Your "flashing check engine light" in the fashion you described means that there are no codes.

As to the spark plug wire, if it took quite a bit of an effort to pull off I think it's okay. I've had that also. But if it slid right off with little of no effort, than I would imagine that would seriously detrimentally affect the ability of that connection to produce the proper spark.

The wire split in two ...I pulled the thicker rubber part that?s goes on the plug and the metal connector was still connected to the top of the plug, so the wire may have been badly connected on the metal for a while.

Has the wire been this way since the rebuild?

Replaced the plugwires and put in new plugs, timing at 5 dgres...have driven half a tank...still getting a gas milage of 14 mpg <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />. (Oh, and the gas cost twice over here!)
Took another emisson test...all values great.
The engine still feels a bit worried on idle, not running 100% smoothly @800 rpm but when raised above that, much better. Revvs nicely to 5000 rpm in first and second gear but still can?t get it above 70 mph/3000 rpm in 4th and especially not 5th:) Checked again for vacuum leaks but can?t find any.
What do you guys say? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

Only thing I can think of right now is to put the engine at TDC and see where the timing mark on the cam gear is...

Massive torque down low, but falling on it's face above 2800 rpm is the classic description of a timing gear 1 tooth advanced. I did this on purpose before when towing a 3,000 pound car 800 miles... Got 12 mpg. Left it that way for the next leg of the trip (sans car trailer), and I only upped it to 15 mpg.

Retarded the cam timing afterwards, and everything returned to normal.

Regarding the timing chain, could it be one tooth wrong and still revv up great in first and second gear?
I?m rather sure that I installed it right...but now the doubts come crawling:)

Because of the torque multiplication from first and second, you'd never really notice... Kinda like revving it in neutral.

Once the load hits the engine, the lack of torque causes it to fall flat on it's face.

It's quite simple to "walk" the chain around one tooth back. Just take the valve cover off, remove the bolt to the cam timing sprocket, pop it off while holding tension on the chain, and start from the passenger side. Move a link up a tooth, and continue working the slack link around the gear. Use a socket and breaker bar on the crank pulley to spin the engine a hair (if needed), and reinstall the sprocket with chain attached.

Takes 10 minutes. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

with crank @ 0 degrees, the notch on the cam gear was at 12 o?clock or closer to 11.30
The link stamped "top max" was also aligned with the notch.
I guess that means the chain is right?
From your description it sounded like the same symptoms as having the chain one tooth retarded...still no luck, but one must keep on fighting:)

Check your throttle position sensor. When mine went bad the timing would retard with increased throttle.

Here's how to check with an Ohm meter and feeler gauges:
Unplug the connector, it's located on the throttle body on the right side as you look at it from the front. There are four terminals. From top to bottom they are:
Vcc
VTA
IDL
E2
The feeler gauge is inserted between the throttle stop screw and stop lever on the opposite side of the throttle body. It should read like this:

Clearance Between Terminals Resistance
0mm - 0in VTA - E2 0.1-0.8kOhm
0.57mm-0.0224in IDL - E2 Less than 2.3kOhm
0.85mm-0.0335in IDL - E2 Infinity
Full Throttle VTA - E2 3.3-10kOhm
Any position Vcc - E2 4-9 kOhm

Or, the throttle position sensor might not be adjusted properly.

Loosen the two screws on the TPS. Insert a feeler gauge of 0.7mm - 0.0276in between the throttle stop and the throttle lever. Connect the meter between IDL and E2 terminals. Turn the sensor clockwise until the ohm meter deflects, and tighten the screws. Recheck continuity between IDL and E2

Clearance Continuity IDL-E2
0.57mm - 0.0224in Continuity
0.85mm - 0.0335in No continuity

I hope this helps.

checked the TPS
Readings I got (truck is a 1993):
1. VTA-E2 0.00 mm -> 1050 ohms
2. IDL-E2 0.6 mm -> 140 ohms
3. IDL-E2 0.9 mm -> inf
4. VTA-E2 WOT -> 3.5 K
5. Vcc-E2 anywhere -> 6.2 K

Those readings seem OK, right?
Also checked the AFM resistances->OK
Of what I read regarding TPS misadjustment the symptoms seems to be close to my problem...
Thanks <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
Edit: I saw on wikipedia that the top speed for the 4x4 is apprx 80 mph...Is this true? Then maybe mine isn?t that far behind with 75 mph? Also said gas milage of 23 mpg...and I get 14 w/ a newly repaird engine...just wondering where the rest of the gas goes since my exhaust values are great and I?m really babying the pedal...? And there are no leaks:)