Strange issue with '95 Integra LS - Stalling, etc.
- Thread starter ThirdeYe
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but if it is O2 keeping the car in open loop wouldn't a CEL goes on?
Does the $150 include a new O2 or just diagnoses? I'd buy a Denso/NTK online and exchange it myself.
Does the $150 include a new O2 or just diagnoses? I'd buy a Denso/NTK online and exchange it myself.
Vikas -- He didn't specify, just that it "wasn't looping".
The $150 I paid included the diagnosis, part, and installation.
Unfortunately the problem still persists, just not as often as before. When warmed up, it'll still misfire occasionally and act like it's going to stall when first starting the engine after it was warmed up and shut off for a few minutes. I was accelerating into traffic yesterday and tried to give it some gas and it nearly fell flat on its face. The RPMs dropped and it nearly stalled so I had to pull over and let the traffic pass me. It didn't actually stall, but the RPMs would drop even though I'd push the pedal down.
I'm starting to wonder if maybe the catalytic converter is bad as well? Perhaps it's clogged and causing back-pressure fluctuations. I'm still thinking the IACV/FITV might be faulty even though this latest mechanic claimed they were fine.
I'm going to replace the spark plugs today to see how they look. They're about 1.5 years old with maybe 10-15k on them, but the dealership told me they were "rounded off". Not sure what that even means. I'll also try resetting the ECU to help the computer learn the A/F ratios after having the O2 sensor replaced. May not be necessary, but at this point it couldn't hurt...
The $150 I paid included the diagnosis, part, and installation.
Unfortunately the problem still persists, just not as often as before. When warmed up, it'll still misfire occasionally and act like it's going to stall when first starting the engine after it was warmed up and shut off for a few minutes. I was accelerating into traffic yesterday and tried to give it some gas and it nearly fell flat on its face. The RPMs dropped and it nearly stalled so I had to pull over and let the traffic pass me. It didn't actually stall, but the RPMs would drop even though I'd push the pedal down.
I'm starting to wonder if maybe the catalytic converter is bad as well? Perhaps it's clogged and causing back-pressure fluctuations. I'm still thinking the IACV/FITV might be faulty even though this latest mechanic claimed they were fine.
I'm going to replace the spark plugs today to see how they look. They're about 1.5 years old with maybe 10-15k on them, but the dealership told me they were "rounded off". Not sure what that even means. I'll also try resetting the ECU to help the computer learn the A/F ratios after having the O2 sensor replaced. May not be necessary, but at this point it couldn't hurt...
Plugged cat shouldn't cause warm up / cold start difference. I think what you have is lean / rich problem when it switch from open to close loop after the car is warmed up. You said you have checked IACV, MAP sensor, but are you SURE they are working right? What about other things like ignition coil (inside distributor), timing belt slipping a tooth (check the marking on the crank pulley vs the cam when you wrench them to the right position), thermostat (does your car ever warm up), coolant temperature sensor, and most importantly, all of the wiring for rust and corrosion?
I'd go over the car with combs and fix whatever you see. If money is short, go to junkyard that let you return stuff, and try all of the possible parts until you find the bad one. Starting from the cheapest one to more expensive, so you will not be left with unused junkyard store credit.
I'd go over the car with combs and fix whatever you see. If money is short, go to junkyard that let you return stuff, and try all of the possible parts until you find the bad one. Starting from the cheapest one to more expensive, so you will not be left with unused junkyard store credit.
Replace the plugs and wires first.
i think it could be something ignition related. im guessing the coil or ignitor is starting to fail especially if its never been replaced. go to an oreillys or something and buy a coil to test. return if problem is still occuring
Originally Posted By: garlicbreadman
i think it could be something ignition related. im guessing the coil or ignitor is starting to fail especially if its never been replaced. go to an oreillys or something and buy a coil to test. return if problem is still occuring
Usually electrical parts cannot be returned, you can test it after refrigerating and it should be about 20KOhm. Mine was at 10k Ohm and it would not start the engine.
i think it could be something ignition related. im guessing the coil or ignitor is starting to fail especially if its never been replaced. go to an oreillys or something and buy a coil to test. return if problem is still occuring
Usually electrical parts cannot be returned, you can test it after refrigerating and it should be about 20KOhm. Mine was at 10k Ohm and it would not start the engine.
