I just replaced the head gasket after the engine overheated on the highway and coolant was found coming out of the spark plug holes. The idle is very rough and the truck will eventually die. It will also die giving the truck gas. I have done a lot of research but couldn't find a good answer. I had just replaced the spider injector with the conversion kit and put new spark plugs, wire, rotor, cap before the head gasket went bad. The reason it overheated was i forgot to put a coolant hose clamp back on and the a hose fell off. Do i need to change the spark plug again since they were covered in coolant in the cylinder chamber? Vacuum leak? Motor just gone?

 

with a rough idol i could be a faulty MAF sensor. just unplug it, if your Idol remains unchanged then it is the MAF. Worst case is when you over heated you did some damage to the engine, i would recommend doing a compression test and see how much compression the engine is putting out. That would be the quick and easy way to rule out any Valve train issues, fried rings or worst yet a cracked block. after over heating i would recommend doing an oil change as well. verify you dont have any white milky substance in your you oil. So how does the engine sound? when you start it dose it have a good idol until it gets warm? describe the symptoms as when they happen and whats going on with the truck.

 

I will get the oil changed and test the maf sensor after work. thanks for your reply. I'll get the compression test done but the engine is running really rough and I don't know if I'll get a good reading. I can say that before every cylinder but two had 150 psi compression and I tested those two after the new head gasket and they were at 150 too. I'll describe exactly what it is doing when I get home as well.

 

It's raining pretty good here in southern wi. I was able to get my oil changed, but left my truck on after it died last night and am charging it up right now. I'm headed to Milwaukee this weekend so i might not get to the maf test and let you know how it sounds til sunday night or monday. thanks again for your input I 'll be in touch.

 

Ok so I got the truck started and running. it sounded fine so I figured I would take it for a drive around the block. About halfway it died at a stoplight. and now all it is doing is cranking over.

 

Check your throttle body and how dirty it is, if compression and everything else seems fine, then it could be dirty. Their known to have a car idle rough and die. Just for the F of it if nothing else seems to be wrong.

 

Thanks for your response. I took it into a shop I'll let you know what it ended up being.

 

Distributor was fried. I lined up the harmonic balancer with the engine blocks line but must have put the distributor in wrong. Took it took my girlfriends house about an hour away last night and ran like a champ. Thanks for both of your advice.