98 Expy with 5.4.

Took the injectors out to try and clean them like the videos I've seen on YouTube. Couldn't get my syringe to hold pressure, so I just sprayed them all over with carb cleaner and sprayed some in the basket to maybe get anything in there out. What bothered me is that when I sprayed the outside, the black part dissolved like it was grime and left what looks like bare metal. I put them all back in, making sure that they came out of the same side of the engine they came from, just in case that would make a difference. Connected all the wires, trying to make sure that I put the right plug on the right injector. Put all the rest of the parts back in place and started it up.

Ran kinda rough for a few seconds probably building fuel pressure and then smoothed out a little. Turned it off and back on again. A few seconds into running for the second time the CEL came on and it still ran a little rough. I took it for a 8 mile drive and it limped the whole way. Sounded like it was loping and I felt it surging while driving at idle. I looked over all the connections again and found an injector that wasn't plugged in at all, and a coil connector that wasn't all the way seated. Plugged those in good and it still runs horrible. And when I started to drive it again to see if anything improved, it still ran rough and I saw smoke looking like it was coming from the tailpipe. So I pulled back into the carport, killed it and ran around the back but the smoke was gone.

Could I have hurt the injectors with the carb cleaner? Did the truck go into limp mode and I've got to disconnect the battery to reset the PCM? I've already found two missing exhaust manifold bolts on the passenger side causing a loud leak. Could that also cause the engine to feel like it's missing a couple of cylinders?

I'm determined to bring this truck back to her former glory, but she's sure putting up a fight.