The entire distributor assembly was replaced as a preventative measure back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember which). I checked the cap & rotor, and they looked fine. I suppose it's still possible that the ignitor is bad, but I believe that is housed inside the distributor and I find it weird that it would go out that soon. Wouldn't surprise me though, with everything else going on.
I haven't had a chance to replace the plugs yet, but I still plan to do that ASAP. I've driven it a few times since resetting the ECU and it hasn't experienced any issues at all. I flogged it the entire way home yesterday just to see how it ran, and it kept up just fine.
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Thanks for the tip on the catalytic converter (warm vs. cold), perhaps that really isn't my issue.
I'll have to take the car on another long drive to see if it really is fixed. My trip home yesterday might not have been long enough to get it to full operating temperature.
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
I haven't had a chance to replace the plugs yet, but I still plan to do that ASAP. I've driven it a few times since resetting the ECU and it hasn't experienced any issues at all. I flogged it the entire way home yesterday just to see how it ran, and it kept up just fine.
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Thanks for the tip on the catalytic converter (warm vs. cold), perhaps that really isn't my issue.
I'll have to take the car on another long drive to see if it really is fixed. My trip home yesterday might not have been long enough to get it to full operating temperature.
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The entire distributor assembly was replaced as a preventative measure back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember which). I checked the cap & rotor, and they looked fine. I suppose it's still possible that the ignitor is bad, but I believe that is housed inside the distributor and I find it weird that it would go out that soon. Wouldn't surprise me though, with everything else going on.
Did you kept the old one? The ignitor or the coil could be defective but you have to test it to see. New things do go bad and they aren't always better than the old things you replaced.
I had a coil went bad when I have head gasket issue that fouled my plug, causing firing voltage to increase and misfire a lot. So it is possible that a bad plug can damage your coil by overworking it to a very high voltage.
Quote:
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
Off topic. I though I had a bad cam plug and then realize regardless of design I need to use either Hondabond or Permatex to seal it, or it will leak. If you want to save money get a tube of Permatex (Black or Grey is better than blue, I think) and just apply it to the plug and the hole after you clean and dry it.
Quote:
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Even with a bad thermostat you will only burn a lot of fuel instead of stalling, and you will see it on your temperature gauge unless your temperature sender/sensor is also bad.
Quote:
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
Every car has to have a pressure or a flow sensor, and it does have a MAP sensor (I just checked on rockauto)
The entire distributor assembly was replaced as a preventative measure back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember which). I checked the cap & rotor, and they looked fine. I suppose it's still possible that the ignitor is bad, but I believe that is housed inside the distributor and I find it weird that it would go out that soon. Wouldn't surprise me though, with everything else going on.
Did you kept the old one? The ignitor or the coil could be defective but you have to test it to see. New things do go bad and they aren't always better than the old things you replaced.
I had a coil went bad when I have head gasket issue that fouled my plug, causing firing voltage to increase and misfire a lot. So it is possible that a bad plug can damage your coil by overworking it to a very high voltage.
Quote:
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
Off topic. I though I had a bad cam plug and then realize regardless of design I need to use either Hondabond or Permatex to seal it, or it will leak. If you want to save money get a tube of Permatex (Black or Grey is better than blue, I think) and just apply it to the plug and the hole after you clean and dry it.
Quote:
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Even with a bad thermostat you will only burn a lot of fuel instead of stalling, and you will see it on your temperature gauge unless your temperature sender/sensor is also bad.
Quote:
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
Every car has to have a pressure or a flow sensor, and it does have a MAP sensor (I just checked on rockauto)
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The entire distributor assembly was replaced as a preventative measure back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember which). I checked the cap & rotor, and they looked fine. I suppose it's still possible that the ignitor is bad, but I believe that is housed inside the distributor and I find it weird that it would go out that soon. Wouldn't surprise me though, with everything else going on.
