What else could it be??

[stangeater]

Nooo... it would be 2. Not cylinder 5. Cylinder 2.

Incidentally, I don't think you've got an incorrect plug wire routing issue, as that doesn't really make sense with your symptoms (especially since they started out of the blue, while you were driving the car), but out of curiosity, where did you get the plug routing diagram from? I know the Chilton manual is notorious for having the incorrect routing.

Sorry, yes it is 2. The plugs are routed right. When I put on plug wires, I take the old one off, and put 1 new one on......they are correct.

 

[luigisho]

So you say grasshopper. :dig:

 

[jonheese]

It can't be the plug wire routing.

The problem started while he was driving the car, out of the blue. I've never known plug wire boots to jump around while the hood was closed and driver behind the wheel.

 

[stangeater]

It can't be the plug wire routing.

The problem started while he was driving the car, out of the blue. I've never known plug wire boot to jump around while the hood was closed and driver behind the wheel.

jon, thanks for staying on top of this. I'm going to try putting another ECU in the car. I have a post up here in the WTB section... Other than that, I really don't know what to do next.

 

[jonheese]

While you're waiting on an ECU, I'd suggest you check your DIS-to-coilpack wiring. If you have a multimeter (VOM), check for continuity on the following wires that go from the DIS connector to the coilpack connector:

Yellow w/black stripe (Coil A)
Yellow w/red stripe (Coil B)
Yellow w/white stripe (Coil C)
(I think these colors are right for a '92, I got them from my '90 EVTM)

You should find those wire colors on both the DIS-to-coilpack connector (I think it's the one pointing towards the front of the car, but I'm not sure without peeking) and the coilpack plug. Unplug both ends of this cable (i.e. from the DIS and from the coilpack) and check for continuity between the two connectors.

I wouldn't be surprised if one of those wires has broken and that's why you've got two dead/weak cylinders.

Of course, if you've got continuity on all three of those wires, the ECU is the next best guess, and even that's kind iffy...

Good luck!

 

[stangeater]

While you're waiting on an ECU, I'd suggest you check your DIS-to-coilpack wiring. If you have a multimeter (VOM), check for continuity on the following wires that go from the DIS connector to the coilpack connector:

Yellow w/black stripe (Coil A)
Yellow w/red stripe (Coil B)
Yellow w/white stripe (Coil C)
(I think these colors are right for a '92, I got them from my '90 EVTM)

You should find those wire colors on both the DIS-to-coilpack connector (I think it's the one pointing towards the front of the car, but I'm not sure without peeking) and the coilpack plug. Unplug both ends of this cable (i.e. from the DIS and from the coilpack) and check for continuity between the two connectors.

I wouldn't be surprised if one of those wires has broken and that's why you've got two dead/weak cylinders.

Of course, if you've got continuity on all three of those wires, the ECU is the next best guess, and even that's kind iffy...

Good luck!

Thanks Jon, I will definantly check that out. I'm running out of other ideas anyway.......I'm about ready to scrap this nice sho!

 

[stangeater]

I replaced the ECU today with one from a loner car ,and ....NOPE, still the same problem. Dangit. I'm really getting tired of this "throwing Parts" at this car. Anybody need a 92 that has a miss? Maybe a gallon of gasoline, and a match would do the trick?..........

Still seems that cylinder 2 is the worse, and cylinder 5 is kinda bad as far as spark goes. At least that's how it looks with the timing light.

 

[jonheese]

Check the continuity on those wires. That is of utmost importance. If you don't have that, problem solved. If you do, then we keep hunting. Let us know.

 

[stangeater]

Check the continuity on those wires. That is of utmost importance. If you don't have that, problem solved. If you do, then we keep hunting. Let us know.

will do. I sent you a PM Jon. I'll have to borrow a multimeter.

 

[jonheese]

Yup, I got the PM, figured it made more sense to reply here. Good luck.

 

[zach44102]

does the car stutter/**** the car when it misfires because mine is having this same problem. i think its my dis because when i painted the intake i had it off and not knowing anybetter i wiped off the dielectric greace from the plenium. also check the dis ground. try relocating the ground.

