Engine Problems

[teen ti]

Ok, so my new ti is running pretty rough, sounds likes its misfiring on two cylinders. Jess gave me a great idea on where to start but I've got a few other issue to work out. First of all it looks like the spark plugs are the originals so I trie to change them but they will not budge. I can get a grip on them just fine but they will not come out. I was wondering if it would be ok to really torque on them to get em out or if this is a no no. As for the rest of the engine issues i took two videos (albeit really poor ones) that hopefully somebody will be able to diagnose my issues with. Thanks guys.








Sorry about the poor video quality and yes I need a new muffler, Im on it

[cooljess76]

I can't really hear anything abnormal in the videos. You can rule out the unsecure oil cap, because it would be knocking and the engine would want to stall. Sounds like you have a slight misfire. If there wasn't any oil in the plug wells, then you can cross that off the list. The next step would be to do the vacuum leak check using brake/parts cleaner. And finally if you can't locate any vacuum leaks, then I'd try the seafoam treatment. You don't seem to have any idle issues, so I'd think that the idle control valve and CCV are both working properly. As for the spark plugs being tight, you're using an extension and a deep set socket right? Try doing it while the engine is a little warm.

[black98]

I guess this is what i get for leaving the computer open and on the ORG the kids trying to type in here

Sorry

[teen ti]

Thanks Jess, now Im fairly confident in the fact that its a vacuum leak, because like in the video it runs not great but ok, and other times its running really poorly. The plug wells are free of any oil so that was easy enough to dismiss. As for the spark plugs I'm using an extension and deep socket and ill try letting it warm up a little more the next time I try. Thanks again.

[teen ti]

time for an update: well after running the engine a little bit and spraying some wd40, the spark plugs came right out. the shop who had it said the plugs were too difficult to get out and didn't put the spark plug wires back in all the way. so i replaced the plugs, put the wires in and after a few tries, she started right up, sounded exactly like it should and drove completely fine. so it appears that I'm never going bak to this shop and dodged a decently sized bullet. thanks for all the help guys

[zoner]

This is why I just really have zero faith in about 98% of all shops... Even one of the shops down here, which shall remain nameless, could not diagnose where the whistle under my hood was coming from (they guessed that it was either the CCV or possibly a vacuum leak from the air hoses on the fuel injectors) even though after about 5 minutes with the stethoscope, I correctly diagnosed it as the ICV.

Glad your car was a cheap, easy fix!

[teen ti]

Originally Posted by zoner

Glad your car was a cheap, easy fix!

that makes two of us