Help - running rough, new plugs, wires, cap and rotor

[99Yuk]

Oooookay, so it looks like there were several codes here they are:
16229684
16213195
86BNHP947148AP8
GA225300
100913

I don't even see a P1345 in there...
Am I ever gonna get my truck running right again?

Honestly, those don't look any codes I've ever seen. Don't they almost always start with a P? Maybe ask him again. I'm not getting a good vibe from this guy.....I dunno.... Your asking the correct questions, and getting fluff anwers back.

 

[gulleyman]

So I picked up the used ECM at Pick & Pull today, was running short on time so I had someone pull it for me for $10 and bought the 90 day warranty for another $10, $50 total.
When I dropped it off with the mechanic we compared it to the original ECM and I realized that the numbers he gave me earlier were the numbers "off of the ECM" not the trouble codes!
So he's gonna try this ECM tomorrow morning, hopefully this will just fix the problem. If not I'll post up the error codes tomorrow
I emailed Justin w/ Black Bear to see if he could set me up with a performance tuned ECM, how much it would cost and if there could be any issues with doing this considering my dilemma. Haven't heard back from him yet. Crap I want my truck back!
On a positive note, I got my HID's in today

 

[gulleyman]

ECM didn't fix it
The mechanic said that when he pulled either the crank or the cam sensor out it looked like the oil may have been a little milky. He recommended that I take it to a dealership for diagnostics.

Here's the scanner codes:
P0300
P1345 A

What do you guys think?

 

[99Yuk]

If you've changed all the sensors, checked compression and vacum, and it all looks good, then has any one said anything about bent valves, valve guides, or valve seals yet?

I'm asking because valve guides turned out to be my problem on my original motor. I too had two cyls misfire randomly. but I had other symptoms like the plugs would foul every week, and I'd go through a litre of oil a week, etc.

 

[SunlitComet]

As mine has at least one plug fouled where oil is on the outside of the block deck where I ironically have two adjecent cylinders with compression at 145 at each while all the others are 170 and their injectors or off spec in regards to flow purge test, the left head is going to come off and be checked my a machine shop. I would like to do it myself and document everything for others but the fact that I live an an apartment with no garage it would be hard to manage this mess and I cannot control the enviorment or space around the truck keeps turning me off. I also don't have the money to see it thru quickly as opposes to maybe a few months S i will probly save enough and let a shop do it all at once.

---------- Post added at 08:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:53 PM ----------

ECM didn't fix it
The mechanic said that when he pulled either the crank or the cam sensor out it looked like the oil may have been a little milky. He recommended that I take it to a dealership for diagnostics.

Here's the scanner codes:
P0300
P1345 A

What do you guys think?

Same codes again!

Gulley, I had a thought. If your mech can't get the right scanner to read that cam retard, put a fine clear alignment mark on the distributor to block or across the dist. cap that is aligned with some component on the manifold easier and try this:

The p1345 code responds to any alignment being off more than two degrees of correlation so while running bump your distributor about a degree ata a time either way. If it gets engine acts worse or, stalls then you restart and problem is still bad, you are heading the wrong direction.

Do go more than 4 degrees to start either way. Clamp down then clear codes. Make driving trips similar to what you were doing before. Try this route a few times I would imagine if the code p1345 stops showing up you are withing the threshhold, the distibutor would be back to normal and maybe the misfire will go a way. I f I had a scanner right now with that code it a no cost way to try and you really can't cause damage.

I am sure you know what I'm trying to explain.

 

[99Yuk]

ECM didn't fix it
The mechanic said that when he pulled either the crank or the cam sensor out it looked like the oil may have been a little milky. He recommended that I take it to a dealership for diagnostics.
...
What do you guys think?

If there is milk in the oil, there are other problems. Can you confirm that? By pulling the dipstick and taking a look?

And if he's recommending that you go to another place, that's his way of nicely telling you that he's stumped and doesn't want to work on it anymore. The easy stuff to diagnose he did already. Go somewhere else. And at some point it's a case of diminishing returns for him. The extra labour to diagnose this further he will never recoup from you the paying customer, so he's telling you nicely to move on.

I do understand and feel your pain and anxiety. I just went through this a year or so ago. I ended up soul searching my budget options, and picked up a new GM crate motor from a dealership to drop in. Of coarse I didn't know that a 383 existed until two months after it was installed I joined this forum and discovered that it was only another $1000 to get the 383 instead of the stock 350. Dope!

