Engine Shaking, Gets worse under load

Mikey Chalupa · 06-17-2009, 08:47 PM

Ok yesterday my truck started acting weird. The truck got louder at the exhaust, the truck started shaking, and I can hear sounds like the sounds of the valves opening and closing only on the passenger side. I do have a strong smell which I thought might be the cat being bad, but I didn't know if that would cause the engine to shake. At idle its barely noticeable except for the the increased(deeper) exhaust note. When its under load, the ticking gets louder adn it seems to struggle under acceleration. When accelerating the shake gets worse, but when I let off the gas pedal it gets better and sounds normal. The fuel economy hasn't really changed and it doesn't seem to be really effecting the driveability. I'm just really stumped at what it could be.

Avgas · 06-17-2009, 10:49 PM

Any check engine lights?

SH-60B · 06-17-2009, 11:33 PM

I think it could be the cat converter. Can you take it off temporarily to see how it runs? Or shake the exhaust and listen for rattling in the cat. Take out the O2 sensor temporarily (it'll be loud) just to be sure exhaust is getting out and test drive it. A vacuum gage tapped into the manifold can detect a clogged exhaust when the reading slowly drops down.

Mikey Chalupa · 06-17-2009, 11:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Avgas

Any check engine lights?

I do get a check engine light. It comes and it goes. I usually get it when I shift to 4th and it goes away once my rpms go back up and i shift to 5th. It's really weird. I gonna get the codes read tomorrow.

Mikey Chalupa · 06-26-2009, 10:02 PM

Ok I finally got some time to look at the truck and I have found the issue. I had a bad spark plug wire and the engine was misfiring. I changed the wireset and it's purring like a cat.

06-17-2009, 08:47 PM	#1
Mikey Chalupa Registered User Age: 26 Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 49 Location: Memphis, TN User is: OffLine	Engine Shaking, Gets worse under load Ok yesterday my truck started acting weird. The truck got louder at the exhaust, the truck started shaking, and I can hear sounds like the sounds of the valves opening and closing only on the passenger side. I do have a strong smell which I thought might be the cat being bad, but I didn't know if that would cause the engine to shake. At idle its barely noticeable except for the the increased(deeper) exhaust note. When its under load, the ticking gets louder adn it seems to struggle under acceleration. When accelerating the shake gets worse, but when I let off the gas pedal it gets better and sounds normal. The fuel economy hasn't really changed and it doesn't seem to be really effecting the driveability. I'm just really stumped at what it could be.
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06-17-2009, 10:49 PM	#2
Avgas Registered User Age: 25 Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3,268 Location: Rain24/7,FL User is: OffLine	Re: Engine Shaking, Gets worse under load Any check engine lights?
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06-17-2009, 11:33 PM	#3
SH-60B Registered Neanderthal Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,248 Location: Meriden/CT/USA User is: OffLine	Re: Engine Shaking, Gets worse under load I think it could be the cat converter. Can you take it off temporarily to see how it runs? Or shake the exhaust and listen for rattling in the cat. Take out the O2 sensor temporarily (it'll be loud) just to be sure exhaust is getting out and test drive it. A vacuum gage tapped into the manifold can detect a clogged exhaust when the reading slowly drops down.
	[Reply w/Quote]

06-17-2009, 11:39 PM	#4
Mikey Chalupa Registered User Age: 26 Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 49 Location: Memphis, TN User is: OffLine	Re: Engine Shaking, Gets worse under load Quote: Originally Posted by Avgas Any check engine lights? I do get a check engine light. It comes and it goes. I usually get it when I shift to 4th and it goes away once my rpms go back up and i shift to 5th. It's really weird. I gonna get the codes read tomorrow.
	[Reply w/Quote]

06-26-2009, 10:02 PM	#5
Mikey Chalupa Registered User Age: 26 Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 49 Location: Memphis, TN User is: OffLine	Re: Engine Shaking, Gets worse under load Ok I finally got some time to look at the truck and I have found the issue. I had a bad spark plug wire and the engine was misfiring. I changed the wireset and it's purring like a cat.
	[Reply w/Quote]