"Start with a good quality tune up. AC Delco 41-993 plugs, good quality wires, AC Delco, Autolite Professional series, or Belden, (not some el cheapo store brand). AC Delco distributor cap & rotor along with a good quality fuel filter. Check fuel pressure and leakdown, and camshaft retard, all three must be within spec. Have that same technician check camshaft retard for you on his high dollar scan tool. "

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I found one of your plugs you recommended, (
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/se...ional+Platinum
)

The professional series 41-993 are $17/a piece online versus $7ish for the 41-932, wow. Cool ! This is what I pulled out of my truck from the factory 41-932. The NGK I bought is roughly the same price. So hopefully mine weren't super cheap o crappy ones!

Yah unfortunately I bought all this tune up parts 8 weeks ago before that post. DOH!
I should of returned the plugs today and got ac delco, I didn't even think of that!

I don't know what constitutes cheap parts nor a bad parts store here in Canada.

Every brake part I got from "Lordco Parts Store" in Canada was a good part and is holding up well. He sold me direct replacement parts except for wires and plugs. I guess everyone has their own preference! Next time back to Ac Delco!

I did recall that I needed good cap and rotor and those were genuine GM parts.

The fuel filter is Fram however says made in China. :|

I remember when tune up's were only like $50 for parts, the total cost for this tune up and both solenoid's tax in was $300.

I won't be able to leak down, fuel pressure test or cam shaft retard myself. I will have to shelf that for now. Let's focus on the tune-up, finalize it and then test drive truck to see if noise and vibration still occur.

I would then have take it to a new mechanical shop (tranny 5 bay shop's recommendation) and explain my story and have them test drive and come to a conclusion. At least this time there hopefully would be no chk engine light nor rough idle and smooth running engine.

It would be then I would ask him to check cam shaft retard while driving the truck.

Crap I'll have to pull the cap and put grease on INSIDE tips and on the other side of the plug wire at cap. no problem I like learning!

thanks again for all your prompt replies it's very exciting having someone help me online, thanks again.

 

The link for the spark plugs says they have them in stock! At that price, they'll have them in stock for a while, check this: ACDelco Spark Plug 41-993: Get the best Spark Plug at Advance Auto Parts=

41-932 was discontinued a few years ago, 41-993 is the new number Maybe nobody told them yet

Fuel pressure, leakdown and camshaft retard are all just as important, maybe moreso, than the plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc etc. Everything needs to be right with the engine before any accurate troubleshooting can be done on the transmission.

Edit: It's easy to tell if the plugs were original. The plugs that are installed at the factory have a pastel color, (white, green, blue, pink, yellow etc) painted on the end where the wire attaches to it.

 

LOL, yah pretty expensive for a plug. I like your link better! I'm not going to be doing any more work on my truck without first consulting with the board on this. I can't believe how fast you reply to my posts, again thank you very much.


I was watching some more videos on my problem and you are 100% correct, I didn't realize the importance of those 3 tests!


http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...61725948,d.cGU


The plugs were original, I saw the pink on the end of the plug.


Ok I've only got 2 hours to do the other side of the truck, dreaded #3. Better get out there and see what I can do!

 

Nice video, however, Fuel trims will determine, with 100% accuracy, if it's a rich misfire, or a lean misfire. He never checked them. He assumed there was a vacuum leak, or restricted injectors. Both of which will cause a constant lean misfire, and should have set P0171 because #1 & #3 are on the same bank.

P0300 was in memory, random multiple cylinder misfire, which is exactly what the misfire data showed. P0300 is almost always caused by secondary ignition faults, which cause rich misfires. Both lean and rich misfires cause the engine to run rough, which causes transmission shifts to be erratic or harsh.

On your vehicle, we really need to know what the fuel trims are, what fuel pressure is, what leakdown is, and what camshaft retard is.

 

Update!

Ok I was able to finish the drivers side except for the #3. I wasn't comfortable trying to remove the plastic cap and unscrew the steering shaft.

IF YOU CAN BELIEVE I GOT THE CLIPS OFF SO MUCH FASTER BY JUST PUTTING THE SCREW DRIVER ON THE WIRE (at the end with the clip part) and prying it forward, this seemed to pull it back against itself and it works! GOSH DARN!!!!

I did a real good job writing down where the wires go in the clips and ran them as best I could, the wires were a bit longer then the stock ones so they do a bit farther back against firewall but I did the best I could.

Air cleaner installed. All new wires installed.

I left spark plug #3 in for now, and fired it up. No problems, check engine light still off so that's a good !

Now I'm gonna call around and see if I can buy that special spark plug tool that has the universal knuckle built into it. I saw it in a video on youtube.


My spark plug socket is too long.

 

Several ways to get #3 plug, almost all of them require raising the left front wheel off the ground. Spark plug swivel socket works, also a spark plug socket with a hex on the end, then use an open end wrench on the hex. I still think removing the steering shaft is the fastest and easiest way

 

I have the jack stand on the one sway bar bushing on drivers side.

Both back wheels are blocked off with the metal small ramps for safety.

If I were to take jack and put it under the left wheel under shock housing and try and raise the wheel do you think that would give me easier access to use socket, with universal?

there seems to be some pipes running that would block my ability to use open end wrench on the hex.

Trying to find the spark plug swivel socket in town.

 

Gotta be jacked up by the frame, just about directly below the front door hinges. Lifting the frame will allow the front wheel/tire to drop down, giving you access in the wheel well, above the tire, straight in to the plug.

 

Ok. It snowed all last night and will be snowing tomorrow. My truck after sitting for 6 weeks in rainy environment is starting to collect all this mold and crap all over the place. Gotta start driving this ! Ok back to the repair.

I've found some swivel sockets:

4 pc Swivel Spark Plug Socket Set | Princess Auto

But these may be too long anyway. Just checking return policy if it doesn't work.

I've re-read your reply CH and I have a question - My truck is currently jacked up so the suspension of the front drivers wheel is all the way down. I did jack it up by the frame right underneath door hinge area. I then put the jack stand under sway bar bushing and only gently lowered jack down less than an inch or two onto STAND.

Which is what I think your reply is suggesting but my question is(if I'm correct) can I put the jack under the shock and push the control arms up? Maybe I'm way off and this truck isn't designed like this in the first place. I'm hoping this would just move the steering arm up along with it somehow.

I doubt this would work anyway, someone on the internet would of come up with method prior.

Thanks again for your help.

Also I wanted your professional opinion on whether driving my truck around in "3" for speeds whether I go on highway or not is a bad thing. I hear its a bad thing???

 

As long as it's supported by the frame, it will let the wheels drop. That's what you want if you're working through the wheel well. Don't let the steering shaft method intimidate you. One bolt, slide the shaft back, move it out of the way. Piece of cake, really.

Driving in "3" causes engine rpm to stay higher for more torque. It also causes your wallet and your fuel tank to empty faster, that's all. Depending on engine load, the torque converter can lock up as low as ~40 mph.