Truck runs and idles rough

Tiny
DELLGPX
  • MEMBER
  • CHEVROLET
. My story: I have an 83 silverado once I got it it was great then it became a money pit, but after replacing just about everything, even getting a transmission repair, it isnt the end. One day after work, I was going uphill, the secondaries opened up as normal, but once I let off as I got off the exit it had no more acceleration and died, it was overheated, and needed oil, even after checking it that day and saying it was full, there were no leaks, until that night the engine died, after putting a quart of oil in it I could barely limp it home. So now I am afraid to drive it. It runs and idles rough. I have repleced distributor coil, cap, rotor, button before, this time I did everything but the coil, spark plugs and wires, fuel filter, new vacuum and coolant lines, valve cover gaskets, water pump, rebuilt the quadrajet, put JB Weld on the fuel wells that were a probable cause of leaking fuel causing it to run rich and making black exhaust, now it dont smoke, but when I changed the plugs, the drivers side was fouled but not passengers side, and the fuel mixture screw on one side has been twisted out more than the other, I changed the gas contaminated oil, and I have checked the timing and everything, pleas help!

P.S. There is a huge oil spill in the driveway, my truck never used to leak, until this dumb situation occured and am looking for help so I dont have to blow my checking account for a new engine that possibly wouldnt be necessary. Im sorry I have not done a compression or vacuum check to see if lifters have something to do with it. HELP ME!
Friday, July 7th, 2006 AT 12:45 AM

4 Replies

Tiny
MIKEYBDMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 623 POSTS
Ok, sounds like you blew a head gasket. If the truck ran hot due to a loss of oil, then there may be some more serious damage to the engine.
Want a project? Pull the engine, and start taking it apart and see what you find. You will probably find the fouled plug side head gasket blown, and you may get away with replacing it and going back together, but how many miles does this engine have on it? Nothing more frustrating than doing a ton of work, and then having something else break right after.
Good luck.
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Friday, July 7th, 2006 AT 7:37 PM
Tiny
DELLGPX
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Its me dellgpx guy, it has a little over 136,000 miles, I dont know though if I should rebuild it or get a new 305, get a junk 350, or rebuilt one, or 305/350 out of a newspaper. Any suggestions, thanks
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Saturday, July 8th, 2006 AT 1:40 AM
Tiny
MIKEYBDMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 623 POSTS
Sounds to me those are questions only you can answer. I personally would tear into that engine and see what I find. You may find that it isnt as bad as it looks. Then you get the knowledge of having an engine you put each piece together on. In my book, that is worth its weight in gold.
I have a Grnd Prix I am putting back together now, I will know ever little detail of the engine because I inspected and installed each one.
Sounds like you have had some bad luck with this one, but maybe you are about to turn the corner and have everything right when you are done. Then you have a truck that will last the next 10 years trouble free.
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Saturday, July 8th, 2006 AT 1:46 PM
Tiny
DELLGPX
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  • 9 POSTS
After having a friend of mine who is a mechanic thouroughly check sparking of distributor to spark plug wires and compression check, he diagnossed that the heads on several cylenders were gone and from blue smoke out of the tailpipe, the rings were about to go with it. So now I am either going to get a $825 reman. Engine from fliteline engine supply or the 350/290 HP one from GM Performance Parts for 1,700. Thanx for the info neways.
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Saturday, July 15th, 2006 AT 10:18 PM

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