WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[Gary Lewis]

Bit of a bummer, but insurance won't help. Not too surprised. I don't have comp coverage on the truck. I was hoping that maybe homeowners would kick in, but no joy there.

Next bummer is that they can't get a new cat until Tuesday. We're going up to the cabin this weekend. Packing everything and everyone into Lesley's Renegade or the Bronco won't be possible, but the Bronco can tow my utility trailer. That will make packing a bit more of a pain than the truck, but it'll work.

Google "catalytic converter rebar" and click on "images". That'll show how some have installed some protection. Not saying it looks worth it to me, but it's an option. I think it also gets you to aftermarket options, but I haven't looked to see if any of them would work on my truck.

Another option is to buy a 2000s vintage Chevy truck (I think I threw up in my mouth just a little when I typed that). We checked my neighbors truck to see if his cat had been stolen. You can hardly see it the way it's buried up above a frame rail. Not right out in the open like my '97. But that's not worth it to me either

And good news, the police called us this afternoon to tell us that they were caught and and now in jail. I honestly am not hoping that they stay there for a long time, but I am glad that they were caught, and I hope that they take advantage of this opportunity to turn their lives in a better direction.

I applaud your compassion. I wish I had some. I'm a by-the-rules kind of guy, and we tend to lock people up and throw away the key.

But it is a bummer about insurance. However, I agree that it isn't worth going to the dark side.

[Machspeed]

It was crazy. I got home from work around 4:30, was sitting in the living room talking with my wife and around 4:45 we heard a power tool sound outside. We thought it was the neighbors working on their fence, but then a couple minutes later there was a frantic pounding on my front door. My neighbor across the street had seen a couple guys in full face mask / hoods scrambling into an SUV and tearing down the street (his wife had prevented him from chasing after the SUV). They had a picture of the SUV and were already on the phone with the police.

After the police arrived another neighbor a couple block away walked up. They had seen a couple guys in hoods / masks tearing past in an SUV so they took a picture of the license plate! I don't know if that will pan out at all, but at least the police have something to go on.

One ironic thing is that if they hadn't been wearing the masks chances are no one would've got pictures!

Given that they did take a cat, I'm glad it was from my truck. It was in the most exposed position, in the driveway right in front of the house (but not visible from the living room). Much more hidden behind the truck and some trees is the motorhome. That'd be a lot harder to deal with. And out in the street was my son's Buick. Not that I'm glad it happened to me, but I'd rather that than it happen to him.

And I'm glad to have found out about it right away. We're going to the cabin tomorrow so I need the truck. I was able to get it in tonight and they'll be able to fix it tomorrow. They said this is the third older pickup they've had in for this this month. So evidently there is something to the ease of getting under a 4WD truck.

Jim says he'd feel violated if this happened to him. I heard that same thing from a guy at work who had his cat stolen a few months ago. Oddly I don't feel that at all. Really just a little annoyed. I'll be more annoyed if insurance doesn't cover it! We'll see about that tomorrow.

You're a far better person that me, Bob. I absolutely detest a thief. Last year, I lost about $7k worth of parts I had in a storage space. They cut the lock and loaded up. They then put a different lock back on it. When I went to go get something out of it, I thought I must be loosing it and questioning the unit number. After confirmation on that, I knew I was in trouble. Cut their lock off to find a lot of parts missing out of there. I can tell you, I would have no mercy in regards to their punishment. I still stew thinking about it.

[Angelo Voltura]

You're a far better person that me, Bob. I absolutely detest a thief. Last year, I lost about $7k worth of parts I had in a storage space. They cut the lock and loaded up. They then put a different lock back on it. When I went to go get something out of it, I thought I must be loosing it and questioning the unit number. After confirmation on that, I knew I was in trouble. Cut their lock off to find a lot of parts missing out of there. I can tell you, I would have no mercy in regards to their punishment. I still stew thinking about it.

Had an interesting event today. Went out to play with the truck, changed plugs and wires, broke a distributor cap bolt, got one side of bearings done after I busted a spindle nut and then went to start it and it wouldn't fire. Nothing, dead. Thought I lost spark...I didn't. So I cranked and cranked it and it finally started to pop off...and then it started and blew a massive cloud of rich smoke out the back and was missing and stumbling over itself when I would whack the throttle. Unplugged the fuel pressure regulator vacuum line and capped it at the manifold...runs like a top now. Must be on its way out...see how it starts tomorrow I guess!

[Rusty_S85]

Had an interesting event today. Went out to play with the truck, changed plugs and wires, broke a distributor cap bolt, got one side of bearings done after I busted a spindle nut and then went to start it and it wouldn't fire. Nothing, dead. Thought I lost spark...I didn't. So I cranked and cranked it and it finally started to pop off...and then it started and blew a massive cloud of rich smoke out the back and was missing and stumbling over itself when I would whack the throttle. Unplugged the fuel pressure regulator vacuum line and capped it at the manifold...runs like a top now. Must be on its way out...see how it starts tomorrow I guess!

was there fuel in the vacuum line when you unplugged it? I bet there is sounds like a busted pressure regulator that is dumping fuel in the vacuum line flooding the engine out.

[Angelo Voltura]

Had an interesting event today. Went out to play with the truck, changed

plugs and wires, broke a distributor cap bolt, got one side of bearings done

after I busted a spindle nut and then went to start it and it wouldn't fire.

