I don't know if I can tolerate much more disappointment and difficulty
with Christine. I can't seem to figure out why its not running well.
This engine has almost 100K on it, has been hydrolocked and drowned, and
beat on time after time -- I can't expect it to run well anymore. It was
running fine prior to the brake booster problem and then being parked.
I pulled the plugs and they and look fine. A few months ago I replaced
the plugs, cap, rotor, and wires. I swapped out the pick up coil, map
sensor, and TPS from my spare engine, and plugged any possible vacuum
leaks I could think of.
I did notice that one thing was unusual. The two lines that connect to
the CAD on the front axle - both had vacuum.
What its doing is its starting hard... idles real rough, and boggs down
when you try and give it gas. Shift into gear from park or neutral and
it dies. At higher RPM it misses, and stumbles. I tried to check the
timing but couldn't find the marks on the harmonic balancer. There
should be no issue with the timing on this engine. The distrib has
never been touched and the timing cover has never been off.
I doubt the O2 sensor could have anything to do with this, but its never
been changed as long as I've owned the truck. When I disconnect the
vacuum line to the power booster - the engine will idle - but rough.
I fogged the engine with a 3rd of a can of Sea Foam - didn't seem to do
much. EGR shouldn't have anything to do with this I don't think.
I can't afford to do another engine swap - and I'm sure as hell NOT
putting another premag V6 in there when this current engine comes out.
If I can't get it running - there's no point in taking it to the BBQ
this summer. Not to mention I STILL don't know what is grinding in the
front end.
I fired up the Ranger today - which has been sitting, and not run for
twice as long as Christine - and the freaking thing fired up first try.
Purred like a happy kitten. I gotta say it for Ford and that 2.9L FI
V6 - that engine will never die. Don't freak on me - the Ranger isn't
going anywhere anytime soon. Discovered a broken coil spring on the
front passenger side, in addition to the monumental list of everything
else that doesn't work or is broken on it.
I guess the whole point of this is - can anyone think of anything I
should do, that maybe I have overlooked, to try to get Christine's
engine running well? I have been obsessing over this ever since I
discovered it was running like shit - and I just can't think objectively
about it anymore. I've been brooding and miserable ever since. What am
I overlooking?????
It has a full tank of gas, I dont think I put any seafoam in however.
Could the gas have gone bad so soon?
-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ****** COUNTDOWN TO 2005 DML BBQ *87* DAYS LEFT! ****** *Caution* Terrible Tom may suddenly accelerate to dangerous speeds. What pond? AIM & Yahoo: SilverEightynine - http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/
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