For the past few days, my truck is giving me what feels like a strange kickback when i accelerate. At first, I thought it felt like something was slipping, and I knew the belt needed to be changed, so I did that; didn't help. Also, I really needed an oil change, so I went and had it done today, but on the way home, it was still doing it. About a week before this started happening, the radiator had slipped off a bracket and fell on the fan, stopping it from spinning, and it was overheating and burned a lot of my coolant. After putting the radiator back, I didn't notice any problems though.

The kickback (or whatever it is) is stronger at different RPMs, usually hits harder at lower RPMs. It is a manual transmission, and I don't hear or feel any problems when I'm not in gear or coasting in neutral. JiffyLube said it was recommended that I have my rear differential serviced because it hadn't been done recently.

If anyone has any idea what this could be, or if you need more information, I would really appreciate your respone. Thanks.

 

If you overheated the engine you could have blown a head gasket. That would cause a loss of power.

 

Ok one thing, I wouldn't take your truck to Jiffylube even if they paid me. Can you not change your oil yourself? I would change your rear diff fluid, you can do it in a driveway in 10 minutes.

 

I guess I was just being lazy. Do you think changing the rear diff fluid might help? I can take care of that.

I don't feel any loss in power, but it seems like the kickback, which is almost like a stuttering, is less severe when I accelerate slower.

 

how many miles are on your truck? if over 75000 dont change the diff. fluid. there was a thread on this awhile back.

 

It has ~96,200 miles on it.

 

hmm. alright, well, from what i can remember.......there was a thread on changing the diff. fluid.....and it said after a certain milestone in mileage, that the protective molecules and good stuff that keeps it from grinding, breaks off of the seal and floats around within the diff. fluid......which still helps keep it going smoothly. if you change the fluid but not the seal, then there will be no more of the "protection" that keeps it from running smoothly. might as well just leave it as is.

now, don't quote me directly. im hoping someone else can chime in and remember the thread im talking about....i couldnt find it.

 

First I ever heard of this. And keep what exactlty from grinding. If your gears are grinding, I'm sure there is a bigger problem than just fluid.

Just go pick up a tube of RV Gasket, some gear oil, l/s additive if you have a l/s and crawl under the truck and change that fluid. Don't even need to jack it up, but removing the spare tire makes life simpler. I changed mine at 60k, and it was sludge. I had to scoop the last bit out with my hand - and my truck is a 2003.

 

I beleive that referred to auto transmissions not the rear diff.
Go ahead and change the differential fluid ,but check the sticker on the driver's side door jam to see if you have a limited slip diff or not.You may need to add friction modifier depending on what lube you replace it with.

 

yeah^^^ like i said.....i couldnt remember exactly, thats why i asked for input. thanks ken.

 

When did you last change plugs , wires , fuel filter ?
Also what engine ?

 

I think I'll go ahead and change the diff fluid anyway, while I'm taking care of everything else. And it is a L/S.

From what I've been able to find, it's starting to sound like I need to check the fuel filter and plugs and wires.

It's the little 3.0L Flex Fuel engine.

(By the way, I really appreciate all the responses.)

 

OH OH could this be a dreaded cam position sycroniser going out causing the 'strange kickback' ?

Got a Haynes manual for your truck ?

 

I don't even know what that is, and for the record, the flex fuel engine isn't the truck's original engine, it was put in a couple years ago after the first engine seized.

 

The cam syncro replaced the old style distributor and is in the same position ( passengers side rear of engine).
There have been MANY cases of failure of this part on 3.0 engines.
Do a search on this site for cam syncro.
If it fails completely you will toast your engine due to lack of oil pressure.

 

Bringing this back in hopes of some more help.

The engine started working fine again for a while, and was only sluggish here and there, nothing major; I thought it was just because the air filter was dirty (K&N). Well this morning I was driving and suddenly it is stuttering worse than ever and I even hear the sound of occasional backfire. The Check Engine Light eventually came on and I got a code about the coil pack. While I was at the store getting the code pulled for me, I was told I should check the resistance of the connector wires to see if they were the problem instead of the coil pack. So now I have a new OHM meter that I don't know how to use. Do I just complete the connection with the OHM meter in between?

The air filter is clean and fresh, I've used fuel injector cleaner (that bottled **** you pour in the gas tank), changed the oil, checked the IAC valve, the spark plugs SEEMED fine, but I could easily be wrong there, I have a fuel filter to put on but haven't gotten to yet. I just can't seem to figure out what is wrong.

It's a terrible stuttering and backfire or something like that; and loss of power.

Thanks for any help.

 

what was the exact code?

 

it could be your ac compressor kicking on and off that would make your truck feel like it is kicking forward that might be it just recharge your a/c.

 

I want to bring this back up for ideas....kind of having the same trouble with mine