New 1988 R30 Classic Custom owner, need help

[Grit dog]

So you’re confident you have spark at every spark plug? That’s good.
You’ve checked firing order to make sure there aren’t a couple wires out of order presume?
Timing and advance? You mentioned a timing light but is it timed or not? Does it advance properly?
You sound new to this so it’s understandably a bit daunting.
Anyone around you that knows there way around old ignition systems?
I still wouldn’t discount fuel pressure and O2. Could absolutely be contributory. Haven’t heard if you verified fuel pressure yet.

 

[gotyourgoat]

Since it seems the ignition system is working. That shock was pretty funny, as long as its not happening to you.
Leads me to think it is injector or timing related. My truck wouldn't run for **** being super out of time but maybe the tbi's have a wider range.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Where the exhaust attaches I can see the flame because there is a giant hole in the exhaust.

I'm going to check the plugs but I just put all new ones on 10-15 days ago.

Lots of good advice, but I'm going to go in a different direction. I think you should pull all the spark plugs and run a compression test preferably on all 8 cylinders but at least on the one with the colder readings. The main reasons are #1. We know there is a misfire, we need to know that there isn't an internal engine problem before you spend more time and money trying to fix it. You know the former owner took you, maybe he dumped like he did because the problem is a bad one. Sorry not trying to be a downer there. #2. If the exhaust leak is so bad you can see fire that might mean it's getting combustion is getting past the exhaust valve on the cylinder, which might mean a valve issue. I'm sorry but I think you have got to compression test at least the one cylinder if not all 8.

 

[Grit dog]

^ This. Once you’ve verified everything ignition And fuel related, which not 100% certain you have, it’s time to dig deeper if you didn’t solve the problem.
I mentioned a couple other potential issues with the same symptoms a couple posts back.

 

[af77]

Sorry for going mia everyone. I'll respond to everyone soon.
I wound up in the hospital from heat exhaustion; I'm fine now. I've been doing 2-4 hours late into the night working on this truck, after a full day of work. that's after walking 7 miles to work each way in this TN heat (100 degrees and humid). Carrying my son the first two miles to drop him off.

Getting screwed on this truck has about killed me.

I have to walk to auto zone to get the loaner tools to check certain things ; like compression.

 

[Big Chip]

Good for you for doing what it takes to be a responsible person.

have you checked the timing yet? Did you see if you’re able to rotate without loosening the hold down? I had a bad drivability issue with mine, idled fine but would stall trying to take off. I grabbed the distributor on a whim and was able to turn it. I also had a cam put in a truck a long time ago and the guy never righted down the distributor and it was like it was just losing power, wasn’t running right, etc. it idled though.

 

[Grit dog]

^Dang, glad you're ok. Sorry to hear you're going through this mess and it's your only vehicle.
Will keep tryin to help as you're diagnosing the problem.