Engine starting to miss and gets worse after a long run

[MrMarty51]

An air filter box from a 97 to 2000 year models, K47 I believe is what they are called, will maybe eliminate that grainey stuff from getting into the engine.
It also uses a different air filter that has a very positive seal on it.
Dont even go with one of those K&N filters. I threw away the one that was on My truck as soon as I opened the airbox and discovered what was in there. Those things are plugged up before adding that oil to them. I can not imagine anyone running such a contraption. Just more snake oil.

 

[dbrannon79]

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to look for one of those next time I'm out at the local pick n pull junk yard.

one a side note, this doesn't have anything to do with the title on the thread, but is there a known fix for the power drivers seat rocking in the track? it doesn't slide back n fourth, but rocks with a creek and pop noise and it's annoying! I grabbed the seat when I got out of the truck and it seems that the tracks have play or slop in an up and down movement. leaning back in the seat will make the front pop and the same for the back when you push on the back of the seat. I figured there might be some plastic bushing gone or some kind of shims that could be replaced.

Thanks again to all the help

 

[Will L.]

An air filter box from a 97 to 2000 year models, K47 I believe is what they are called, will maybe eliminate that grainey stuff from getting into the engine.
It also uses a different air filter that has a very positive seal on it.
Dont even go with one of those K&N filters. I threw away the one that was on My truck as soon as I opened the airbox and discovered what was in there. Those things are plugged up before adding that oil to them. I can not imagine anyone running such a contraption. Just more snake oil.

I grew up using oiled air filters including K&N. Here in the desert you learn fast from everyone fighting the fine dust offroad. A lot of places here have “POOF SAND” because when your tires hit it, no matter the speed it literally makes the sound and instantly becomes a cloud of fine dust.

In the fleet (back in the 90’s) we did testing of different filters. So a couple of the guys and I used the equipment and did our own for offroading. We learned if you oil exactly the amount K&N recommends, it doesn’t filter as good as the best paper filters do the first few hundred miles. But if you use 10% or more oil, then it filters better than the paper ones right from the beginning. You do need to wash and redo the filter sooner than the paper filter would get replaced by about 10%. Using a filter sock over it helps a lot on extending the time between cleaning, didn’t help run cleaner but also helped keep water out.

I have ran a K&N on my hummer since 04ish. I ran oil samples using AC Delco, then K&N with 10%, 25%, 50% and 100% over oiling. All tests showed the K&N ran as clean as the Delco. But over 50% extra oil really caused restriction sooner. Mind you this was the old paper media. The newer paper media filters improved their dirt amount caught and the filter life. If I didn’t already own the K&N I would just run AC Delco and be done with it.
But keep in mind, I learned proper oiling on dirt bikes before Van Halen became Van Hagar. I didn’t look at money saving of not buying new air filters, I went by where my personal results were from in the past. I have 70,000ish miles on the optimizer which only ever had the K&N. If not for the glowplug that damaged the piston, I would not have torn mine all apart. The rings and cylinder walls show no signs of damage from fines. I really could get away with not using the ball hone even for new cross hatching. I tried taking pic with my phone to post, but each pic shows different reflections that aren’t really there. Later I can dig out the old rings and do a close up - convex will show better than concave I think. I will also try using wife’s better phone camera then.

K&N did outperform other filters pre 2000 for sure, probably up to 2005. In 2020- probably not. Definitely not the newest AC Delco. They did force the big boys to redesign and improve their stuff, and I always appreciate better products to choose from. Sometimes $ comes first and sometimes it’s quality.

 

[MrMarty51]

@Will L.
I wonder if the new Delco paper elements made for the 97 to 2000 year trucks is the new improved version of element material or, if they are still making new filters from the old style element material ?

 

[Will L.]

Its all the new stuff.

 

[dbrannon79]

so I'm wondering if it's best to stay with the OEM filter box for the 95 with the Delco or and over oiled K & N filter or go find a newer model housing with the Delco paper element.

