robbie Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Hi.. I'm trying to reinstall the Plenum Chamber and I can't find where this one black plug goes that's hanging off a group of wires and plugs... it's right by the two little coolant hoses behind the back of the chamber. Anyone have any idea? (It looks just like the three plugs that's between the two valve covers but the square part is black not gray.) Also the metal gasket sheet that goes between the Plenum Chamber and Engine.. are you supposed to apply silicone gasket on it? like with Blue Silicone? Thanks! oh.. I have a 94 pathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey.T Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 the other end of that plug on the back is prolly hanging down around the trans... if you have your hood off you can look straight down and find it.... In the future loosely zip tie it to the knock sensor wires... wont have to reach down as far.... NO SILICONE>>>> Just torque the plenum on per the FSM... I take the torque requirement divide it in half and torque in 2 stages.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 if i remember right, the torque specs are between 11-14 ft lbs dontcha hate dangling wires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted January 27, 2008 Author Share Posted January 27, 2008 Thank you for the reply. I can't find the mate to that plug. I was studying the diagrams for awhile and I think the plug goes to the knock sensor, but I can't imagine that I pulled it out because it's way down there on top of the cylinder block (under the 6 hole metal thing where the plenum chamber mates to.) I searched for a loose connector for almost 2 hours and can't for the life of me find it. This is the second time I'm trying to find where that plug goes to. I drove a good 6 thousand miles with it not plugged and noticed that the truck would idle kind of erratically. Sometimes the engine would die at idle if driven hard. I changed everything and cleaned out everything too, so I'm guessing the culprit is that black plug. Not sure... my mechanic told me there's a leak somewhere that's causing the truck to idle like that. (MAF sensor cleaned... the EGR or PCV Valve (the thing that screws into the Plenum to control idle is clean too). I was thinking it was because I didn't apply silicone gasket to the metal gasket when installing the Plenum Chamber... that it was causing air to leak in. But I guess that's not the problem by reading the replies. Man I dunno. Kind of frustrated here. Been at it all day since last night. I'm ready to give up and put everything together and I guess live with it. If anyone can help that'll be so cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyhayseed Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 Thank you for the reply. I can't find the mate to that plug. I was studying the diagrams for awhile and I think the plug goes to the knock sensor, but I can't imagine that I pulled it out because it's way down there on top of the cylinder block (under the 6 hole metal thing where the plenum chamber mates to.) I searched for a loose connector for almost 2 hours and can't for the life of me find it. This is the second time I'm trying to find where that plug goes to. I drove a good 6 thousand miles with it not plugged and noticed that the truck would idle kind of erratically. Sometimes the engine would die at idle if driven hard. I changed everything and cleaned out everything too, so I'm guessing the culprit is that black plug. Not sure... my mechanic told me there's a leak somewhere that's causing the truck to idle like that. (MAF sensor cleaned... the EGR or PCV Valve (the thing that screws into the Plenum to control idle is clean too). IACV maybe? Pics would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey.T Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 Holy crap. Thanks! I think I see it in the second picture! Now I have another problem. I put everything back to how it was when it was running. But it won't start. Someone shoot me. I checked every fitting and every plug, checked all spark plug wires... everything. It's cranking but I don't think it's sparking for some reason. I'll try changing the sparkplugs but I don't see why I would have to when it was igniting fine before. I've been at it for like 15 hours straight... I think my knees are going to give out. I'll get to it tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 (edited) Okay.. I had a last go at it for today and I think I know where I royally screwed up. I had taken everything off (Plenum Chamber, Cam Sprockets, Valve Cover) to do some work like mainly to put gasket on the Valve Covers and tighten up the belts (not timing belt) and put in a transmission cooler. I forgot that the distributor comes right up so like an idiot I took off the Cam Sprockets to try to get to that one bolt on the Valve Cover that was under the distributor. To further complicate things I don't think I set the distributor in the way it was. Would this cause the engine to not start? meaning giving no spark? It turns over but nothing seems to be firing. I guess the only way to correct this is to take all the belts off again and find the TDC and reset the distributor? I made a few hour job last 2 full days and I still didn't get it right. I think this is the last time I work on an engine. I should've asked you guys first before I did something stupid like taking the cam sprockets off. Lesson learned: never work on an engine when you're frustrated in general. *update: I think maybe the coil died. The Plenum Chamber (with the coil still on it) slid off something and dropped 2 feet. It didn't land hard (cuz one of the small pipes took most of the shock by bending on impact) so it may or may not be the prob. Gotta find a way to check it... tomorrow. Edited January 28, 2008 by robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey.T Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 If you removed the Distributor and you were not at TDC, and you just tossed it back in... ya your not gonna start unless you are reallllllllllyyyyyyyyy Lucky.... Timing reset time for you... and its not like Windows... turn it off then back on and it works fine... front timing cover is going to have to come off so that you can align the timing marks and then reset the distributor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 If you removed the Distributor and you were not at TDC, and you just tossed it back in... ya your not gonna start unless you are reallllllllllyyyyyyyyy Lucky.... Timing reset time for you... and its not like Windows... turn it off then back on and it works fine... front timing cover is going to have to come off so that you can align the timing marks and then reset the distributor... k.. thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 Thanks for all your help and listening to me bitch and whine. I fixed everything (except that elusive black plug, which I'll save for another decade) and the truck runs the best ever! This is the result I wanted when I changed out the camshaft and did the Tbelt job several months back. I even went ahead and put in a transmission cooler and I haven't felt her slip... yet. I can really hear her breath now and hear the low thump and grumble of the engine. Sounds great and very responsive. I think I'm finally finished with the truck. Nothing else more to do except fix the windshield washer and a bigger fan blade. Thanks so much guys. It's been a true journey starting from ignition wire changes 9 years ago to overhauling the suspensions and actually putting in a camshaft and t-belt change. I owe it to all of you guys and this awesome site! I'll drop in time to time to try and help others out with questions. Have a wonderful new years! Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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