Engine stumbling.

[ion] C2 · 04-20-2008, 06:40 PM

Damn it.

So I noticed some engine hesitation/stumbling today. I am not sure how to diagnose this, it's hard to figure out when or why it's doing this.

It seems like if I'm cruising along at 40-70 or whatever, if I give it a bit more gas to speed up, things start shaking, the RPMs waver. If I floor it, it'll downshift and take off, but the RPMs waver and the engine revs up and down a bit as it accelerates, and and the air fuel ratio (albeit I have a narrowband) will go from rich to stoichiometric. It should stay in rich the whole time. Not good, leaning out.

Been throwing a SES light as well for a while, intermittently. I haven't checked it recently, since I caused it to go on by tapping into the O2 sensor for my A/F gauge a long time ago and it really hasn't done anything negative. Apparently now, it is true if it says I am lean, unlike before when it was just an error.

On top of this, there seems to be a ticking sound coming from the engine. Excellent. #3 cylinder area. Maybe I spun the classic #3 rod bearing. Maybe I broke something else. Maybe it's just a misfire and the spark plug is screwed up, the fuel injector is failing, the fuel pump is dying, or my O2 sensor finally needs to be changed.

Hell it's only got 181,000 miles on it.

2fst4u · 04-20-2008, 06:54 PM

time for a low mileage engine. do it up right this time as far as internals that love boost.
shouldn't be too bad of a swap. upgrade your clutches in the tranny while you're at it. those miles are a little high.

[ion] C2 · 04-20-2008, 07:06 PM

ya no wai, i'm picking up a 30k mile LD9 complete within a week or two but then i have to find some money to have the rotating assembly installed, and then assemble the rest and swap it with my many friends lol

my friend says it's a bad spark plug, the oil i saw on the head and leaky cam covers caused this, he can almost guarantee it. i'm gonna pull the plugs and check it out tonight

01silveralero · 04-20-2008, 07:43 PM

oh noes the supercharger is too much for the engine now? on a serious note that sucks.

[ion] C2 · 04-20-2008, 08:53 PM

Cylinder #3

Plug electrode is coated in white, around the edge of the plug is dark black/oily. Top of piston is coated white.

Woohoo, get to buy new spark plugs tomorrow. I've been driving on 3 cylinders, lol. Powaaa. No wonder I noticed a lack of power today, and the clicking/ticking sound would be caused from the no ignition piston and the shaking from the off balance assembly, etc.

01silveralero · 04-20-2008, 09:03 PM

thats nothing....................u should have seen my plugs not just one plug

[ion] C2 · 04-20-2008, 10:27 PM

It also was hard to start recently, another symptom of a bad plug. Hopefully once I replace them with NGK TR6's tomorrow, everything will be awesome 'til I get that other engine in. Being a daily driver, this car is very important.

[ion] C2 · 04-21-2008, 01:31 PM

New NGK TR6s solved the problem.. temporarily. No more SES, absolutely none of the symptoms. Most of the plugs' threads were coated in oil, the plugs near the electrodes was all oily as well.

My exhaust cam tower is leaking oil for some reason:

As far as I can tell just between cylinder 2 and 3, its leaking through the seam.. and travelling down the spark plug holes, etc. Why is it doing this? Cam tower gasket failure? I've never touched that cam tower, it just happened on its own. I noticed it's always seemed to be dirty/oily on the cam tower and head (static, no leak), just lately it's been actually leaking noticeably.

Mischief007 · 04-21-2008, 01:50 PM

Most likely the gasket. Cheap fix.

By the way, that's nothing. I once rolled on 1 cylinder out of 4 on my old Cavalier.

