Valve gasket job gone wrong

I replaced my valve cover gaskets because they were leaking oil, after the job was done I was able to drive the truck and it ran good for a day. Now it idles alright but begins sputtering and shaking when I put it in gear. I have no clue what could be causing this, any ideas?

 

Could be a loose spark plug wire

 

I replaced spark plug wires because I ripped the metal bit out from inside the old ones while doing the job, and just checked them, and put fresh electrical grease on them. It didn't seem to help.

 

You forget to plug something back in? Maybe a vacuum line not reinstalled?

 

I believe everything is connected properly, could a bad throttle position sensor cause a horribly rough idle when in gear?

 

In theory maybe. Can you use a scan tool to verify it reads correctly? Or get an OEM new one on eBay to try out.

 

I’d give a good cleaning to your mass air flow sensor. I’ve had numerous issues that were due to a dirty sensor and now that I know that it saves a lot of headache when trouble shooting.

 

I'll pick one up tomorrow and see if it does the trick, I tried unplugging it and the truck had the same symptoms as when it was plugged in. If it isn't that I don't have another guess.

 

If it idled before, its something you've done.

Vacuum leak, incorrect spark plug wire routing etc.

The TPS, or MAF won't fail simply overnight.

 

I would look around the PCV valve or breather hoses

 

maf

 

Get some carb cleaner and spray it around the vacuum lines. It’ll surge if it sucks it into the leaking line and you’ll know where to look. Worth $3 on a can.

 

Check the idle air control valve. I suspect if it's not operating properly that would cause issues once you shifted into gear.

 

There is a little connector behind the driver side near the fuel pressure regulator. Did you plug that back in? If I remember correctly It’s small and hard to get to.

EDIT: I’m not sure what the function of it is. Just a guess, it’s easy to miss.

 

I did this job and was sure everything was reconnected vacuum wise. Sure enough I missed two after checking a few weeks later. Grab a beer and spend some time under the hood looking around.

 

Hey guys, I basically redid the whole job and everything is connected properly. It's idling rough and I can smell gas if I let it idle for a little bit. This makes me think a cylinder isn't firing. What do you think?

 

is there a Check engine light?

 

What size socket do I need to get spark plugs out?

 

You need a spark plug socket with the rubber bit to grab the plug. Any auto parts store will have one.

 

Yeah but they come in a couple of sizes, do you know which one the first gens take?