Re: Help-Running too rich...

From: Kurt E. Swanson (keswanson@qwest.net)
Date: Tue Nov 28 2000 - 01:42:50 EST


Sorry Ron, had to run off to class!

In order to answer your question regarding the gap, I have to confess a really
stupid series of comical (and expensive!) blunders... The last time I changed
out my cap and rotor I installed the cap 180 degrees rotated (I know the tabs
are keyed to prevent this, but I managed to tighten it down anyway). Anyway,
when I fired up the truck it basically shattered the rotor and cracked the cap.
I quickly pulled everything apart and got a new cap and rotor and reinstalled
them (correctly this time), however, when I fired her up she ran like total
crap, bucking, spitting and misfiring. Could smell lots of raw gas. So I tore
it apart again and reinstalled everything but to no avail. At this point I'm
thinking the distributor and ignition is all messed up. So with the exception
of the exhaust and K&N, I took off all the aftermarket goodies and had it towed
to the dealership.

I was afraid to tell them what happened at first, hoping that maybe it would
fall under warranty. So the tech pulled the valve covers, checked for bent
pushrods, checked to make sure the pistons hadn't kissed the valves. Finally I
fessed up and told him what happened. Well apparently when the rotor shattered,
real fine pieces of plastic got down onto the camshaft position sensor and the
sync signal generator and basically ruined them..This was causing the injectors
to misfire and pour gas into the intake. The Dodge tech replaced both above
items, the cap, rotor, pulled cleaned and regapped all the plugs and did a
compression test. The compression was within tolerances and there were no
obvious bent pushrods or other damage. Definitely scared the sh*t out of me
though.

Tech spent approximately 10 hours on the truck plus parts. Service writer felt
sorry for me and only charged me $360 bucks for everything

So....... That is why the plugs are gapped at stock spec!

Feeling Foolish now!
Kurt

Ronald Wong wrote:

> Why stock gap with a 1) Blaster SS coil (48k volts) and 2) Digital 6
> ignition. This may not solve your problem but I would gap your plugs out to
> .050. You have an extremely hot spark with an extremely long duration. I
> would still change your before the cat O2 sensor.
>
> Ron
> 00 SLT QC 4X2 5.9 46RE 3.92 LSD
> For modifications see my DML Profile
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET
> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET]On Behalf Of Kurt E. Swanson
> Sent: Monday, November 27, 2000 3:52 PM
> To: dakota-truck-moderator@twisted.twistedbits.net
> Subject: Re: DML: Help-Running too rich...
>
> The oxygen sensor is suspect, but doesn't that usually trip a mil light?
>
> I've got 58,xxx miles on her with no O2 sensor change outs.
>
> Plugs are gapped at stock spec.
>
> l've had all these mods on during warm weather and all of them except the MP
> SK-250 last winter with no problem.
>
> Ronald Wong wrote:
>
> > I also heard that gas refineries do something to the gasoline in the
> winter
> > time. Check your O2 sensors. Don't know much about you MP-SK250 TB
> either.
> > I'm assuming you had all these mods before the weather got cold and didn't
> > experience any problems then? What are the plugs gapped at?
> >
> > Ron
> > 00 SLT QC 4X2 5.9 46RE 3.92 LSD
> > For modifications see my DML Profile
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET
> > [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET]On Behalf Of Kurt E. Swanson
> > Sent: Monday, November 27, 2000 2:26 PM
> > To: dakota-truck-moderator@twisted.twistedbits.net
> > Subject: Re: DML: Help-Running too rich...
> >
> > Thanks Walt
> >
> > That was my first thought also, but the engine warms up to approximately
> 180
> > and I can watch the t-stat open by looking at the temp guage. The temp
> then
> > holds steady at approximately 180..... I've got a replacement t-stat ready
> > to
> > go in, but I don't think that is the problem! The other weird thing is
> that
> > I
> > don't get a mil light or anything even after it misfires!?!
> >
> > Kurt
> >
> > H62300@aol.com wrote:
> >
> > > Sounds like your tstat won, t let your motor warm up. Computer see,
> s
> > > the cold sensor and it richens up the mixture. Especially when the
> ambient
> > > temp is so low.
> > > Walter P



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