Might have some type of restriction in the exhaust system too. The only times I've seen engines act "like they were governed", I've found restrictions in the air, fuel, or exhaust systems. You might have a cat plugging up or something may have broken loose in the muffler.
 
yes, it very much sucks not having my tools here. Checked visible vac lines last night, there's nothing obviously wrong... fuel pump may be an issue, hard to tell since it won't really idle anymore. At the moment I am waiting on the hook, so hopefully the shop I'm getting it taken to will be quick and figure it out... they have tools LOL

keep ya posted
 
I would open the exhaust as far forward as you can and see if it makes a difference. Check the timing.
 
I had a strange surging/sputtering/dying/underpowered issue on my last cross country drive (really sucked going over the Rockies at 40 mph). Checked all sorts of crap. Fuel filter looked fine, but IT was the problem. It was clean, but still turned out to be plugged. The little anti-syphon valve inside was stuck and blocking flow. Replacing it is a simple place to start anyway.
 
tacoma said:
yes, it very much sucks not having my tools here. Checked visible vac lines last night, there's nothing obviously wrong... fuel pump may be an issue, hard to tell since it won't really idle anymore. At the moment I am waiting on the hook, so hopefully the shop I'm getting it taken to will be quick and figure it out... they have tools LOL

keep ya posted
Click to expand...

So, what did they find????
 
clogged cat converter/exhaust It may have fallen apart inside the converter./muffler
 
sounds like a cat could be why the exhaust leak got louder it couldnt escape out the back so it had to escape through the exhaust leak that was already there.
 
How are things looking Tacoma ? I like americanfreak86's answer... Gotta' let us know what happens.
 
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