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

[SunlitComet]

1. In that post I also said to much is never enough for me so the best solution for me with some older equipment was no solution. 18 remotes and counting with full control over every fuction on them. I do have a hp media center pc tied in not pictured with its own minidisc recorder with remotes for both. There is another older computer dedicated for storage and constant weather station data on display. Total storage =2.2 terabytes. Also 2 laptops(one old with serial and printer ports but no usb or network plug(pcmcia card for that) used mainly for rs-232 linking). Loaded business fay with neworking, storage and multiple trays. And to top it off networked HP inkjet and HP8100dnt w/2-500 sheet trays,2000-sheet feeder, envelope feeder with all trays capable of 11x17" tabloid paper, 8-bin output bin sorter and network with dedicated hard drive. Cost per page $.03 up to 150,000 pages a month.

2. 16-port switch, wi-fi router with phone ports for voip voice and fax use, 2 other wifi routers with access control options for others to go thru, 2 wi-fi access points for home theater use a few more switches and access points not pictured. Cable modem also has voip ports in use.

3. KDL46XBR9 was in production around in 08/09 but there are still new and used still around with 52 and 40 inches too.

CCFL 10-bit panel capable of full 1920*1080p/24. bravia 3 engine 240 hertzs motionflow. Four hdmis, two components(one switchable to composite), Two composite (one with s-vhs), ANalog audio in/out, Optical out for extraction from hdmis or tv digital/analog tuners, Pc input, usb connectivity, Lan port, streaming video and widgets and then some.

Dilibertly choosen over xbr10's and new 3d models. that lack video proccessing quality even while offering led light becuase they went with slower processors lower refresh rates etc. Older xbr8 had tri led but used older proccessors. New Sony XBR-60LX900 out now go back to high refresh rates better proccesors again and edge-led with 3D, wi-fi, no more s-vhs but go 60" inch big($4500). I will be getting one probably q4 2011or next q. Xbr is Sony cherry. For bedroom cant go wrong with and older xbr9 even used. Amazon dumped 30 scratch/denter for $980 in sep. where I snatched one. Save about $1200 over new.

BTW service manuals on everything.



Maybe on tha tablet but no money to even fix the truck right now.

Planned though so far is car audio with nav sytem will be kenwood excelon with rear view camera, hd and sat radio, dvd, Polk speakers Kenwood amps and enlosers for barn door subs($3600 retail). Alarm will be Clifford avantguard 5 with starter, window control, tilt, perimeter and sound sensors($700 stealth wired self install).

To much?

Need more info?

 

[gulleyman]

...2 laptops(one old with serial and printer ports but no usb or network plug(pcmcia card for that) used mainly for rs-232 linking)....

So what's that rs-232 link? They mentioned that on the carputer site when I was poking around looking for a scanner solution for my carpc...

 

[oldsalt]

My 2 cents.

Boy this is like reading my life story between Oct. '09 and Mar. '10. Spent a crap load of money throwing parts under the hood and the problem turned out to be a cracked head.

The original engine overheated years ago and I replaced it. (that stupid heater hose fitting rotted away) The block had been sitting on my shop floor so I had it re-machined and built it before pulling the car apart. Problem was that the heads had cracked in a couple of places. Instead of investing in new heads I had them pinned. Dumb decision to save a couple hundred bucks. I gambled and lost.

I had the same missing problems and replaced everything mentioned in this thread. Finally did a pressure check on each cylinder. When I heard bubbles in the coolant expansion tank I knew my problem. So I replaced the heads and problem solved. Remember this is on a new engine.

Gulley, originally your problem sounded like a bad fuel pressure regulator that was dumping fuel (#6 plug fouled first). If you replaced that along with the spider no problem. Everything you have done I also did. I was over thinking the problem and after replacing the electronic parts it turned out mechanical. Milky oil tells me you have something mechanical going on.

I guess my advice would be, at this point, if you are not able, have a mechanic pressure check each cylinder for leaks. Are your plugs fouled with water, gas or oil?

If it is a head problem, considering the mileage you have, I would replace the engine (or have it rebuilt) instead of just the heads. The time and trouble to replace just the heads will be about the same as pulling the engine and dropping in a new one. If you do replace it I would stick with a GM rebuild. I don't trust what comes from the engine companies out there. But that's me. I also, for the most part, stick with GM parts.

And stay away from that dealer. $400.00 to replace a dist. cap?! A 30 minute job tops. I did one once at a rest stop in Oklahoma.

 

[SunlitComet]

So what's that rs-232 link? They mentioned that on the carputer site when I was poking around looking for a scanner solution for my carpc...

Some of my home theatre equpment uses it for control and software updates thru rs-232 serial port.

Every thing now is usb just about.