 

[ak diesel driver]

the issue with the 95 isn't the element it's the box

 

[dbrannon79]

Gotcha, I was thinking it might be the design able to leak past the filter.

on a side note, today I ended up having to replace my PS pump due to not being able to steer too well at idle. made it really annoying while trying to park in a lot, but got that all fixed up now. ended up power washing all the engine compartment making it nice and clean while I was in there I noticed two small petcock valves, one mounted on the thermostat housing and the other mounted on the lifting eye just behind the alternator. they both had hose barbs on them but nothing was connected to them as if whatever it was got removed. they look factory but what were they for or what did they control? I was thinking it may have had some small coolant lines going to something but I couldn't find anything else on the engine where they might have connected to!

 

[ak diesel driver]

One is the drain for the fuel filter

 

[dbrannon79]

One is the drain for the fuel filter

I just discovered that while reading in the forum stickies and looking at pictures. Is there somewhere I can find the origional hose routing for the fuel drain and how the other valve was connected? I was just reading some of the stickies but havn't yet found how the lines were supposed to be! this might be an ideal opertunity to do the clear fuel line thing to check for air.

 

[ak diesel driver]

There is only one drain. Don't know what the other one is for. There should be a 1/4 hose going from the filter to the petcock under the intake manifold and then a short hose from it pointed down.

 

[EWC]

The one on the thermostat housing is for bleeding air from the cooling system .

 

[dbrannon79]

I’ll have to have a look at the filter manager to see if one of the lines are plugged off. Here is a couple of photos of the valves. The one behind the alternator I’ve used to secure a harness with a zip tie

 

[JMJNet]

I suggest that you take of the cover that say "Turbo" and you will be presented with a whole new world of views.

The hose is routed under the intake.
If your is completely missing and the connection at the FFM is opened, then that is the source of air in the fuel system.

 

[dbrannon79]

I suggest that you take of the cover that say "Turbo" and you will be presented with a whole new world of views.

The hose is routed under the intake.
If your is completely missing and the connection at the FFM is opened, then that is the source of air in the fuel system.

I actually just installed the cover LOL it's been laying in the tool box since I bought the truck thought it would look better after I power washed the engine last weekend! I do however plan to pull the intake sometime soon to replace all the rubber fuel hoses and hopefully get the drain line re-plumbed just for maintenance. the valve covers are seeping as well so that will get fixed at the same time as well as repairing the threads in the intake where the center rear plenum bolt is. I have thought about the "Feed the Beast" mod on the fuel filter but not sure about it yet.

I can say that so far since I eliminated the OS filter, this ole' beast hasn't misfired or hiccuped once I may not actually need to replace those other 4 injectors, but I will replace all the return lines since there is some very slight fuel seepage coming from one behind the turbo.

 

[Will L.]

That plastic thing is there to serve as a parts holder when disassembling the engine when placed upside down. Then once the parts are installed back on you leave your McDonalds trash in it for the trash man. Haha

I have heard 3 people that didn’t like the FTB mod. One guy didn’t notice a difference and the other two hadn’t done it yet, they just didn’t think it would help. Afaik everyone else that has ever done has noticed a difference and liked it.

 

[Rockabillyrat]

The FTB mod isn't really a power adding modification. It's done to increase fuel volume to the injection pump so the internal transfer pump dosen't starve for fuel. On a DS4 the transfer pump pushes fuel into the pumping chamber filling it to 100% capacity (or as much as it can for a given RPM) . Then the fuel solenoid controls the amount of fuel the reaches the injectors. Because of this is a good modification to help prolong the life of the pump.

 

[ak diesel driver]

But only if you have a good LP

 

[Rockabillyrat]

Definitely a good point to bring up. Without a good lift pump the FTB mod is useless.

 

[WarWagon]

...I may not actually need to replace those other 4 injectors...

You understand GM beancounters used a cast crank against the advice of their own Detroit Diesel engineers? Now think about new injectors and worn injectors having say different pop pressures that screw up timing more than the precups can smooth out. Like a SNAP! Then figure the UGLY avatar of mine with 4 holes in the cylinder was from a bad worn out injector(!). In other words Make The Time to finish the repairs before the unknown risks catch up to you.