So I've got a B16A3 with intake and header, sounds like a slight miss. Maybe even a slight WRX sound with exhaust. I've replaced coil(external, blaster SS), plugs, cap, rotor(all MSD) and I still have this sound to it. Have been told possibly a ring land broke. Did a compression and leak down on it and numbers are as follows 1) 10% 155 2)5% 160 3)5% 160 4)5% 160. No smoke out of the tailpipe car seems to run strong with no real problems other than this sound. Any suggestions out there? I'm at my wits end with it and don't want to believe that the internals are screwed. Are there any test besides the compression and leak down for the ring lands? Sorry for the long write up but I felt like I needed to give all the info I could. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

my friend had a b20 with a type r 4-1 header and straight through exhaust... it always sounded like that... if one of your ring lands was broke you would know it... the car would run like *** if at all and the compression would be very low on that cylinder

 

well I have a 4-1 header on it now and have gone absolutley nuts trying to figure out this problem, I can't bring myself to think its just a header. can it really be that easy?

 

well when did you notice this sound?... in my friends case it wasnt until he put on the header and opened up the exhaust

 

Sounds like your engine is OK.

Is this just a noise, or are there drivability issues here? If it's just a noise and the car runs smoothly with adequate power, I'd just turn the radio up and ignore it.

 

well i noticed it right after the header went on but never really payed much attention to it until the leak down and compression tests were done. No driveability issues, just don't want that noise....

 

i have the same thing at idle, my B18B sounds like its bumbling like a WRX. it sounds like its missing and popping at idle. i have a comptech header, high flow (legal) cat, and greddy sp2 exhaust.

 

well Jun 4-1 header stock cat and piping to a Blitzkrieg(?) muffler, sounds like that all throughout the power band. seems more when its warmed up. maybe i should get a stock exhaust manifold and try that?

 

probably nothing. Have you check all the basics like timing, etc. Also if you had a wring landing break there would be pieces of piston ring landing in your oil pan. I have had a piston ring landing break and the motor still run perfectly fine.

 

Changed the oil not too long ago and no metal on the magnet, is there any other way to check for internal failure? Anyone have a test for the ICM and other parts in the dizzy?

 

anyone?? bump for help

 

helms is your friend

 

if you think you have an ignition miss, jus pull one of the plug wires at a time from above the valve cover... if you pull the wire all the way out facing the windshield and your car runs the same as before you pulled the wire, then that wire is not firing the plug. ground that wire and see if there is an arc. if not, then that wire is not firing. there is an icm check procedure inside the helms...but usually your car wont run. check your spark plug gap and make sure they are tight. if they are loose, during idle, it will sound like a miss because air is being sucked in past the plug.