I haven't had a chance to replace the plugs yet, but I still plan to do that ASAP. I've driven it a few times since resetting the ECU and it hasn't experienced any issues at all. I flogged it the entire way home yesterday just to see how it ran, and it kept up just fine.
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Thanks for the tip on the catalytic converter (warm vs. cold), perhaps that really isn't my issue.
I'll have to take the car on another long drive to see if it really is fixed. My trip home yesterday might not have been long enough to get it to full operating temperature.
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
did you use oem parts? clean out the iacv and also turn the valve all the way down on the iacv
The entire distributor assembly was replaced as a preventative measure back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember which). I checked the cap & rotor, and they looked fine. I suppose it's still possible that the ignitor is bad, but I believe that is housed inside the distributor and I find it weird that it would go out that soon. Wouldn't surprise me though, with everything else going on.
I haven't had a chance to replace the plugs yet, but I still plan to do that ASAP. I've driven it a few times since resetting the ECU and it hasn't experienced any issues at all. I flogged it the entire way home yesterday just to see how it ran, and it kept up just fine.
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Thanks for the tip on the catalytic converter (warm vs. cold), perhaps that really isn't my issue.
I'll have to take the car on another long drive to see if it really is fixed. My trip home yesterday might not have been long enough to get it to full operating temperature.
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
did you use oem parts? clean out the iacv and also turn the valve all the way down on the iacv
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The entire distributor assembly was replaced as a preventative measure back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember which). I checked the cap & rotor, and they looked fine. I suppose it's still possible that the ignitor is bad, but I believe that is housed inside the distributor and I find it weird that it would go out that soon. Wouldn't surprise me though, with everything else going on.
Did you kept the old one? The ignitor or the coil could be defective but you have to test it to see. New things do go bad and they aren't always better than the old things you replaced.
I had a coil went bad when I have head gasket issue that fouled my plug, causing firing voltage to increase and misfire a lot. So it is possible that a bad plug can damage your coil by overworking it to a very high voltage.
Quote:
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
Off topic. I though I had a bad cam plug and then realize regardless of design I need to use either Hondabond or Permatex to seal it, or it will leak. If you want to save money get a tube of Permatex (Black or Grey is better than blue, I think) and just apply it to the plug and the hole after you clean and dry it.
Quote:
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Even with a bad thermostat you will only burn a lot of fuel instead of stalling, and you will see it on your temperature gauge unless your temperature sender/sensor is also bad.
Quote:
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
Every car has to have a pressure or a flow sensor, and it does have a MAP sensor (I just checked on rockauto)
Sorry, you're right. It does have a MAP. I think I read it as "MAF".
I do still have the old distributor and I may end up putting it back in to try and see what happens. It still worked, I just wanted to avoid issues like this so I replaced it with a new one when I got the car.
The cam plug was replaced by the Acura dealership back in 2007-2008, but I do not know if they used any Hondabond. I tried replacing it myself but I couldn't get the metal cover off, even after removing the bolts holding it down. I tried a rubber mallet, etc. I do have a tube of Hondabond to use. I used it when I replaced the valve cover gasket a few years ago.
When I first got the car, it would never warm up. The temperature would always stay cold, which prompted me to replace the thermostat and the temperature has been fine since.
Even after resetting the ECU, the problem persists. I drove it to the gas station yesterday and after restarting it, it began to stutter and act like it wanted to stall when I put it in gear.
I bought another set of spark plugs, so I'll replace them this weekend and see how the old ones look. Maybe that'll give me a clue. If it still misfires, I'll change the wires with the old ones I still have.
I still think it's either the IACV/FITV or the valves being out of spec.
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The entire distributor assembly was replaced as a preventative measure back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember which). I checked the cap & rotor, and they looked fine. I suppose it's still possible that the ignitor is bad, but I believe that is housed inside the distributor and I find it weird that it would go out that soon. Wouldn't surprise me though, with everything else going on.