At some point you will have to decide to take it another shop (possibly dealership and continue to dump money into this motor), or buy a new motor.

The milk in the oil, may be the tipping point towards a new motor. At least it would be for me.

Other option would be a rebuilt motor, but I just read a couple of days ago about a fella on here who 'saved' some money and bought a junk yard motor vs crate motor, only to discover it was f*cked, and now he has to buy another. That guy didn't save any money.

That's the biggest reason for the new crate motor. I didn't want to take my chances. I was so strung out after failure after failure on my existing motor, I wanted peice of mind knowing that when I turn the key on my truck, it will start, each and every time. That was worth the extra $$$. And I liked the new three year warranty on the motor.

 

[SunlitComet]

Sorry I didn't see the milky oil part.

I would go along with 99 at some point but is there a possiblity of you being in a cold climate with a lot of short drive trips that would cause the condensation inside the engine not to burn off lately?

Has your coolant, engine and tranny fluid been stable that would undicate a mix somewhere?

In reading over the instructions of a crank and cam sensor replacements I did not see any indication that oil was exposed so I would assume he was still looking at other causes or like 99 said he just might be giving up.

If you did find an oil fouled plug then by all means consider having the head taken off and inspected.

At some point a line will have to be drawn on costs of continue inspections or just start fresh with a another motor.


I will still say that if the dist. code still can't get removed then you will have to revisit the dist. and gear and wear in the valvetrain from the camshaft gear in the back being worn to worn timing chain assy. and anything in between on the bank with problems.

If all is fine with that then it should eliminate mechanical failure side of the p1345 code was describing putting you back at square one with a possible alignment problem which is correctable and prehaps check the inside of the dist. cap for eveidence of damage. That should be the only physical link between the two sensors. If you had a wire loose are break in either you would be popping a different code.

If your up for continued diagnosis I would go for getting a good scanner for yourself and subsribing to alldatadiy.com. I am going to look at contacting a company about the scanner I mentioned before to see how deep the ysytem goes and how much it will cost for myself and will write back with the info.

---------- Post added at 04:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:15 PM ----------

Gully try these links. There are what I believe what one would need to really dive in the computer system. Each link represents a item that needs to be purchased to get to the detail enhanced parimeters results. The total would be about $320.

It is pc based so if you have a laptop that would be great. I have an unemployed one that I actually may put a permanent mount in my truck for.

hardware w/ free basic software: http://www.scantool.net/scan-tools/obdlink.html

Professional software: http://www.scantool.net/software/scanxl-pro.html

Gm enhanced sofware: http://www.scantool.net/software/scanxl-gm-enhanced-diagnostics-add-on.html

This last link of enhanced perimeters is to big to post so here:

http://www.palmerperformance.com/support/supported_vehicles/gm_enhanced.php

All that should give you alot as long as your vehicle support those perimeters.


I am still looking but this is going to be my first choice.

Have not found a phone number for them yet but I think it is all online support.

 

[99Yuk]

...Gully try these links...hardware w/ free basic software: http://www.scantool.net/scan-tools/obdlink.html
Professional software: http://www.scantool.net/software/scanxl-pro.html
Gm enhanced sofware: http://www.scantool.net/software/scanxl-gm-enhanced-diagnostics-add-on.html
This last link of enhanced perimeters is to big to post so here:
http://www.palmerperformance.com/support/supported_vehicles/gm_enhanced.php...

Hey, thanks for those links. That's some pretty neat stuff. It would be kinda neat to set that up on the 8.9" screen of a HP Slate tablet mounted in a center console. I know I'm dreaming, but it would be kinda neat.

 

[SunlitComet]

Like I said I am still lookin. I have browsed their forum and their support seems kind of crappy.

 

[gulleyman]

I don't know enough about this stuff to do it myself dropped my baby off at the stealership this morning for diagnostics, wish me luck!

---------- Post added at 10:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:29 AM ----------

It would be kinda neat to set that up on the 8.9" screen of a HP Slate tablet mounted in a center console. I know I'm dreaming, but it would be kinda neat.

Check this out sunlitcomet and 99Yuk:
http://store.mp3car.com/Car_Computer_Systems_s/25.htm