I'm having an issue with the guy that worked on my 99 rodeo 2.2 w/5 speed. I paid this guy $270 for new spark plug wires, valve cover gasket, and cleaning out the PCV system. On the way home from the shop my truck lost all oil pressure and began sounding like a diesel. So I took it back and he dropped the oil pan and said the pick up was clogged and there was antifreeze in there too. So he then pulled the head and sent it to the machine shop and put a new head gasket on now I'm up to paying him $1,500. I picked up yesterday and on the way home it died 3 times (everytime I slowed down to stop). And it was a little hard to restart and idles like crap like its only running on two cylinders! What do you guys think the problem could be. I was thinking maybe some kind of vaccuum leak? Bad ground on the injectors?? I don't know?? I just know its rediculous to pay someone $1,500 and the truck runs like crap and tries to die at idle!

The dude just called me and said it was ready to pick up again. He said that some carbon (a piece the size of a BB) probably from when they where cleaning out the PCV system must have gotten loose and messed with the EGR valve he said something about stopping something from closing, he's hard to understand. He said it may do it again just punch it and try to see if will blow it out. I guess if it acts up again and punching it doesn't work then I'll pull the EGR and clean it out!

Is the timing set right - not familiar with this engine, but did it have to be reset? On that same line, how old is the timing belt, needs done every 60k IIRC, on this engine or it will do major valve damage.

I don't know if I'd be punching an engine with a brand-new headgasket.

Thanks, I guess the timing is right. It runs fine now, I've driven almost 100 miles since yesterday when I picked it up. When he did all the work with the head gasket he did replace the timing belt too I may have left that off of the list of work I've paid for in my first post.

You might have posted it - I probably forgot.

Sounds like it's running good. Good.