The engine is misfiring I changed spark plugs

Tiny
WESTON454
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
  • 1975 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • 7.4L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 89,000 MILES
Hi, I have the truck listed above crew cab dually with the 454 7.4L. And I start it up it runs really rough, and then just shuts off. I touched the left side exhaust manifold and muffler and they were both cold as ice as of that side of the motor is not firing. I have recently ran it out of gas maybe it sucked some stuff into the carburetor? I have replaced distributor cap, rotor, spark plugs and wires, and coil. New fuel filter last year. I have no clue why it is doing this I wanted to surprise my grandpa with the truck because it was the first truck he ever had! So it is a pretty special truck. Anyways would really appreciate some help don't know what it is doing. Ran excellent parked it. Went to go drive it the next morning and just had no power at all and stalled out on me a couple times.
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Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 AT 1:48 PM (Merged)
Tiny
94 TRANSAM
  • MECHANIC
  • 680 POSTS
Hi Weston welcome back to 2CarPros! Lets see what we can figure out here.

I just have a couple questions, if that is okay.

Does this truck have an HEI distributor? The great big cap with the coil in the top of it?

Have you checked each cylinder for spark?

Here is a guide to get you started troubleshooting this:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

Get back to me on my questions and look this guide over and we can go from there.

Rich

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Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 AT 1:48 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WESTON454
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
It is hei it has recently had cap, rotor, coil, plugs n wires. I ran it out of fuel recently and it ran like this since so I might have plugged the carb?
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Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 AT 1:48 PM (Merged)
Tiny
94 TRANSAM
  • MECHANIC
  • 680 POSTS
I am confused. Maybe you could clear up the time line. Above you said ran like a champ when you parked it and the next morning it ran bad. And you say, you ran it out of gas and it has run bad since then? I need accurate info to figure out what is going on with it. So was it the running it out of gas, or was it the parked it and next day ran bad?

I need the time line as things happened. Thank you.

Let me know, Rich
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Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 AT 1:48 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WESTON454
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
Sitting over night did nothing. I just went to drive the next morning and it ran out of gas. I kept trying to start it because my fuel gauge said I had half a tank but I banged on tank and it was right empty. So I carried a jerry can to it and filled her up again fired it up and it was only running on the right side of the motor the other was ice cold. Yes it started running like this as soon as I ran it out of gas.
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Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 AT 1:48 PM (Merged)
Tiny
94 TRANSAM
  • MECHANIC
  • 680 POSTS
Thank you for clearing that up. Time lines and as much detail as possible are important to help us figure out what is going on.

Since this has a carburetor (Quadrajet I assume) and is not injected, short of a valve train problem, if 1 cylinder is getting fuel then they all are so this cant be a fuel issue unless all the valves on one side of the motor aren't working and that is very unlikely.

Please follow the instructions in this guide to check the spark on all 8 cylinders and then let me know what you find. It is possible that if you have just 1 cylinder not firing it will give all the symptoms you describe including 1 side being colder than the other. SO check the spark out and let me know.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-an-ignition-system

Bye the way this guide is for a newer vehicle so just skip to the end where they actually check for spark.

Thanks, Rich
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Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 AT 1:48 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WESTON454
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  • 18 POSTS
Okay, I will check. Thanks!
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Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 AT 1:48 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,662 POSTS
Please do 94 TRANSAM is one of our newest experts, he is quickly shaping up to be one of our best!
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Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 AT 1:48 PM (Merged)

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