Hi,
When I start my truck up it will not stay running unless I pump the gas. Then after about 20-30 seconds it will idle, but real rough. Then after about another 2 minutes it will idle normally. Then after about 15 minutes it will start to lose power and/or idle rough. When I am driving it will run ok on flat with out any accelaration, but if I am going up hill or trying to accelarate I need to pump the gas like in the beginning. After a while it will blow a lot of black smoke and just quite. I was told that maybe it is my head gasket, what the symtoms of that is and how to diagnos that as the problem. There is no water in my oil. My father in law said that when it is idling if I take off the radiater cap while it is looking and if I see bubbles then my Head gasket is blown. Another person said that is not true. If any one has any suggestions on what it could be, or if the bubbles does mean it is the head gasket please let me know. Thanks for any assistance you can give me. I didn't want to get into replacing the Head Gasket if thats not the problem.

Thanks
Glenn

Also after it quites it will not start again until the next day. This all started after I got it inspected. I drove it over right before the real cold air hit. He had it there for about a week and the weather got real cold. I went to pick it up in the morning after a real cold night and it wouldn't start, then I came back in the pm after work and it started all of these problems. It sat for aprox. 4-5 months before it was inspected. I did change the oil before running it after sitting so long. I first thought maybe there was water in the gas and that was freezing, but no I don't think that is the problem.

Have you ever changed the fuel pump? How long since the last tune up?

I haven't changed the fuel pump on it yet. I just gave it a tune up, changed wires, plugs, cap and rotor. Fuel filter, and oil and oil filter.

Did you take a compression test on this engine? That would answer all questions about blown gaskets and leaky valves. That would be step one, before you spend another nickle on it.

If compression is good, then typically a good tune-up will solve most any problem. Sounds like you did the tune-up already. However, don't discount possibility of a bad distributor. Have you got a buddy with a spare distributor laying around? Try that.

Also, it could be a vacuum leak. There are tons of rubber hoses, both big and small. Check them all very carefully. They dry rot and start leaking. Sometimes it is hard to tell if they are good or bad. If in doubt, just replace the hose.

Another possibility is the timing chain skipped a tooth. Or the camshaft could be worn out.

Lemme know if any of this helps.

check firing order