Re: 5KCSTQ: runnability problems - Please Help!

["Doyt W. Echelberger" <Doyt@nwonline.net>]

>To: Randall Paquette <qpilot@netscape.net>
>From: "Doyt W. Echelberger" <Doyt@nwonline.net>
>Subject: Re: 5KCSTQ: runnability problems - Please Help!
>In-Reply-To: <19990109182413.4138.qmail@www0u.netaddress.usa.net>
>
>Randy.....Some other lister had similar problems on a car about the age of
yours about 2 years ago. I remember him writing about it, and I filed some
of his post. It turned out to be a bad ground on the battery.  Try having
someone take a 10 gauge wire, which is attached to the ground on the
battery, and grounding it to bare metal on the car while you are cranking
the motor.  It might catch the moment the wire was touched to the ground
point. If it works, to temporarily solve the problem you could just wire
this extra ground to a fixed location until you go through the many other
ground points on the car.  The really strange thing was that after a year
or two the problem might surfaced again on the guy's car, and cleaning the
grounds would not work.  Then he would simply add _another_ ground wire and
all would be fine.
>
>If I were you, after trying the above suggestion, I'd locate all my ground
points (many) and clean them up really well, and possibly use stabilitant
on them.  Your description of what you have done did not mention checking
the grounds.
>
>Also, there is a harness splice that is notorious for causing electrical
problems, and you need someone else to tell you about it. I never fixed
one, but have heard of it.
>
>Doyt Echelberger
>86 $KQ
>87 5KCSTQ
>
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>At 01:24 PM 1/9/1999 EST, you wrote:
>>Folks,
>>I'm having a problem with my 86 5KCSTQ (168,000miles).  Its a rough idle,
>>stumbling problem that has progressivly gotten worse over the past few
weeks. 
>>I'll describe the symptomology, relate what I've done, and express my
plans if
>>noone has any suggestions.
>>It starts hard.  Only starts easy if its been less than 10 minutes or longer
>>than 4 days.  In those circumstances, it fires right up.  Otherwise crancks
>>for 20 seconds or so.  Lately, though, the idle has started dropping,
>>requiring me to blip the throttle to keep from stalling - if stalled,
have to
>>pull off the road and it can take 10 minutes to pry it back to life.  It
>>sometimes idles ok, sometimes won't hold the idle.  Sometimes develops full
>>boost and sometimes stumbles.  It also seems to be running rich, smells rich
>>and during my recent examinations, has spewed gas out the tail pipe on the
>>driveway.
>>What I've done:  ran the diagnostics, no problems detected and all things
that
>>are supposed to run (valves, fuel pump, etc) do.  Used the dreaded propane
>>vacuum leak test - to no avail.  Idle stabilizer cleaned and tested.
Throttle
>>idle/full throttle switch tested.  Recent new OXS installed.
>>What I'm planning on doing: Remove cat converter - if plugged, what can I
use
>>to coerce the inards to break up and fall out?  I'd like to adjust the
>>mixture.  I don't have a long enough 3mm tool to reach (any suggestions?)
nor
>>do I have a duty cycle meter (have old dwell meter if that helps).
>>Probably have more than one problem, but I can live with the hard
starting for
>>a while - been that way for a year.  But I can't drive it the way it is.
>>As I live over 100 miles from a dealership, any help would be greatly
>>appreciated!!!!!  Please reply direct to me as I'm still using temporart
>>e-mail accounts.  Thank you all.
>>Regards,
>>Randy Paquette
>>QPILOT@NETSCAPE.NET
>>
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