Did you kept the old one? The ignitor or the coil could be defective but you have to test it to see. New things do go bad and they aren't always better than the old things you replaced.
I had a coil went bad when I have head gasket issue that fouled my plug, causing firing voltage to increase and misfire a lot. So it is possible that a bad plug can damage your coil by overworking it to a very high voltage.
Quote:
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
Off topic. I though I had a bad cam plug and then realize regardless of design I need to use either Hondabond or Permatex to seal it, or it will leak. If you want to save money get a tube of Permatex (Black or Grey is better than blue, I think) and just apply it to the plug and the hole after you clean and dry it.
Quote:
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Even with a bad thermostat you will only burn a lot of fuel instead of stalling, and you will see it on your temperature gauge unless your temperature sender/sensor is also bad.
Quote:
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
Every car has to have a pressure or a flow sensor, and it does have a MAP sensor (I just checked on rockauto)
Sorry, you're right. It does have a MAP. I think I read it as "MAF".
I do still have the old distributor and I may end up putting it back in to try and see what happens. It still worked, I just wanted to avoid issues like this so I replaced it with a new one when I got the car.
The cam plug was replaced by the Acura dealership back in 2007-2008, but I do not know if they used any Hondabond. I tried replacing it myself but I couldn't get the metal cover off, even after removing the bolts holding it down. I tried a rubber mallet, etc. I do have a tube of Hondabond to use. I used it when I replaced the valve cover gasket a few years ago.
When I first got the car, it would never warm up. The temperature would always stay cold, which prompted me to replace the thermostat and the temperature has been fine since.
Even after resetting the ECU, the problem persists. I drove it to the gas station yesterday and after restarting it, it began to stutter and act like it wanted to stall when I put it in gear.
I bought another set of spark plugs, so I'll replace them this weekend and see how the old ones look. Maybe that'll give me a clue. If it still misfires, I'll change the wires with the old ones I still have.
I still think it's either the IACV/FITV or the valves being out of spec.
Originally Posted By: garlicbreadman
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The entire distributor assembly was replaced as a preventative measure back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember which). I checked the cap & rotor, and they looked fine. I suppose it's still possible that the ignitor is bad, but I believe that is housed inside the distributor and I find it weird that it would go out that soon. Wouldn't surprise me though, with everything else going on.
I haven't had a chance to replace the plugs yet, but I still plan to do that ASAP. I've driven it a few times since resetting the ECU and it hasn't experienced any issues at all. I flogged it the entire way home yesterday just to see how it ran, and it kept up just fine.
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Thanks for the tip on the catalytic converter (warm vs. cold), perhaps that really isn't my issue.
I'll have to take the car on another long drive to see if it really is fixed. My trip home yesterday might not have been long enough to get it to full operating temperature.
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
did you use oem parts? clean out the iacv and also turn the valve all the way down on the iacv
The distributor I'm using was purchased from "Distributor King" on eBay, which I've heard good things about. Being that it is aftermarket, I won't rule it out that the coil went bad prematurely. I'm glad I kept my old distributor, just in case.
If the plugs/wires don't fix it, I'm going to take it back to the mechanic who replaced the O2 sensor and further emphasize that I think it's the IACV/FITV, Distributor, or the valves being out of spec and see what they say. I'm running out of good mechanics in the area, so I might just have to tackle it myself.
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The entire distributor assembly was replaced as a preventative measure back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember which). I checked the cap & rotor, and they looked fine. I suppose it's still possible that the ignitor is bad, but I believe that is housed inside the distributor and I find it weird that it would go out that soon. Wouldn't surprise me though, with everything else going on.
I haven't had a chance to replace the plugs yet, but I still plan to do that ASAP. I've driven it a few times since resetting the ECU and it hasn't experienced any issues at all. I flogged it the entire way home yesterday just to see how it ran, and it kept up just fine.