---------- Post added at 05:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:39 AM ----------

OLdsalt I hear you mine is suffering like gulley's I finally finished all the electronics fualt repair and put replaced the wrong plugs that were put in it and that alone made it worse. Iwill post pics of my plugs soon but right off my 5 7 cylinders are coated with oil so that coupled with the oil I see on the block mating surfaces between those cylinders on the outside just precluded that my left head is going to have to come off for inspection. I am already broke and this deal announced for unemployment compensation just left me hanging in the wind so now I have no way paying for parts or head work and getting it back together afterwards. Until I can get a working vehicle I can not get back on the road for work again. To top it off my registration is incomplete becuase I have no smog yet and the apartment manager is cleaning house of vehicles on the property. Vissually it better than some of the others around hear but no tag even though I can provide proof of registration and fees. So I have to find some place to store it at more cost.

 

[Cornbreadbruce]

hey folks,my 99 ex border patrol tahoe is having the same problem as gullyman's. i'm a shade tree mech. wondering what the compression should be?

 

[SunlitComet]

The minimum compression in any one cylinder should not be less than 70 percent of the highest cylinder. No cylinder should read less than 690 kPa (100 psi). For example, if the highest pressure in any one cylinder is 1035 kPa (1150 psi), the lowest allowable pressure for any other cylinder would be 725 kPa (105 psi). (1035 x 70% = 725) (150 x 70% = 105).


1. Disconnect the positive ignition coil wire plug from ignition coil.
2. Disconnect the fuel injector electrical connector.
3. Remove all the spark plugs.
4. Block the throttle plate wide open.
5. Charge the battery if the battery is not fully charged.
6. Start with the compression gauge at zero. Then crank the engine through four compression strokes (four puffs).
7. Make the compression check the same for each cylinder. Record the reading. The minimum compression in any one cylinder should not be less than 70 percent of the highest cylinder. No cylinder should read less than 690 kPa (100 psi). For example, if the highest pressure in any one cylinder is 1035 kPa (1150 psi), the lowest allowable pressure for any other cylinder would be 725 kPa (105 psi). (1035 x 70% = 725) (150 x 70% = 105).
8. If some cylinders have low compression, inject approximately 15 ml (one tablespoon) of engine oil into the combustion chamber through the spark plug hole.

o Normal - Compression builds up quickly and evenly to the specified compression for each cylinder.
o Piston Rings Leaking - Compression is low on the first stroke. Then compression builds up with the following strokes but does not reach normal. Compression improves considerably when you add oil.
o Valves Leaking - Compression is low on the first stroke. Compression usually does not build up on the following strokes. Compression does not improve much when you add oil.
o If two adjacent cylinders have lower than normal compression, and injecting oil into the cylinders does not increase the compression, the cause may be a head gasket leaking between the two cylinders.

9. Install the removed parts.
10. Connect the disconnected components.

 

[Cornbreadbruce]

i've got 180psi at highest and 150psi on the lowest

---------- Post added at 10:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:13 PM ----------

sooo? 126psi?

 

[oldsalt]

I should clarify my post. When I said I did a pressure check on each cylinder I did not mean a compression check. On the cylinder that gave me a misfire code I brought that to cylinder to the top firing position (both valves closed) then applied air pressure through a hose screwed into the spark plug hole.

The first cylinder I checked was bad. As stated I heard air bubbles coming through the coolant expansion tank. I replaced both heads as they were both pinned during machining. They cannot weld the stock heads as the metal is just too thin.

Now I must add that not knowing the problem, I drove this new engine with a small crack in the head from California to Georgia and back with no major issue. What made me dig into this is that I would feel a misfire at highway speed. It was so instant that sometimes it just felt like a rut in the road. However, if the engine was hot and I would pull in to get gas upon starting the car after filling up it would studder and shake until I revved it up a few times and blew out the water that had pissed into the cylinder while filling up. Mind you it wasn't much.

Only once did I get a Check Engine light. That was one morning starting the car.

The fact that the car ran and a scanner on the car while it ran showed a slight misfire on #4 cylinder is what made me start replacing electronic components (plugs, wires, caps, rotors, coil, etc).

 

[SunlitComet]

i've got 180psi at highest and 150psi on the lowest

---------- Post added at 10:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:13 PM ----------

sooo? 126psi?

Your variance is 16.66666666% so variation difference is good. Lowest divide by highest minus 1=.166666666666666

 

[gulleyman]

Good info may need this myself VERY SOOON
Here's the pics of my plugs. The ones at the top are the original plugs before I did the tune up. In the first picture the plug on the top was reused once because I was short a plug when I got home from the parts store after returning the first set of defective plug wires. The ones at the bottom are the 2nd set that I just replaced with ACDelco Iridium plugs as per the dealers $80 diagnosis. You can click on them for a larger pic: