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95 305 Sputter

tanman_2006

tanman_2006

Just a farm kid...
Messages
5,694
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936
Location
Seiling, Oklahoma
After sitting and looking at the old Green 305 all summer I decided it is time to get it goin again.

I bought the truck with 90K on it when I turned 16 for $5,000 from a little old man and it was my DD until I was 21 and it had 200K, rarely towed, was babied (sounded mean), got 18/22mpg city/Highway. It has been my farm beater (not in bad shape really) because I am affraid to drive it further than 30 miles from the house.

At around 170K it start sputtering and missing like no other, had a cracked cap and I replaced plugs and wires (I normally do this every 100K).

180K Same problem, retimed and new plugs/wires (fried 2 plugs)

190K same problem, same solution plus an in tank fuel pump.

and well I think you get the picture on how long it will run right.

At the begining of the summer I did the samething and put 1,000 on it and now it barely gets down the road.

Doesn't use oil, 228K, some rust and a few farm dents, always very well maintained.

Has dual 2 5/8s exhaust, 16in glass packs, 4in tips, shorty headers, cross over pipe, custom ram air to the factory air cleaner, 160* Tstat (first thing I am going to change), New cap, rotor, plugs, wires, all filters.

I am going to go back to 190* t stat and start checking sensors and grounds (typical 6.5 maintance). Doesnt have a CEL on and the light does work.

What would the more knowledgable gasser folks suggest?

Thanks for the help in advance,
Tanner
 
Buy a rebuilt HEI distributor for it. It's likely that your pole piece has lost enough of it's insulating wrap to be occasionally shorting to the housing.
 
I was also going to suggest the distributor as I have read about the magnets in them cracking and causing timing fluctuations at idle. Could also be injectors as the old TBI low pressure injectors plug easily. And if it is a stick shift the 1 wire O2 sensor needs to go and install a 3 wire from an auto as this really improves the idle quality of them. Also check your timing chain with that many miles as th 95's still used the old style chain I believe.
 
Thanks guys,

The chain is suspect to being worn but I would think if it was the chain it would be a more consistent miss unlike the irradic stumble I have. Its an auto got new O2's in ~04 110K when I put the exhaust on. Computer was not happy about the lack of back pressure on the sensor until I put it in a 2in crossover.

The whole distributor was changed by a stealer ship (broke down along way from home with no choice) i think it was at the 170 mile start of the problem. I was not near as interested in working on trucks at this point and am not 100% sure how much was changed (cap and rotor or whole thing).

I skipped doing work on that truck myself and went straight to LS then 6.5's so I am not too familiar with distributor style ignition. If someone could point me to some good reading and how too's that would be great! Pole piece shorting on a housing lost me, I don't know where/what you are talking about. Treat me like a newb please!
 
Pole piece is like the CPS on a 6.5. The can also come loose on the shaft and change timing. The distributors are known to leak oil when worn and an oil mist in them turns to carbon tracks quick. Carbon tracks short out the spark. A scope will tell you if the chain is bad. (Old shops have a scope or old hot rod shops.)

The EGR valve on these engines can have the presser sensing valve plug/stick. You get a vac signal to the valve by the computer just off idle. The exhaust pressure regulates how much the valve opens when the vac signal is present. A bad valve will have the EGR go wide open just off idle when it gets a vac signal. Have a friend drop it in drive and add some throttle. If the valve flops wide open and the engine starts stumbling - replace the valve. CA emissions may have an electronic EGR valve and they can bind up and stick open as well. 1995's artificial stupidity computers will not pick up an EGR going wide open when it should not.
 
My EGR has been replaced didnt even think about that being an issue with the stumble but it did stumble/rough idle ~120K and that was the problem, this isn't the same stumble. BTW while I am remembering upgrades/ repairs it has a 454 fuel pump and new injectors

Sounds like I should start with the distributor since no one seems to have any sensor checking advice. I was wondering if it had a CPS that might have bit the dust.

What leads me to believe it could be a problem with a coolant sensor or the low temp T-Stat is it runs good until it hit 165 and the tstat keeps it cold, thats when she stumbles.

Thanks again
 
EGR comes on when warm. Cold enrichment also stops. Vacuum leak? PCV hose failed? Quick and dirty - remove vac line to EGR and see if stumble stops.
 
Ok, I will try this. I should have time to get it out and check it 2mro between servicing tractors and working on some trucks for friends.

These are the tips I want to try before digging the distributor out.
 
FML, in the 4-5 days it sat in the shop at our farm mice have made a nest in the engine comparment and chewed a wiring harness in 1/2, now the truck really needs worked on.
 
Rat poison under the truck. Least they die although the lingering odor may not be nice...
 
They quit messing with it after I left the hood popped. I cleaned out the rats nest and the wiring isnt as screwed as I thought, they just ate the heat shrink but didnt get through the insulation of the wires. One ground strap is half way chewed through but i stuck a piece of 4 gauge there just to see if it would help.

Still no start.

I dont think I am getting fuel out of the injectors from what I can see. I am goin to get a new relay at the parts store in a few miutes and see if that fixes it. Any other ideas?

On the mouse situation we are bringing in some cats. Yes, FML stands for F*** my life.

On a side note the air filter is solid dirt and I am going to guess the fuel filter hasnt been changed since I let my dad start driving it for a farm truck. He also said he hasnt changed the oil in 30K miles. That crap pisses me off!!! :mad2:
 
Yeah, he is getting lazy. He complains that the truck doesn't run right but he won't maintain it properly. He is the one who has been getting it worked on the past few years and has a kid from church take it to auto mechanics class (free labor) but he has been getting what he pays for and I would like to use the truck myself now that I graduated and need a truck for a hired hand.

I figure after I spend the time, effort, and $ to get it running again when he was thinking of hauling it to the junk yard then it is only right that I get to have the truck back. (he took it for collateral when I needed help paying ~$1000 for bills at school)
 
tanman_2006 said:
Yeah, he is getting lazy. He complains that the truck doesn't run right but he won't maintain it properly. He is the one who has been getting it worked on the past few years and has a kid from church take it to auto mechanics class (free labor) but he has been getting what he pays for and I would like to use the truck myself now that I graduated and need a truck for a hired hand.

I figure after I spend the time, effort, and $ to get it running again when he was thinking of hauling it to the junk yard then it is only right that I get to have the truck back. (he took it for collateral when I needed help paying ~$1000 for bills at school)
Click to expand...
I sure wouldn't profess to think I know all the details of how you and your Dad got to the current position you are in over the truck but don't let it wreck what should be a great time for you two to become much more than just father and son. This is an opportunity to agree to disagree and move your lives ahead.
I got out of the Navy at 22 and for the first time my Dad and I got along great. 3 years later he died suddenly. I didn't get a chance to go further with the friendship.

Just sayin'
 
Thanks for the advice. I am not bitter over him taking the truck from me, just mad that he doesn't maintain crap (it runs over to more than the truck). We have a long history of not getting along but lately have been getting along better, we just can't communicate with eachother very well.

I would like the truck back if it is just going to get scrapped. Its not in great shape but its not terrible.
 
Ok, so I changed out the fuel pump relay hoping to get and easy fix. Didn't work.

Anyone have any ideas on where to start looking for non start reasons.

Just a recap, The truck does have a sputtering problem after it gets warmed up, runs fine when cold. Drove it into the shop and 4 days later wouldn't start. There was a pretty good rats nest in it but there doesnt seem to be any chewed up wires that I can see. I am not the best wiring trouble shooter but I can check voltage if I know where to look. If I cant find it in a week I am towing it to the mech to get ripped off.
 
Start over.
Do you get a SES light with key on?
Do you hear the fuel pump run for a few seconds on first key on, prime? These pumps quit on a regular sudden basis. And could explain sputtering while failing - but not usual as they just flat suddenly quit.

Computer needs reference pulses from distributor to start delivering fuel and spark control. She will spark on her own without a computer. But it needs the reference pulses from the distributor, separate wires from spark control to start fuel. Injector fuses, grounds, or wire damage under the throttle body?

Check for spark while spinning it over. No spark means you have issues in the distributor or wiring to it without the need to trace the computer or injector wires - yet.


30K miles without an oil change is engine sludge and lockup time. The cam may have gone flat with that kind of abuse or plain wear w/o abuse.

Write him a letter expressing the sentimental value the truck has to you and ask him to keep it or sell it back to you with whatever arrangements that can be made. A letter can be read vs. troubled verbal communication sometimes. You may get a 'I didn't know you felt that way.' Yes it going to the yard will bug you - but life is too short and there are many other 6.5 black holes that are more fun to play with.
 
WarWagon said:
Start over.
Do you get a SES light with key on?
Do you hear the fuel pump run for a few seconds on first key on, prime? These pumps quit on a regular sudden basis. And could explain sputtering while failing - but not usual as they just flat suddenly quit.

Computer needs reference pulses from distributor to start delivering fuel and spark control. She will spark on her own without a computer. But it needs the reference pulses from the distributor, separate wires from spark control to start fuel. Injector fuses, grounds, or wire damage under the throttle body?

Check for spark while spinning it over. No spark means you have issues in the distributor or wiring to it without the need to trace the computer or injector wires - yet.


30K miles without an oil change is engine sludge and lockup time. The cam may have gone flat with that kind of abuse or plain wear w/o abuse.

Write him a letter expressing the sentimental value the truck has to you and ask him to keep it or sell it back to you with whatever arrangements that can be made. A letter can be read vs. troubled verbal communication sometimes. You may get a 'I didn't know you felt that way.' Yes it going to the yard will bug you - but life is too short and there are many other 6.5 black holes that are more fun to play with.
Click to expand...

SES light is on with key. I knew to check that and pulled glove box to wiggles wires.

I don't hear the pump but then again this one has always been silent. That is why I checked relay fuse. Only 30K on this pump (I had it put on the day before my dad started driving it. I know that really doesn't mean crap with current parts quality.

How do I check the spark from the dist and signal to ECM? This sounds like a real posibility.

If the cam goes flat I still have a crane cam, lifters, springs, and rockers that I saved for when I was goin to attempt to build up the truck.
 
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