I believe my cam plug is leaking again so when I replace that, I'll take off the valve cover and have a look at the timing belt's alignment to see if the teeth are still lining up. I would've thought if it jumped a tooth, though, it would run bad regardless of the temp.
The thermostat was also replaced in 2007-2008, and it seems to work properly. The temperature gauge is where it has always been.
Thanks for the tip on the catalytic converter (warm vs. cold), perhaps that really isn't my issue.
I'll have to take the car on another long drive to see if it really is fixed. My trip home yesterday might not have been long enough to get it to full operating temperature.
Oh, regarding the MAP sensor and the IACV: the car doesn't have a MAP sensor. The IACV is likely bad. I haven't been able to locate it yet. I believe it's under the intake manifold somewhere, but I couldn't really see it with a flashlight. I'm under the impression I'll have to remove the entire intake to get to it.
did you use oem parts? clean out the iacv and also turn the valve all the way down on the iacv
The distributor I'm using was purchased from "Distributor King" on eBay, which I've heard good things about. Being that it is aftermarket, I won't rule it out that the coil went bad prematurely. I'm glad I kept my old distributor, just in case.
If the plugs/wires don't fix it, I'm going to take it back to the mechanic who replaced the O2 sensor and further emphasize that I think it's the IACV/FITV, Distributor, or the valves being out of spec and see what they say. I'm running out of good mechanics in the area, so I might just have to tackle it myself.
I purchased a distributor from "Distributor King" and one of the sensors was bad.
Originally Posted By: harry j
I purchased a distributor from "Distributor King" and one of the sensors was bad.
Harry, thanks for the testimonial. I won't rule that out as a potential issue. I remember you have/had a Civic with a ton of miles, and sometimes I think to myself: "I wonder how he got to so many miles without this happening to him?"
I was reading on another forum that someone had an issue with one of their fuel injectors not spraying properly causing the same issue that I have... so if it's not too difficult, I'll pull them out and see how they look.
I purchased a distributor from "Distributor King" and one of the sensors was bad.
Harry, thanks for the testimonial. I won't rule that out as a potential issue. I remember you have/had a Civic with a ton of miles, and sometimes I think to myself: "I wonder how he got to so many miles without this happening to him?"
I was reading on another forum that someone had an issue with one of their fuel injectors not spraying properly causing the same issue that I have... so if it's not too difficult, I'll pull them out and see how they look.
You have 2 distributors, your old one was working when you pull it, you can throw parts around to rule out the ignition switches or ignition coil to see if they are good.
Did you use a timing light to check if your timing slipped when you install it? If not, "borrow" a timing light from autozone and see if you can get it lined up right.
Also like I said before, a bad plug (coolant leak that corrode or contaminate the electrodes) can kill the coil, it killed mine.
Did you use a timing light to check if your timing slipped when you install it? If not, "borrow" a timing light from autozone and see if you can get it lined up right.
Also like I said before, a bad plug (coolant leak that corrode or contaminate the electrodes) can kill the coil, it killed mine.
I changed the spark plugs tonight. The old ones looked white at the tips, which I believe is from running lean? One or two of the plugs were slightly out of spec, too. The gaps were too large on them. The plug closest to the passenger side is always an absolute dog to get out, no matter how gentle I put it in and I'm careful not to cross-thread. I have to turn with all of my might to get that plug out. The others all come out fine.
Anyways, I took the car for a short drive and turned it off/on twice even with the AC on (for extra load) and it didn't give me any issues. I may not have driven it long enough to fully warm it up, however, so I'm not convinced that it's fixed.
Is it even possible for spark plugs to cause a problem like this, where it'll misfire at idle or under load when the car is warm or started after it's warmed up? My novice theory is that if the O2 sensor was bad, perhaps it fouled the plugs by having the car run lean, thus causing the misfires. -shrug- I wish I knew more about spark plugs.
I'm not really sure what a fouled plug looks like, so I'm just guessing.
Anyways, I took the car for a short drive and turned it off/on twice even with the AC on (for extra load) and it didn't give me any issues. I may not have driven it long enough to fully warm it up, however, so I'm not convinced that it's fixed.
Is it even possible for spark plugs to cause a problem like this, where it'll misfire at idle or under load when the car is warm or started after it's warmed up? My novice theory is that if the O2 sensor was bad, perhaps it fouled the plugs by having the car run lean, thus causing the misfires. -shrug- I wish I knew more about spark plugs.
I forgot to mention that the old plugs I took out were about 1.5 years old. They had around 16,000 miles on them.
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The old ones looked white at the tips, which I believe is from running lean? One or two of the plugs were slightly out of spec, too. The gaps were too large on them. The plug closest to the passenger side is always an absolute dog to get out, no matter how gentle I put it in and I'm careful not to cross-thread. I have to turn with all of my might to get that plug out. The others all come out fine.
Is that hard to get out plug also one of the out of spec one? Sounds like mine when it had head gasket issue, except mine had a tint of green coolant. Post some pictures of the old plugs and run a compression test to see if you have head gasket issue.
I have huge concern with your head gasket if the plugs don't wear evenly. If it is not head gasket, that points to downstream from distributor to wires or the plugs. Adding the fact that it is hard to get out I believe you really have to check if your head gasket is fine.
If you want to save money borrow tools from autozone to test your own. I did that at work place parking lot with a coworker in 30 minutes. It is not hard and will give you a ball park idea of what is going on.
Quote:
Anyways, I took the car for a short drive and turned it off/on twice even with the AC on (for extra load) and it didn't give me any issues. I may not have driven it long enough to fully warm it up, however, so I'm not convinced that it's fixed.
Is it even possible for spark plugs to cause a problem like this, where it'll misfire at idle or under load when the car is warm or started after it's warmed up? My novice theory is that if the O2 sensor was bad, perhaps it fouled the plugs by having the car run lean, thus causing the misfires. -shrug- I wish I knew more about spark plugs.
I'm not really sure what a fouled plug looks like, so I'm just guessing.
O2 sensor shouldn't cause uneven spark plugs wear between cylinders. It could throw cell, cause fuel economy drop, make all plugs on the same bank (in V engine) go rich or all go lean, but not just one or two cylinders.
O2 sensor being bad should throw a cell, if you want to throw parts at it you can try junk yard or rockauto generic (NTK or Denso would be ideal). If you have high miles, probably due anyways.
The old ones looked white at the tips, which I believe is from running lean? One or two of the plugs were slightly out of spec, too. The gaps were too large on them. The plug closest to the passenger side is always an absolute dog to get out, no matter how gentle I put it in and I'm careful not to cross-thread. I have to turn with all of my might to get that plug out. The others all come out fine.
Is that hard to get out plug also one of the out of spec one? Sounds like mine when it had head gasket issue, except mine had a tint of green coolant. Post some pictures of the old plugs and run a compression test to see if you have head gasket issue.
I have huge concern with your head gasket if the plugs don't wear evenly. If it is not head gasket, that points to downstream from distributor to wires or the plugs. Adding the fact that it is hard to get out I believe you really have to check if your head gasket is fine.
If you want to save money borrow tools from autozone to test your own. I did that at work place parking lot with a coworker in 30 minutes. It is not hard and will give you a ball park idea of what is going on.
Quote:
Anyways, I took the car for a short drive and turned it off/on twice even with the AC on (for extra load) and it didn't give me any issues. I may not have driven it long enough to fully warm it up, however, so I'm not convinced that it's fixed.
Is it even possible for spark plugs to cause a problem like this, where it'll misfire at idle or under load when the car is warm or started after it's warmed up? My novice theory is that if the O2 sensor was bad, perhaps it fouled the plugs by having the car run lean, thus causing the misfires. -shrug- I wish I knew more about spark plugs.
O2 sensor shouldn't cause uneven spark plugs wear between cylinders. It could throw cell, cause fuel economy drop, make all plugs on the same bank (in V engine) go rich or all go lean, but not just one or two cylinders.
