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I have an 88 chevy suburban that starts to run rough and ...
Sent to Car Experts October 14 11:52 PM

I have an 88 chevy suburban that starts to run rough and eventually turns off after it warms up. The exhaust smells like gunpowder or firecracker smoke when it starts to run rough. It'll turn back on but continue to run rough. I changed the o2 sensor, plugs, wires, fuel filter air filter but to no avail. What else can I try?

 

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1988 Chevrolet suburban v8

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
October 15 12:04 AM (11 minutes and 13 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Sounds like the ignition module in the distributor.


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October 15 7:00 PM (18 hours and 55 minutes and 51 seconds later)
         
Relist: I still need help.
I followed sparkbuoy's recommendation to replace the ignition module, but the problem persists. I also need to add the suburban will accelerate on its own about 500rpms and then just turn off. This all happens after the engine warms up.
Answer
October 15 10:48 PM (3 hours and 48 minutes and 46 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark
Please explain explicitly what is meant by ROUGH? Is the engine misfiring? Is the idle spped too low? Is the engine shaking?


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October 15 11:08 PM (19 minutes and 21 seconds later)
         
Reply to Sparkybuoy's Post: Yes, the engine is shaking, its not misfiring and the idle speed is fine until it warms up, once it warms up either while driving or just letting it sit and idle for about 20 minutes, the erraticness will begin. It will accelerate then drop back down on its own, and get to the point to where it nears turning off and just bounce up and down until it finally just turns off. When I attempt to restart it, I notice black exhaust smoke coming out of the muffler and does that for about 20 seconds, then it goes away but. This happens everytime I start it after it stalls. When I first start to drive it, it behaves beautifully without any symptoms whatsoever. But after driving it 20 minutes or so, it starts doing its thing. If I accelerate the engine while in neutral, it will stay on, sputtering, but it stays on. But it has turned off while I am actually pressing the gas pedal in drive gear. I dont know if this is coincidence or not, but the exhaust does not smell like gunpowder or firecracker smoke after I changed the ignition module. That part went away. I hope this helps you with the diagnosis.
Answer
October 16 12:10 AM (1 hour and 2 minutes and 23 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark

You might have/had two seperate problems.

The other might be the throttle position sensor or the MAP sensor which should be located in the air cleaner assy if I remember right.

You'll need a digital volt meter if you can get your hands on one.

Also...does the check engine light ever come on during all this?




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October 16 12:30 AM (19 minutes and 55 seconds later)
         
Reply to Sparkybuoy's Post: Yes, at first when the problem started, the check engine light would come on as the problem would begin. As recently as about a month ago the check engine light stopped turning on. The check engine light does turn on during the dash board self check when first turning on the engine so I know the bulb hasn't gone bad. But it will not turn on anymore when the problem begins. I do have a volt meter, but instead of checking these two sensors I'll just replace them. Thanks for your patience.
Answer
October 16 4:26 PM (15 hours and 55 minutes and 40 seconds later)
         
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