1989 GMC Sierra from North America - Comments

I haven't had it for to long, but just before this winter its started to stutter when you first push the gas down, it sometimes stalls, I don't mean just driving like almost stomping sometimes while driving I was wondering if anyone knew what it was I've changed all things like spark plugs, air filter, all that and it stills does it, but that's the only thing that's gone wrong can anyone help me there has it happens to yours???

Please help me its making me mad and I don't want to spend a fortune just for some stupid mechanic to look at it...

Over all I like the truck its the best vehicle I've had to tell the truth.

It sounds like you have bad compression- I.E lifters, rings even pistons.

Check your spark plug wires. I owned a 1990 Chevy S-10 and I had to replace them about every year. I was told that for some reason this was a problem. It was worse when it was raining or very damp out.

I have an 1989 GMC JImmy.

Has horrible stuttering and I am going to replace the plugs and wire. When its not to damp it run great. When its raining like mad its just HORRIBLE to drive.

I had the same problem with my 1990 Sierra 5.0L. It ran OK in dry warm weather, but in cold and damp weather it would backfire, miss, and almost stall if I stepped on the gas too hard. The problem usually corrected once the engine ran for about 15 - 30 minutes, although I still could hear it missing at idle. I tried new spark plugs which helped a little, but the problem was still there.

Finally we decided to change the distributor cap and rotor, which cost about $25. The problem went away instantly, as it was a rainy day when I bought the new cap and switched it. This is definitely something to try. I also noticed a dramatic improvement in gas mileage.

We just bought a 1989 GMC Sierra from my father in law and are hoping to use it to tow a trailer.

Does anyone know what the towing capacity is- or where to find it? We called GM and they have no idea (very helpful!!)

Thanks.

My 1988 GMC Sierra had the same problem, I figured out that it was just the rotor in the distributor cap that wears out on me. After I replaced both the distributor cap and rotor the problem disappeared for a year or two then when it started happening again I just popped in a new rotor and closed the hood. Problem solved. I rescued my truck from a construction company on its way to a wrecker thinking it would get me through the winter. That was 8 (Canadian) winters ago and it still doesn't owe me anything. I stopped looking at the odometer at 285,000 Kms.

My dad gave me his 89 extended cab 5.0 and its got 213,000 miles on it is there a club for GMC's with over 200,000 miles also I have the same stuttering problem, I'll change the rotor and go from there email me about a 200,000 mile club@ timothyagates@yahoo.com.

I had an '89 Chevy Cheyenne 1/2 ton pickup truck that had a stalling problem, and it turned out that the fuel filter and the fuel pump sock were completely plugged up. Hard to believe that it could actually run like that. Once all that was sorted out, it ran like a dream and never complained again.