[ion] C2 · 04-21-2008, 01:57 PM

Apparently it's a common issue:

Quote:

C2: my exhaust cam tower's leaking oil
C2: http://www.ion-productions.com/oilCam.JPG
jmillerweb: lol so is mine, been for over a year
C2: i've seen it for a while, since i had the car it always looked dirty/oily
C2: but recently it's been collecting
C2: and seeping through the spark plug threads
jmillerweb: its common for 2.4's, cause my buddies is also
C2: and caused my plug(s) to misfire and stuff
C2: so i bought some new NGK TR6s and it solved allll of my issues
C2: i need to clean it up though and try to keep the oil from getting to the head lol
jmillerweb: well like i said, i have the same problem but its no big deal
jmillerweb: my car runs fine
C2: mhmm
jmillerweb: mines on the other side of the cam tower though
C2: ah that's why
C2: mine's puddling in the spark plug area -_-

cavaliers60 · 04-21-2008, 02:18 PM

sucks dude... At least I'm not the only one with engine troubles. lol

Spilner521 · 04-21-2008, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [ion] C2

I've been driving on 3 cylinders

The car should've sounded like a WRX, let alone the hesitation issues.

[ion] C2 · 04-21-2008, 05:34 PM

it sounded a lot different and had major hesitation

the new spark plugs solved it, just need to find a way to keep the leak at bay so it doesn't get into the plugs anymore lol

Spilner521 · 04-21-2008, 05:37 PM

Duct tape

Vinalero · 04-22-2008, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [ion] C2

it sounded a lot different and had major hesitation

the new spark plugs solved it, just need to find a way to keep the leak at bay so it doesn't get into the plugs anymore lol

Fix it? what would it require?

Buy gasket

take head off

swap old gasket with new one

put head back on

???

[ion] C2 · 04-22-2008, 09:17 AM

it's not the head, just the exhaust cam tower gasket. i have one sitting here in my dorm to go in other engine i'm buying. i should have that engine in within a month, just need to keep this one going lol

Vinalero · 04-23-2008, 07:29 PM

Hmm well yeah I suppose you dont really need to change that in those circumstance! lol

TheEdgeofSanity · 04-23-2008, 07:33 PM

i don't see why you just don't drive it till it dies then put the new engine in it... i mean, its already running pretty good and you may as well save the new engine until its really needed..

[ion] C2 · 04-23-2008, 07:44 PM

It's my daily driver. I need transportation to get to places each day.

I have all the parts I need to rebuild an engine, including FORGED pistons, rods, and upgraded bearings, which basically makes the engine fully reliable and capable of handling 500-700HP, which I don't intend to ever get close to. I want to have a strong engine in there so I can spray meth, nitrous, up the boost, and all of my head/exhaust work and whatnot to make a lot of power to make me go quick, soon.

It's logical to buy this complete engine (for $150 I might add, including the A/C compressor w00t air conditioning again!) and build it up with my friends so it is ready to go in if I need it. Well, once it's built up it's going in ASAP so I can hit the track again without worry.

Plans
√ - Eagle forged 4340 H-beam connecting rods (not installed yet)
√ - Wiseco 9:1 forged pistons (not installed yet)
√ - Wiseco chromoly wrist pins (not installed yet)
√ - Wiseco piston rings (not installed yet)
√ - Clevite 77 rod bearings (not installed yet)
√ - Clevite 77 main bearings (not installed yet)
√ - New balance shaft bearings (not installed yet)
√ - New timing chain (not installed yet)
√ - All new gaskets (not installed yet)
- Drag radials
- Snow Performance methanol injection system
- Pacesetter header
- Header back 2.5" dual outlet quiet-as-possible exhaust
- Walbro 255 liter/hr fuel pump
- RC Engineering 440cc injectors
- Dyno tune #1
- Port & polish head
- 3 angle valve job, forged stainless steel valves w/bronze valve guides
- Port & polish supercharger
- 50HP NX nitrous system
- Dyno tune #2

Run low 13s/high 12s, kick back and enjoy.

meadus101 · 04-23-2008, 11:05 PM

My friend had a little problem with his top gasket on his ford focus, He put a gel sealer as a temp fix till he got the cash to fix it up right.

as this is a daily driver and you need this to last until the new one? How about that?

I'll post the name of it when I remember it.

Ultra Copper was the name of it.