runs super rough, why?

[maroon ranger]

94 4l manual. I replaced every gasket on the motor replaced the heads and cleaned everything up and yada yada yada. She ran smooth and fine before I tore it apart, put it all back together and started er up, started on the first turn over but ran super rough. Shut er down and checked all my connections and spark plugs and vacuum lines. Everything is correct and technically in proper working order. Anyways, the spark plug on cylinder 4 is saturated in gas and acts like its not firing. When I pull it the plug is cold. But I don't understand why its not firing. I got good compression I've got gas going to the cylinder and I swapped some of the older plugs in there and still get the same symptoms.

I pulled the vavle cover off today and checked to make sure my push rods were seated correctly and they are. I also had my valves cut and turned before I put them into the new castings. And checked them when put them in to make sure they had a good seat.

Does anybody have any ideas as to what the trouble is here?!

 

[maroon ranger]

Any thoughts or suggestions anybody?! I need it running by the end of the week due to an out of town job starting up and don't wanna run my deisel back and forth.

 

[Earl43P]

Could be the plug wire is bad.

 

[adsm08]

That's my first thought as well, you may have damaged a plug wire taking it apart.

 

[maroon ranger]

Hmmmm, they are brand new! I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try one of my old ones and see if that helps at all. Ill go try that and let you guys know.

 

[maroon ranger]

Just swapped out the plug with a new one and plugged in one of my old plug wires and it stills runs the same, like crap. What in the hell could be causing this nonsense? Brand new distributor cap or whatever its called hahaha, new plug and wires, great compression, proper fuel pressure, vacuum is all hooked up, all connections are made, fuel filter replaced, fuel pump replaced and new 02 sensors. Plus every gasket known to the 4.0l. I am frusterated now and well befuddled! Hahahaha could it be a bent rod or sticky lifter causing my troubles?

 

[maroon ranger]

Alright guys.....I tore the engine back apart, found a push rod that wasn't seated on the intake lifter on cylinder 3. It managed to break off the top portion of the lifter within the 2 minutes total that it ran. I also found out that I needed to put rtv on the machined surfaces where the intake manifold mates with the engine block, not just the 4 coolant ports. So all in all, its all back together correctly and running awesome. Two expenive **** ups can cause a real headache. So I hope someone will read this and learn from my mishaps.