O2 sensor being bad should throw a cell, if you want to throw parts at it you can try junk yard or rockauto generic (NTK or Denso would be ideal). If you have high miles, probably due anyways.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The old ones looked white at the tips, which I believe is from running lean? One or two of the plugs were slightly out of spec, too. The gaps were too large on them. The plug closest to the passenger side is always an absolute dog to get out, no matter how gentle I put it in and I'm careful not to cross-thread. I have to turn with all of my might to get that plug out. The others all come out fine.
Is that hard to get out plug also one of the out of spec one? Sounds like mine when it had head gasket issue, except mine had a tint of green coolant. Post some pictures of the old plugs and run a compression test to see if you have head gasket issue.
I have huge concern with your head gasket if the plugs don't wear evenly. If it is not head gasket, that points to downstream from distributor to wires or the plugs. Adding the fact that it is hard to get out I believe you really have to check if your head gasket is fine.
If you want to save money borrow tools from autozone to test your own. I did that at work place parking lot with a coworker in 30 minutes. It is not hard and will give you a ball park idea of what is going on.
Quote:
Anyways, I took the car for a short drive and turned it off/on twice even with the AC on (for extra load) and it didn't give me any issues. I may not have driven it long enough to fully warm it up, however, so I'm not convinced that it's fixed.
Is it even possible for spark plugs to cause a problem like this, where it'll misfire at idle or under load when the car is warm or started after it's warmed up? My novice theory is that if the O2 sensor was bad, perhaps it fouled the plugs by having the car run lean, thus causing the misfires. -shrug- I wish I knew more about spark plugs.
I'm not really sure what a fouled plug looks like, so I'm just guessing.
O2 sensor shouldn't cause uneven spark plugs wear between cylinders. It could throw cell, cause fuel economy drop, make all plugs on the same bank (in V engine) go rich or all go lean, but not just one or two cylinders.
O2 sensor being bad should throw a cell, if you want to throw parts at it you can try junk yard or rockauto generic (NTK or Denso would be ideal). If you have high miles, probably due anyways.
The plugs all looked the same to my naked eye, but the gaps were a little different from plug to plug. Some were still in spec, some were not. Unfortunately the plug that was difficult to get out wouldn't make for a good picture because I had to soak the cylinder with PB Blaster to get it out. This got all over the plug and washed away any color that may have been on the plug. All of the plugs had a white-ish tint to them. I cannot remember if my plugs I replaced before these had that tint to them or not. I don't think they did. I may actually still have a pic of one of my previous sets of plugs after I changed them. I'll have to look and compare when I get home. I'll post a pic of the last set of plugs when I get a chance, too.
The plugs I'm using are pre-gapped by NGK but they aren't exactly the same, so I wonder if that caused a few to become out of spec after they wore down a bit. I noticed that with this new set of plugs they were all in spec but not exactly the same gap. My theory is that the plugs that were gapped the tightest remained in spec where the ones that may have been gapped closer to the outer spec may have gone out of spec after they wore? I'm not even sure if a faulty O2 sensor (which I truly do believe it was faulty) would cause plugs to wear prematurely... or if lean/rich conditions would wear out plugs.
I think it is possible that I have a head gasket issue, because I was told that coolant was leaking from the IACV... but I wonder if it could be coolant leaking out from the head gasket? I haven't seen any white smoke at all, or any sludge/milky substances in the oil or under the valve cover. The oil still looks pretty good.
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
The old ones looked white at the tips, which I believe is from running lean? One or two of the plugs were slightly out of spec, too. The gaps were too large on them. The plug closest to the passenger side is always an absolute dog to get out, no matter how gentle I put it in and I'm careful not to cross-thread. I have to turn with all of my might to get that plug out. The others all come out fine.
Is that hard to get out plug also one of the out of spec one? Sounds like mine when it had head gasket issue, except mine had a tint of green coolant. Post some pictures of the old plugs and run a compression test to see if you have head gasket issue.
