My 2001 4.2L has developed a problem over the last few weeks, when you go to start out, and you need to use alot of torque from the engine, like towing, starting out (1st gear), and passing/moderate acceleration, the engine will stutter, almost like it's my first week driving a manual transmission, I think that it might be the clutch slipping under the torque, because I am known for some spirited driving, but then I though maybe it was the engine misfiring, has anyone experienced this before, please let me know, what you think it might be. -Dave-

 

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Hi Dave and welcome

How many miles on your spark plugs? fuel filter?

 

How many miles on your truck? My 2001 is currently in the shop for a new clutch at 93000 miles.

 

does your truck skip while you take off in 1st gear some of the time and, if is a man. transmission, does if start to miss if you put a load on the engine like trying to go up a hill in overdrive? if so, my truck has been doing this since i bought it 12,000 miles ago and i still haven't been able to fix it.

 

Ok Racerguy, the plugs, and fuel filter have about 84000 miles on it, clutch was replaced at 53000 miles, ran over a volvo (long story) Nascar, yes thats exactly what it is doing, if i take the tranny out of gear the engine revs, and runs smooth as silk, but put it in gear with a load on it and it skips badly, almost like a bad clutch, or misfiring.

 

Ok I let my mechanic look at it, and he thinks that all it needs is new plugs and wires, I really think it might be more that that, maybe a combination of things, but get it back tomorow, so we'll see what the deal is, I'll keep you posted

 

sounds like plugs to me that is alot of miles for one set of plugs. Platnium or not.

 

i put plugs, wires, fuel filter in mine and it did not help at all. my truck does the exact same thing as yours lil_mac. it must be something common in the 4.2's.

 

oh yeah lil_mac- if you have the same problem as me- the new plugs and wires will fix it for about a week or two and it will start back doing what it is doing.

 

Well hopefully It will fix it, but if it starts back, I'll take the damn thing out back in the woods and practice with my .50 Cal on it, then I'll have a reason to go get that 06" Harley Davidson 250 SD that I want. LOL

 

lil_mac, is your truck still running good?

 

Well I have to say, the new pugs and wires did the trick, the truck will pull hard like it used to with no skipping or jerking. I doo need to replace the clutch disc, pressure plate, ect. If I want to light those tires like I used to be able to. I'm looking at possibly supercharging it, and after that who knows. I just went and bought a new 250 SD, all tricked out. I finally had a good job to where I could afford my dream truck, i'll post a picture of the SD soon. Thanks for all your help.

 

This is my new 2005 250SD, all the work was done at Southern Off-Road Specialties, in Alphraetta, GA. Let me know what you think.

 

Wow tough looking, impressive.