Problems after head gaskets

[JAMMAN]

I finally got my '02 back together today after working on it in small increments for months.

Started right up but stalled. Battery has been disconnected for 3 months now.

When running there are no noises or ticks at all. Idle smoothed out and I took it for a spin. Seemed to hesitate a little. On the way back in the parking lot I stepped on the throttle and it started pulsing. Was taking it easy during the spin in case something was going to shake loose till I got back.

So I stopped and it stalled. I started it up and when you step on the throttle in park it goes up to about 3600RPM and drops back a few hundred pulsing about one time a second. That's all it will do in gear also is pulse when you get on it.

I'll have the guys throw the the scanner on it monday and will post the codes, just was wondering if anyone had any ideas.

We have an injector flow tester and all 8 injectors were working fine and very close to being equal. If it were a carburetor I would swear it was starving for fuel.

 

[chefred112]

what motor? 5.9?

 

[xb1230]

He's got a 4.7L.

Make sure to check all the Vacuum lines. If you forgot one in the re-install process it could do spike up like you describe.

 

[JAMMAN]

Does that include the crankcase vents? The hoses are cracked but no worse than they were when I pulled it apart. I'll check it out. The only other one I see goes to the power brakes and to the side of the throttle body. And I don't hear any sucking noises.

Monday of course Thanks-

 

[JAMMAN]

WOOHOO!

P0108

Map sensor voltage high.

So I go to pull the plug off... it busts off in my hand. Putting one on this afternoon but I bet it stops the pulsing! and stalling and several other things.

 

[JAMMAN]

This part of the story is over, the new improved one piece map sensor did the trick. Thing runs better than it ever has, thank you all for your input in several different threads.

The map sensor is held to the front of the intake manifold and is difficult to remove. Held on with 2 M4 X .8 torx head screws. One of the screws actually stuck and the insert started turning in the intake, the other came out just fine. I snipped an ear off the new sensor and bolted it back on with the remaining good bolt. It isn't going anywhere and only endures vacuum which pulls it in.

 

[RonJon '06]

So you're done now? Congrats on getting it all put back together.

 

[JAMMAN]

Thank you.

HOWEVER while it is in the bay and warm from the weather... I'm real close to doing the front end. Somebody talk me out of it please LOL. Has one wasted lower ball joint and one not very good one. I intend on doing all 4. One of the guys says he will do it for me, $225 in labor which I think is a great deal and keeps me out of it.

Then alignment

Then I have to do the AC and the blend doors. This thing will be virtually new by summer if it don't kill me or send me to the poor house.

 

[xb1230]

Awesome news Jam! Glad you were able to figure it out.

I would recommend to put a little dab of epoxy glue between the broken wing of the MAP and the new MAP. Reason behind this is that it has to deal with engine/road vibration. It is just a safety measure so that it won't fail you while you are 100 miles away from home or any Garage without tools or a replacement.

Just a thought.

As for the front end, If you replace everything : Lower/upper ball joint, Tie-rod ends, etc. There are complete kits available for not too much money (I've seen between 200~400$ depending on brand and quality) and it is not hard to do yourself. If you have been able to take your engine out and back in on your own, the front end is a far easier job... The upper ball joint gets replaced with the control arm as an assembly. If you do the lower ball joint, replace the control arm bushing while you are at it, you will see a big difference in handling. Then there are the stabilizer bar/link bushing that are cheap (all of them can be sourced for under 20$ from Rock Auto) to replace and will also make a big difference in vehicle handling.

Here is a full kit I found for a little over 200$ with most of the parts you would need:
Front end suspension kit

Hope this helps.

 

[JAMMAN]

And the saga continues.
Took it out for a drive today to warm it up and look for water leaks. About 10 minutes in to it, drops oil pressure. Instantly to nothing just like in the old days when the rod between the distributor and the pump would snap.

Called the shop and they sent out the flat bed to rescue me. I started it to drive up the flat bed... oil pressure again.

So I drove it back to the shop. It was fluttering a little when I pulled it in but decent pressure still.

I have a real gauge and the idiot gauge on the dash, and yes it did tick. It dropped from 80 to nothing.

It did give me problems before, idle it would go down to the point the warning would come on. I think I have sludge in the pan that is sucking on to the screen. Apart it comes again, this time on an engine stand.

If it had one spot of rust on it I might dump it but this is the cleanest 02 I have ever seen.