I have huge concern with your head gasket if the plugs don't wear evenly. If it is not head gasket, that points to downstream from distributor to wires or the plugs. Adding the fact that it is hard to get out I believe you really have to check if your head gasket is fine.
If you want to save money borrow tools from autozone to test your own. I did that at work place parking lot with a coworker in 30 minutes. It is not hard and will give you a ball park idea of what is going on.
Quote:
Anyways, I took the car for a short drive and turned it off/on twice even with the AC on (for extra load) and it didn't give me any issues. I may not have driven it long enough to fully warm it up, however, so I'm not convinced that it's fixed.
Is it even possible for spark plugs to cause a problem like this, where it'll misfire at idle or under load when the car is warm or started after it's warmed up? My novice theory is that if the O2 sensor was bad, perhaps it fouled the plugs by having the car run lean, thus causing the misfires. -shrug- I wish I knew more about spark plugs.
O2 sensor shouldn't cause uneven spark plugs wear between cylinders. It could throw cell, cause fuel economy drop, make all plugs on the same bank (in V engine) go rich or all go lean, but not just one or two cylinders.
O2 sensor being bad should throw a cell, if you want to throw parts at it you can try junk yard or rockauto generic (NTK or Denso would be ideal). If you have high miles, probably due anyways.
The plugs all looked the same to my naked eye, but the gaps were a little different from plug to plug. Some were still in spec, some were not. Unfortunately the plug that was difficult to get out wouldn't make for a good picture because I had to soak the cylinder with PB Blaster to get it out. This got all over the plug and washed away any color that may have been on the plug. All of the plugs had a white-ish tint to them. I cannot remember if my plugs I replaced before these had that tint to them or not. I don't think they did. I may actually still have a pic of one of my previous sets of plugs after I changed them. I'll have to look and compare when I get home. I'll post a pic of the last set of plugs when I get a chance, too.
The plugs I'm using are pre-gapped by NGK but they aren't exactly the same, so I wonder if that caused a few to become out of spec after they wore down a bit. I noticed that with this new set of plugs they were all in spec but not exactly the same gap. My theory is that the plugs that were gapped the tightest remained in spec where the ones that may have been gapped closer to the outer spec may have gone out of spec after they wore? I'm not even sure if a faulty O2 sensor (which I truly do believe it was faulty) would cause plugs to wear prematurely... or if lean/rich conditions would wear out plugs.
I think it is possible that I have a head gasket issue, because I was told that coolant was leaking from the IACV... but I wonder if it could be coolant leaking out from the head gasket? I haven't seen any white smoke at all, or any sludge/milky substances in the oil or under the valve cover. The oil still looks pretty good.
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
I think it is possible that I have a head gasket issue, because I was told that coolant was leaking from the IACV... but I wonder if it could be coolant leaking out from the head gasket? I haven't seen any white smoke at all, or any sludge/milky substances in the oil or under the valve cover. The oil still looks pretty good.
Mine were just like that when I had to keep adding a little coolant once in a while.
Borrow the autozone compression tester, it is free if you return within 30 days.
Even if pre-gapped, I'd still check and adjust the plug if they are not the same. Also try swapping out the ignition switch (from your old distributor), plug wires (even generic rockauto close out deal or junk yard), and distributor cap (from your old distributor) and see if it smooths out. You either have some ignition problem or a head gasket problem.
I think it is possible that I have a head gasket issue, because I was told that coolant was leaking from the IACV... but I wonder if it could be coolant leaking out from the head gasket? I haven't seen any white smoke at all, or any sludge/milky substances in the oil or under the valve cover. The oil still looks pretty good.
Mine were just like that when I had to keep adding a little coolant once in a while.
Borrow the autozone compression tester, it is free if you return within 30 days.
Even if pre-gapped, I'd still check and adjust the plug if they are not the same. Also try swapping out the ignition switch (from your old distributor), plug wires (even generic rockauto close out deal or junk yard), and distributor cap (from your old distributor) and see if it smooths out. You either have some ignition problem or a head gasket problem.
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