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Grey Fox

Registered: 01/22/15
Posts: 2,652
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Humble Newcomer] 1
#25263599 - 06/12/18 01:21 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
Humble Newcomer said: If I'm understanding you correct now you have one coil to a distributor to 4 wires and 4 plugs.
Exactly. The cap and rotor are brand new. The ignition wires and plugs are almost 2 years old.
I swapped out the ignition wires for cylinders 3 and 4. I just drove it but no new error code. It's still idling rough. Guess I'll just keep driving it like this until the code returns and then replace the wires or plugs based on which cylinder misfires.
Thanks for all your help!
-------------------- IT WAS ALL A DREAM
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Humble Newcomer
Diddler de niños



Registered: 03/12/17
Posts: 1,483
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Grey Fox] 1
#25263603 - 06/12/18 01:24 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Badas! I almost didn't type that out bc I didn't think it would be long enough! Lmk what happens!
Edit - if u find cyl 4 still misfires u may swap plugs between 3&4 if u have time or like chasing out a culprit.
I've rarely had plugs be an issue unless maintenance was not done. In fact i can only think of the one time I mentioned.
Average mileage is 12k/yr, u say almost two years thats under 24k miles and old spark plugs were 30k wear items.
But if they're the old school type they're only $2 so depends on what u want to do we are on the right track and having fun
Edited by Humble Newcomer (06/12/18 03:45 PM)
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Grey Fox

Registered: 01/22/15
Posts: 2,652
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Humble Newcomer] 1
#25264688 - 06/12/18 11:41 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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If the plug is bad I'll just change all four. Same with the ignition wires. The plugs were the best ones Auto Zone had in stock for my vehicle, I forget the brand, but they weren't cheap. Ignition wires were just Duralast, so hopefully its the wire that is bad LoL.
-------------------- IT WAS ALL A DREAM
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Humble Newcomer
Diddler de niños



Registered: 03/12/17
Posts: 1,483
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Grey Fox] 2
#25265201 - 06/13/18 08:58 AM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Good plan. I also mean it's nice to have assurances, Ive seen weird stuff happen and simple things be overlooked. I can't think of anything in this particular instance, but if you had the time you could always swap plugs first to verify that problem follows and verify that there truly is nothing else.
Just cuz I'm not there. And if they're expensive plugs, like all new cars with 100k plugs I'd def treat plugs more like a real component that I need to swap around and diagnose properly.
But in my truck I just put the $2 ones. It's stock shitty Ford so sometimes it's nice to save a step and just throw a whole set in bc even if it doesn't fix it, you did your maintenance 5k Mile's early, who cares u freed up a future afternoon
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



Registered: 02/15/12
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Humble Newcomer] 1
#25274788 - 06/17/18 04:06 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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had a weird one today. Go to check the gf's oil and it is wayyy above the full mark.
Said she hadn't checked oil level/added oil to it since I changed the oil a month or two ago. There's no way I overfilled it by that much.
The oil appears pure, meaning I don't think there's antifreeze in it or anything. Thoughts?
Guess I'll drain it out tomorrow I'm just confused. Hopefully it hasn't been that full ever since I changed it, hope nothings been damaged by this
Edited by Psilosopherr (06/17/18 04:06 PM)
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Gonzo the Eternal
In Sterquiliniis Invenitur

Registered: 05/09/18
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Psilosopherr] 1
#25274800 - 06/17/18 04:10 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Did you check the oil right after the car was turned off?
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



Registered: 02/15/12
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Gonzo the Eternal] 1
#25274825 - 06/17/18 04:23 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Yeah, thought maybe it just wasn't circulated but checked again after running for a while and same story
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Gonzo the Eternal
In Sterquiliniis Invenitur

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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Psilosopherr] 1
#25274831 - 06/17/18 04:27 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Like you turned the car off and went right to the dip stick? If the oil hasn't settled then it could appear too high I believe.
Drain it. Catch it all. Look at how much is there and check to see the capacity of your engine.
Edited by Gonzo the Eternal (06/17/18 04:28 PM)
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Gonzo the Eternal] 1
#25274838 - 06/17/18 04:29 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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first check car was cold/sitting
second time did it while the car was running after having driven
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Gonzo the Eternal
In Sterquiliniis Invenitur

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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Psilosopherr] 1
#25274859 - 06/17/18 04:40 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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And both times it was the same level?
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Gonzo the Eternal] 1
#25274866 - 06/17/18 04:42 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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yes
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Gonzo the Eternal
In Sterquiliniis Invenitur

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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Psilosopherr] 1
#25274883 - 06/17/18 04:49 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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That doesn't add up. The level can't be the same when the car is off and when it is running. The oil pump being on would show a difference in the levels. Maybe some pics of the stick?
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Gonzo the Eternal] 1
#25274943 - 06/17/18 05:10 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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if thats the case it probably did change a bit. Its so far above the full line or any indicator that the only thing I'm noting when I check is "oh yeah, still wayyy too full."
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Gonzo the Eternal
In Sterquiliniis Invenitur