Nothing, dead. Thought I lost spark...I didn't. So I cranked and cranked it

and it finally started to pop off...and then it started and blew a massive

cloud of rich smoke out the back and was missing and stumbling over itself

when I would whack the throttle. Unplugged the fuel pressure regulator

vacuum line and capped it at the manifold...runs like a top now. Must be on

its way out...see how it starts tomorrow I guess!

was there fuel in the vacuum line when you unplugged it? I bet there is

sounds like a busted pressure regulator that is dumping fuel in the vacuum

line flooding the engine out.

Quoted from:

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/WHYDTYTT-What-Have-You-Done-To-Your-Truck-Today-tp148p101659.html

It was dry and didn't really smell much like fuel. But it started missing the other day almost like a bad plug wire or coil going out, and and stumbled like heck over itself randomly and had poor idle quality. As soon as I took the vacuum like off and capped the manifold, idle quality came back and no more stumbling when I cracked the throttle, and when plugging it back into the regulator it would nearly stall. I ran my 95 without it hooked up for hundreds of thousands of miles. Never seemed to run any different.

Going to see if it won't fire after sitting for a while again or is bleeding into the cylinders. It drove fine, shut it off and went about my business...started up day or 2 later and absolutely totally flooded. Have a new one somewhere on my old 95s engine I might throw on.

Forgot to mention fuel pressure seems great...pops right off almost instantly otherwise.

[Rusty_S85]

Had an interesting event today. Went out to play with the truck, changed

plugs and wires, broke a distributor cap bolt, got one side of bearings done

after I busted a spindle nut and then went to start it and it wouldn't fire.

Nothing, dead. Thought I lost spark...I didn't. So I cranked and cranked it

and it finally started to pop off...and then it started and blew a massive

cloud of rich smoke out the back and was missing and stumbling over itself

when I would whack the throttle. Unplugged the fuel pressure regulator

vacuum line and capped it at the manifold...runs like a top now. Must be on

its way out...see how it starts tomorrow I guess!

was there fuel in the vacuum line when you unplugged it? I bet there is

sounds like a busted pressure regulator that is dumping fuel in the vacuum

line flooding the engine out.

Quoted from:

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/WHYDTYTT-What-Have-You-Done-To-Your-Truck-Today-tp148p101659.html

It was dry and didn't really smell much like fuel. But it started missing the other day almost like a bad plug wire or coil going out, and and stumbled like heck over itself randomly and had poor idle quality. As soon as I took the vacuum like off and capped the manifold, idle quality came back and no more stumbling when I cracked the throttle, and when plugging it back into the regulator it would nearly stall. I ran my 95 without it hooked up for hundreds of thousands of miles. Never seemed to run any different.

Going to see if it won't fire after sitting for a while again or is bleeding into the cylinders. It drove fine, shut it off and went about my business...started up day or 2 later and absolutely totally flooded. Have a new one somewhere on my old 95s engine I might throw on.

Forgot to mention fuel pressure seems great...pops right off almost instantly otherwise.

Ah ok, might be a defective pressure regulator, the vacuum is to open the valve to drop fuel pressure when cruising but when vacuum goes away pressure goes up as the regulator defaults to a higher pressure. So you wouldnt really feel a difference with it plugged in vs unplugged. You might notice a reduction in fuel economy though.

[Angelo Voltura]

Ah ok, might be a defective pressure regulator, the vacuum is to open the valve to drop fuel pressure when cruising but when vacuum goes away pressure goes up as the regulator defaults to a higher pressure. So you wouldnt really feel a difference with it plugged in vs unplugged. You might notice a reduction in fuel economy though.

Would that be indicative of a weak pump then? I havent done a pressure test but it definitely feels strong compared to my 95 when that pump started dying at double the mileage of this one.

The regular basically should make no difference at idle then is what I'm getting out if this. With it plugged in it runs like garbage at idle. Sounds to me like there's an issue with it.

[Gsmblue]

I applaud your compassion. I wish I had some. I'm a by-the-rules kind of guy, and we tend to lock people up and throw away the key.

But it is a bummer about insurance. However, I agree that it isn't worth going to the dark side.

Compassion all day long.

I hope they get their dues and also get what ever help they need to rise up.

Life is full if challenges for all of us, we all need some help and compassion, even if our actions don’t show it.

Anyone want to borrow my soapbox?

[Rusty_S85]

Would that be indicative of a weak pump then? I havent done a pressure test but it definitely feels strong compared to my 95 when that pump started dying at double the mileage of this one.

The regular basically should make no difference at idle then is what I'm getting out if this. With it plugged in it runs like garbage at idle. Sounds to me like there's an issue with it.

Weak fuel pump wouldnt result in a flood condition though. It would result in not enough fuel being sprayed resulting in a longer than usual crank time how ever.

I would pressure check it make sure the pressure is with in spec if it is then its probably a defective regulator not regulating the pressure properly if its going too high when it should be low pressure it could spray more fuel than needed.

[Angelo Voltura]

Weak fuel pump wouldnt result in a flood condition though. It would result in not enough fuel being sprayed resulting in a longer than usual crank time how ever.

I would pressure check it make sure the pressure is with in spec if it is then its probably a defective regulator not regulating the pressure properly if its going too high when it should be low pressure it could spray more fuel than needed.

Thats what I was thinking too. I wouldn't think a bad regulator would cause it to leak down into the cylinders unless the injectors leaked though. I let it sit overnight and went out this morning and fired up fine..2 cranks due to it obviously not holding pressure with the line capped. Once it builds pressure again 1 bump and it takes off.. I'll run a pressure check soon and see what I come up with.