I have a 2003 Lightning with 17,500 miles on it with mild modifications (4lb pulley, CAI, tune) and for the last couple of years I've had an off and on again miss at light to med throttle. Probably misses at heavy throttle too but once it cuts out at medium throttle there's not much incentive to go heavy throttle.
This seems to have started a couple of years ago after I didn't drive it much and it sat with a full load of fuel in it - probably took most of a year to use it. I figured at the time the fuel went bad and phase-shifted. I never saw a check engine light come on and my ODB code reader is on the blink so I haven't checked for any codes. But, will it set a code without flashing the check engine light?
I dosed it up with Sea Foam and Star-Tron (supposed to reverse phase shift and disperse water in the tank back to the fuel) and it has typically cleared up for awhile. I also don't fill the tank up anymore - usually just buy enough for 2 or 3 months use. Went to a neighborhood gas station yesterday and put some premium ($15 worth) in and instantly as I left it went to missing. Now I'm suspecting some water in the fuel and I've dosed it up again with Sea Foam and Star Tron. I also went to another station and put $15 dollars more of 93 octane in. The first (neighborhood) station is a pretty busy station but they probably don't sell a ton of premium. Bad fuel is kind of a long shot but from memory the last two rounds of this missing seemed to be immediately after adding gas. Waiting to see if this dosing of Sea Foam and Star-Tron clears it up again.
The truck isn't a daily driver and isn't out in the rain - always garaged. I changed the fuel filter on it probably around 14,000 miles. Thinking I may try changing it again in case it has water or crud trapped in it.
Anyone experience similar problems. The miss is like a cylinder doesn't fire. Usually feel it driving under light to moderate throttle. Before dosing the tank up giving it some throttle in 3 or lock up will just cause it to stutter. Sometimes I feel a miss at idle when it's acting up. Stiil have the original coil packs but changed the plugs out when I put the 4 lb pulley on it around 12,000 miles.
Thoughts?
This seems to have started a couple of years ago after I didn't drive it much and it sat with a full load of fuel in it - probably took most of a year to use it. I figured at the time the fuel went bad and phase-shifted. I never saw a check engine light come on and my ODB code reader is on the blink so I haven't checked for any codes. But, will it set a code without flashing the check engine light?
I dosed it up with Sea Foam and Star-Tron (supposed to reverse phase shift and disperse water in the tank back to the fuel) and it has typically cleared up for awhile. I also don't fill the tank up anymore - usually just buy enough for 2 or 3 months use. Went to a neighborhood gas station yesterday and put some premium ($15 worth) in and instantly as I left it went to missing. Now I'm suspecting some water in the fuel and I've dosed it up again with Sea Foam and Star Tron. I also went to another station and put $15 dollars more of 93 octane in. The first (neighborhood) station is a pretty busy station but they probably don't sell a ton of premium. Bad fuel is kind of a long shot but from memory the last two rounds of this missing seemed to be immediately after adding gas. Waiting to see if this dosing of Sea Foam and Star-Tron clears it up again.
The truck isn't a daily driver and isn't out in the rain - always garaged. I changed the fuel filter on it probably around 14,000 miles. Thinking I may try changing it again in case it has water or crud trapped in it.
Anyone experience similar problems. The miss is like a cylinder doesn't fire. Usually feel it driving under light to moderate throttle. Before dosing the tank up giving it some throttle in 3 or lock up will just cause it to stutter. Sometimes I feel a miss at idle when it's acting up. Stiil have the original coil packs but changed the plugs out when I put the 4 lb pulley on it around 12,000 miles.
Thoughts?