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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Psilosopherr] 1
#25275551 - 06/17/18 11:41 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Ah I see. Well really the only way to be sure is to drain it and see how many quarts come out and compare to the capacity. Don't forget the filter.
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Grey Fox

Registered: 01/22/15
Posts: 2,652
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Gonzo the Eternal] 1
#25276176 - 06/18/18 08:49 AM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
Gonzo the Eternal said: Ah I see. Well really the only way to be sure is to drain it and see how many quarts come out and compare to the capacity. Don't forget the filter.

Drain it and see how much comes out. If its way above like you think it is then you probably overfilled it. Are you sure you changed the oil filter last time? Maybe you forgot to and the excess oil is from what the filter was holding plus incomplete draining of the old oil with the filter still on?
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Humble Newcomer
Diddler de niños



Registered: 03/12/17
Posts: 1,483
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Grey Fox] 1
#25278738 - 06/19/18 12:27 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Drain into clean container so u can re use if you decide that after everything.
Many times I get a false reading on a dipstick after an oil change because the dipstick tube is still full of oil and it runs on the dipstick when I pull it.
I can tell this because there's a tiny streak in the oil that's all the way up to the top on my dipstick. In those cases I wipe it clean with a rag, insert, withdraw, wipe clean about 2-3 times and then I get a true reading.
You shouldn't have that issue upon checking it at a later date though.
Always check oil when car is on a close to level surface. An incline can give a low or high reading.
You seem to have a lot of cars, I write on my garage wall the vehicle, drain plug wrench size and oil capacity on the wall bc I seem to forget when the time comes from juggling and it doubles the time of the oil change when I can't grab my things all at once and slide under the car and knock it all out at once.
Generally speaking if you check a car when it's running you'll get a lower reading but I just never do it. Many cars when you check while running little drops of oil fly everywhere on you and the area plus I can't trust it to not affect the dipstick reading with churning around and splatter inside.
After shutoff wait a short while for a true reading, your oil level will be higher (and true) after engine shut down because all the oil that was up in the heads, the valves, the camshaft bearings main and rod bearings all spills back out into pan.
Every engines different but mechanically soaking it would take a very high oil level to hurt things, but I think first indication would be black smoke, from oil getting into the bottom of the cylinder and slapped up and into combustion chmaber by pistons and burned. I see people do this to push lawn mowers sometimes, same thing. On cars it gets catastrophic fast, you'll burn out your o2 sensor and cat.
On newer cars I'm sure there's a sensor somewhere that can be damaged before that happens.
Like overfilling the gas tank the people who fill it til it clicks then again and again and again trying to get that last drop for some reason. Well, that used to just be annoying to everyone else around you but now you can fry the sensors and components in the evap system which pressurized the fuel tank to check gas cap seal integrity and all purge canister lines have no holes etc.
If I had doubts I'd drain it into a clean oil container and investigate, when it's all said and done write a correct capacity and wrench size somewhere in marker. Most vehicles follow a standard anyway. Cars with filter are 5 quarts trucks with filter 6 quarts.
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Shroomism
Space Travellin



Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 66,015
Loc: 9th Dimension
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Humble Newcomer] 1
#25278793 - 06/19/18 12:59 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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Not all cars are exactly that much though. My VW Golf R is 5.8 quarts. It can vary a bit.
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Grey Fox

Registered: 01/22/15
Posts: 2,652
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Shroomism] 1
#25279331 - 06/19/18 05:32 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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So my truck's check engine light came on today. Cylinder 3 misfire. I'm psyched because I recently had a cylinder 4 misfire and swapped the ignition wires for cylinders 3 and 4 based on Humble Newcomer's excellent advice. I have a new set of ignition wires and I'm going to install them in the morning. Hoping that this fixes all of my rough idling / rough running issues... Knock on wood.
-------------------- IT WAS ALL A DREAM
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Gonzo the Eternal
In Sterquiliniis Invenitur

Registered: 05/09/18
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Grey Fox] 1
#25279422 - 06/19/18 06:10 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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What do you mean reuse it? I would never recommend anyone reuse engine oil. No matter how long it's been used for.
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Humble Newcomer
Diddler de niños



Registered: 03/12/17
Posts: 1,483
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Re: Tuning up my car and trying to get an old truck running, not a big car guy, some Q's [Re: Gonzo the Eternal] 1
#25279634 - 06/19/18 07:25 PM (5 years, 7 months ago) |
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I would in certain situations.
I'm not there and try to give all the info so that person can make the best decision where the work is happening.
Right on Grey Fox! I love troubleshooting!
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