Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
#31
01-19-2006, 05:17 PM
RE: Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
I am running premium gas ever since I bought it...1 year 5 months...Is this bad for my engine?
Last week I got the plugs out and they all seem fine, no carbon in any of them and all had the same gap...what I'll do today is mist the wires with water withe the engine on to see what goes on...
Last week I got the plugs out and they all seem fine, no carbon in any of them and all had the same gap...what I'll do today is mist the wires with water withe the engine on to see what goes on...
#32
01-19-2006, 05:25 PM
RE: Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
The only place it will hurt is your pocket book. You can't gain enough performance out of the expensive stuff without the PCM being tuned for it to make it worth while. Basically, you won't gain enough mileage to cover the added cost. When I ran my test on my Bravada after I bought it and I only got ~1mpg better on premium than on 87. At between 20cents and 27cents difference between the two, it wasn't worth it. If you are worried about deposits in the cheaper stuff, just run a can of injector cleaner at each oil change. All you need!
#33
01-19-2006, 10:23 PM
RE: Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
ORIGINAL: swartlkk
Are you running premium in your blazer? WHY??? 87 octane is all that is required.
You can check spark plug wires by misting water over them at night. If you get a light show, you've got a bad wire. Just take an old windex bottle (thoroughly rinsed out) and fill it up with tap water. Just mist it over the wires from the distributor to the plugs.
Pull a plug and have a look at it. If the center electrode looks worn down, replace them. If the gap measures loose, replace them. I can't exactly remember, but I could swear that I set mine at 0.055... I'll have to do some checking to find out what the correct gap is supposed to be. I might have my Bravada screwed up with my Bonneville.
I wouldn't put anything but a regular Double Platinum plug in the newer 4.3L. Just buy them from a reputable vendor (AC Delco, Champion, Bosch, etc.), but don't go for the +2 or +4 crap that's out there. It does absolutely NO better than the normal single electrode spark plug. Not to mention that you can't adjust the gap on those plugs at all. You need to check your gaps before installing your plugs. I pull all of my plugs about once a year on my Bravada and replace my plugs once a year on my Bonneville, but I'm only running regular copper plugs on the Bonneville due to their supperior performance with a blower.
Are you running premium in your blazer? WHY??? 87 octane is all that is required.
You can check spark plug wires by misting water over them at night. If you get a light show, you've got a bad wire. Just take an old windex bottle (thoroughly rinsed out) and fill it up with tap water. Just mist it over the wires from the distributor to the plugs.
Pull a plug and have a look at it. If the center electrode looks worn down, replace them. If the gap measures loose, replace them. I can't exactly remember, but I could swear that I set mine at 0.055... I'll have to do some checking to find out what the correct gap is supposed to be. I might have my Bravada screwed up with my Bonneville.
I wouldn't put anything but a regular Double Platinum plug in the newer 4.3L. Just buy them from a reputable vendor (AC Delco, Champion, Bosch, etc.), but don't go for the +2 or +4 crap that's out there. It does absolutely NO better than the normal single electrode spark plug. Not to mention that you can't adjust the gap on those plugs at all. You need to check your gaps before installing your plugs. I pull all of my plugs about once a year on my Bravada and replace my plugs once a year on my Bonneville, but I'm only running regular copper plugs on the Bonneville due to their supperior performance with a blower.
#34
01-20-2006, 08:35 AM
RE: Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
Haynes says .045 and my engine bay says .045...some sites say .060...Who should we believe?
#35
01-20-2006, 08:52 AM
RE: Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
My sticker says 0.060 on my Bravada. Its my Bonneville that I have dropped down to 0.055 (from 0.060) to keep the blower from blowing out the spark on the colder plugs. I was mistaken.
#37
01-20-2006, 02:30 PM
RE: Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
Regular copper plugs will only last for a shorter period of time...
Why does my Blazer ask for .045? Damn...
I went to the parking lot on my lunch break with a couple of guys that know a bit about mechanics to check the freaking shaking...
With the engine on...I checked all vacuum lines by spraying carb cleaner to them and the truck did not hesitate not one bit...
I opened the hood and told them about the shaking...
The engine seems to have a small miss in idle...if you accelerate it a bit and then let it go, it like bogs down...
They told me that the truck does have a miss...I have taken the truck to two shops now and they have not found anything...I thought, hey, it may be me...but all my friends that I tell them to check this they say that it has a small miss...
I will put tomorrow the new ac delco regular plugs and will buy new ac delco spark plug wires...
Maybe the wires have gone bad inside or maybe they are bad since new...maybe one of the splitfire plugs is bad inside 'cause outside they look clean...
Watta' headache....
Why does my Blazer ask for .045? Damn...
I went to the parking lot on my lunch break with a couple of guys that know a bit about mechanics to check the freaking shaking...
With the engine on...I checked all vacuum lines by spraying carb cleaner to them and the truck did not hesitate not one bit...
I opened the hood and told them about the shaking...
The engine seems to have a small miss in idle...if you accelerate it a bit and then let it go, it like bogs down...
They told me that the truck does have a miss...I have taken the truck to two shops now and they have not found anything...I thought, hey, it may be me...but all my friends that I tell them to check this they say that it has a small miss...
I will put tomorrow the new ac delco regular plugs and will buy new ac delco spark plug wires...
Maybe the wires have gone bad inside or maybe they are bad since new...maybe one of the splitfire plugs is bad inside 'cause outside they look clean...
Watta' headache....
#38
01-20-2006, 02:32 PM
RE: Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
ORIGINAL: swartlkk
My sticker says 0.060 on my Bravada. Its my Bonneville that I have dropped down to 0.055 (from 0.060) to keep the blower from blowing out the spark on the colder plugs. I was mistaken.
My sticker says 0.060 on my Bravada. Its my Bonneville that I have dropped down to 0.055 (from 0.060) to keep the blower from blowing out the spark on the colder plugs. I was mistaken.
#39
01-20-2006, 03:12 PM
RE: Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
The copper plugs won't last as long. They will wear down the electrode much faster than the platinums. I run the coppers in my bonneville because for ~$1 per plug, they won't break the bank to replace them yearly (yes yearly) and they perform better than the platinums on a blower application.
#40
01-20-2006, 03:44 PM
RE: Shaking at idle just won't stop!!!
Sorry... Didn't see your other 2 posts here before I replied.
Too close of a gap could definitely cause a miss. Basically, you aren't exposing enough of the spark to the cylinder gases and it doesn't ignite properly. I would try your plugs at 0.060 and see how things go. Also, the Belden premium wires found at Napa are just as good (quality wise) as the AC Delcos and they come with a lifetime warranty. I think I spent like $65 for the set when I did my plugs, wires, cap & rotor.
Another thing I have been reading about lately is the cam sensor trigger magnet (in the distributor) having a crack in it. I don't know how much validity I'm going to give to this right now seeing as how I haven't done my own research into it, but what I have read seems to suggest it could be at fault for some pretty weird problems.
Too close of a gap could definitely cause a miss. Basically, you aren't exposing enough of the spark to the cylinder gases and it doesn't ignite properly. I would try your plugs at 0.060 and see how things go. Also, the Belden premium wires found at Napa are just as good (quality wise) as the AC Delcos and they come with a lifetime warranty. I think I spent like $65 for the set when I did my plugs, wires, cap & rotor.
Another thing I have been reading about lately is the cam sensor trigger magnet (in the distributor) having a crack in it. I don't know how much validity I'm going to give to this right now seeing as how I haven't done my own research into it, but what I have read seems to suggest it could be at fault for some pretty weird problems.
