Sup guys, had a shitty night...I was driving on the highway and my cel started flashing in multiples of 3 or 5...or w/e limp mode is...

I got off an exit to check everything...couldn't find anything wrong...then I got back on the highway...cel was off for a minute then turned solid and my car started to sound like a WRX and throttle response was really weak...

I tried to drive home as safe as I can and when I got home, I checked my spark plugs and wires...everything seems normal but I then looked at my cam gears and the marks don't line up...so I'm guessing one of my cam gears jumped a tooth.

Anyone have any ideas?

My car was idling like at 300 rpm before but now idles normal...also my exhaust fumes smell really really rich.

TIA

 

Have you had a chance to check and see whats codes its pulling?

 

No...I haven't, no autozones were open since this happened like 1-2 hrs ago..the cel went back to flashing like before...but now, it's off.

 

You did say that your cam gears arnt lining up right?
I would try reseting the timing belt to line up. \
You might have jumped tooth when you were on the highway.

 

from what you've described i'd start with the plugs and wires. i know you said you checked them and they look alright but it sounds a lot like a time when one of my plug wires came disconnected. maybe one of your wires is just bad.

the sound, the smell, weak throttle response... all sounds like a misfiring issue to me, so plugs, wires cap and rotor are where i would start.

 

^^Ill vouch for that. My girlfriends car did the same thing. I pulled out the plug wires to check them and one boot seperated Apparently the connection wasnt there ad that was causing a misfire. I replaced the wires and its been great. Id also fix the timing though. Good luck

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by yoffer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You did say that your cam gears arnt lining up right?
I would try reseting the timing belt to line up. \
You might have jumped tooth when you were on the highway.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's one of my guesses since when I look at them from the side...they are not lined up the same way. I hope thats not the problem since I just had my timing belt done like 15k mi ago.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thegoudster &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">from what you've described i'd start with the plugs and wires. i know you said you checked them and they look alright but it sounds a lot like a time when one of my plug wires came disconnected. maybe one of your wires is just bad.

the sound, the smell, weak throttle response... all sounds like a misfiring issue to me, so plugs, wires cap and rotor are where i would start.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yea...I checked all connections on the distributor cap and the spark plugs. At first...that was my main thought...I even pulled the plugs and they seem fine.
The wires and plugs were also changed about 5k mi ago.

 

The marks on the cams should line up with each other. My only guess could be that the tensioner came loose and the t-belt jumped.

I would redo the t-belt and line everything up and go from there. I dont know how far it might have jumped or if there is any damage to the internals ie: bent valves, piston damage.

 

I touched my belt and pushed on it...seemed pretty tight to me...I hope I didn't bend any valves...there are no ticking noises or knocking so that's good.

I'm gonna rotate the crank to tdc tomorrow and see if the cam gear marks face each other in the center... then I'll go on from there.

 

i don't know if any one said this all ready but a flashing CEL means missfire

my guess is u are down a cylinder if u have a timeing light u can see if each is getting a spark then if that doesn't help just try to replace the plugs. ther only a couple dollars

(and if u bought cheap wires when u replaced them last time they just might have gone allready)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eg8tuner &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i don't know if any one said this all ready but a flashing CEL means missfire

my guess is u are down a cylinder if u have a timeing light u can see if each is getting a spark then if that doesn't help just try to replace the plugs. ther only a couple dollars

(and if u bought cheap wires when u replaced them last time they just might have gone allready)</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well curently, the cel is not flashing anymore but it may come back...I'll see tomorrow.

My wires are actually the NGK blue wires and plugs are Denso double platinums.

 

maby the coil is starting to go.

 

ya...I highly think it's the coil..my whip was doing the same thing.so I would recommend checking your whole distributer and also have a look at your ignition coil

 

I checked my cam gears and crank when I rotated the crank to tdc...everything lines up so I'm pretty sure my cam gears didn't jump a tooth.

And I just got the codes pulled...they were:

P0304- cylinder 4 misfire

P1399- Ignition control module malfunction

So I'm guessing my distributor is shot or maybe just the ignition coil. However...my cel constantly flashes...then turns solid and it goes back and forth.

Can the ignition coil it self just be replaced? and how much do they cost?

 

The coil can be replaced. Last one I did cost about 100 bucks.

 

my friend has the same problem, he has a burnt valve and a really bad exhaust leak. i would check those

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nicks-eg6 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my friend has the same problem, he has a burnt valve and a really bad exhaust leak. i would check those</TD></TR></TABLE>

An exhaust leak did come to mind but I didn't find any...idk about the burned valve though...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Meoshe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The coil can be replaced. Last one I did cost about 100 bucks.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Is the coil hard to replace?...it's the square looking thing on the top of the distributor when you take the cap off right?

 

Sounds like you blew a ring on piston #4

That causes a lot of WRX sounding engines on the LSJ in the Ion redlines and cobalt ss that are supercharged.

We have a returnless fuel system so piston 4 runs lean on are cars and when they go it sounds like a WRX.

 

About the thought of my timing belt jumping a tooth...

Here are the pics of my cam gears and crank at tdc...the pic of the crank was the best I could get. It seems off from that angle but I'm pretty sure the tdc mark is in the right spot.

 

My car was doing the same thing, I started replacing all the little stuff with the same crappy results. I did a compression test and I had a dead cylinder.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sh_or_ty &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My car was doing the same thing, I started replacing all the little stuff with the same crappy results. I did a compression test and I had a dead cylinder. </TD></TR></TABLE>

hmm...haven't done a compression test yet...but the way my engine runs...I doubt I have a dead cylinder...car idles normal about 700-900 rpm and the engine shakes a little with the wrx sound at idle and low rpms...but I guess I won't know if I have a dead cylinder until I do the compression test.

Anyone have any other ideas?

 

My friend had this problem also with his d15b7... Compression was like 150 in 3 cylinders and 10 in a cylinder but i forget which one, it sounded just like a WRX or any subaru with a fart can..

 

WRX's sound cool, just leave it........j/k replace the coil...and do it soon cuz if u run it much with that misfire you will carbon up the valves and get a leak, you might as well do the whole tune up, plugs, cap, rotor while ur at it, and ohm test ur wires or just replace them. since ur codes came up with the coil problems, i wouldnt worry about it being anything else.

 

when my car sounded like a subaru it had a loose injector clip.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by agy2k2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">when my car sounded like a subaru it had a loose injector clip. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I also checked the injector clips...when I unplugged the cyl 4 injector clip while the engine was idling...idle dropped low...went back to normal after I put it back but still had the wrx sound.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Crx_Civic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">WRX's sound cool, just leave it........j/k replace the coil...and do it soon cuz if u run it much with that misfire you will carbon up the valves and get a leak, you might as well do the whole tune up, plugs, cap, rotor while ur at it, and ohm test ur wires or just replace them. since ur codes came up with the coil problems, i wouldnt worry about it being anything else. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, the car is sitting now since I'm going back to school soon so it's not gonna be driven...I think I'm just gonna buy a whole new distributor instead of a coil...cause it would suck if I bought a coil and the problem still persists...same if I also bought an ICM...I really hope a new distributor solves the problem.