 

[hawkeye18]

Not to continue necroposting (even though that's exactly what I'm doing), nobody mentioned to check the ECU ground. My wife's 95 ATX had a very odd stuttering/sputtering problem that I couldn't track down for the life of me - we thought it was in the accessory system - we replaced the AC clutch (it needed replacing anyway, so no big loss there), the tensioners, etc.

We threw new wires, DISs, coil packs, etc. at it, and nothing solved it, until I noticed by chance that the ground wire to the negative battery post had become so corroded it was hanging on by literally one strand. We cut it, ran new wire to the negative post, and that solved it. You should srsly check it out. If it looks green, replace it. We used new 10ga wire from the strut tower ground point to the battery. Haven't had a single problem since!

 

[stangeater]

Okay, UPDATE!
Sorry, I haven't had a lot of time lately to get on here.
I finally took the car to a mechanic on monday, and he says that the intake runners are getting really hot, and he thinks the car is firing when the valves are open. He said also he pulled all 3 back plug wires, and it didn't change how the car ran. What could be the prob that all 3 back cylinders are doing this? Could the car have skipped timing by 180 degrees?

 

[hawkeye18]

No, but if the timing belt got loose enough (or you have the dreaded crank cancer), the timing can retard pretty badly. I would check timing belt tension (easy to do by removing the upper timing belt cover), and if it seems fine, then removing the timing belt and checking the crank snout and keyway is your next step.

I hope it isn't crank cancer, because if it is, and it's bad enough, you need a new engine - and you lose your tool privileges.

 

[zach44102]

i know what it is...i fixed my problem temporarly....one of your valves is not seating correctly therefor leaving a intake/exhaust valve open. so your going to fowl the plug on that cyllinder... go to autozone and buy engine restorant for the 6 cyllinder engine...it will salitify around the valve thats not seating and seal it up temporarly... p.s you need a valve adjustment.. but if this is the problem and the engine restorent fixes it its time to get your heads reworked.... ask me how i know... my heads are currently getting rebuilt.

 

[St Louis SHO]

Okay, UPDATE!
Sorry, I haven't had a lot of time lately to get on here.
I finally took the car to a mechanic on monday, and he says that the intake runners are getting really hot, and he thinks the car is firing when the valves are open. He said also he pulled all 3 back plug wires, and it didn't change how the car ran. What could be the prob that all 3 back cylinders are doing this? Could the car have skipped timing by 180 degrees?

yes, its possible for it to be that far out of time and run. another thing to check is the PCM control for the coil, theres 3 seperate drivers...

 

[jonheese]

I hope it isn't crank cancer, because if it is, and it's bad enough, you need a new engine - and you lose your tool privileges.

Yup. A mild case of crank cancer can be repaired like this though:
http://wikisho.com/krazgeo/CrankCancer.html

i know what it is...i fixed my problem temporarly....one of your valves is not seating correctly therefor leaving a intake/exhaust valve open. so your going to fowl the plug on that cyllinder... go to autozone and buy engine restorant for the 6 cyllinder engine...it will salitify around the valve thats not seating and seal it up temporarly... p.s you need a valve adjustment.. but if this is the problem and the engine restorent fixes it its time to get your heads reworked.... ask me how i know... my heads are currently getting rebuilt.

Why are you so sure? Why would one cylinder's worth of leaky valves cause an engine that runs the same with 3 plug wires disconnected?

I don't think he's got the same issue you did.

 

[zach44102]

o i misread that... i didnt know it was three cyllinders

 

[stangeater]

Okay, we can rule out Crank cancer as I just replaced the timing belt a week ago, and all was good. The car ran no differently after the timing belt was re installed than it did before. As far as I could tell, the timing belt looked good (not missing any teeth) and the timing marks were okay. This is why I was wondering if it could be off by 180 degrees or something...

 

[stangeater]

yes, its possible for it to be that far out of time and run. another thing to check is the PCM control for the coil, theres 3 seperate drivers...

Please explain...