Was driving along just fine, and after a few hard VTEC pulls, with the tunes up kinda loud, I noticed something wasn't right. Tunes off, and man its loud, and running like its missing. Thought maybe I blew out the exhaust the sound was so noticablly different.

Well, I was on the road, and kept driving, half way through a 175 mile trip, and it still had "decent" power, but was definitely struggling a little. I didn't figure I could stop, didn't know anyone, and was in the middle of BF Wisconsin.

This morning, go to start it, same thing, and with a cold motor, I checked the header pipes, to see which one wasn't firing, but they were all getting warm quickly from a cold start, so all 4 must be firing. But it is definitely acting like a miss, puff puff on acceleration with a vibration like a miss.

Its not making any other determining noises from the motor, I mean, no knocking, no whining, no clattering, actually sounds normal except for the "miss" it apparently has.

Its cold as hell, so I thought maybe dirty injectors, or some water in the fuel, so I poured in a bottle of Iso-heet and injector cleaner when I filled up last night, and drove the remaining 45 miles, with no improvement.

Now, next question, yes, it did throw a code last night, and I did not get a chance to check it yet, and I will post as soon as I know what it is.

Anyone else have similar issue with some sort of resolution?

 

Pull a spark plug (one at a time) while its running and note how the idle/missfires change and report back. Thats where I'd start anyway. This is an isolation method to figure out where the miss fire is occuring! (this is what I would do anyway, any better ideas? from anybody else would be appreciated)

so when you get that code too, post it, I'm sure we can all help ya better than!!

 

check the code.

 

Yup, code is coming later. Just at work at the moment. Just thought I would start the fishing.

 

Start pulling the spark plug wires from the spark plugs, one at a time. You should be able to hear it ark to the spark plug when it's pulled off alittle, then pull it further away. If the idle gets rougher or dies, that cylinder is fine. Repeat on the next cylinders untill you isolate which cylinder is missing. Also if the spark is arking to the spark plug but that cylinder isn't firing, it's ether a bad spark plug or a fuel problem; I doubt it's a compression problem.

 

Its throwing a code 43 - Fuel Supply System. That must really narrow it down. I'll be checking my book this weekend. Anyone have some more input? I know this doesn't tell very much yet.

 

ttt, in case anyone has any ideas before I dig into this thing tomorrow.

 

puffing noise combined with rough idle (where it was running ok previously) - either spark plug is loose/damaged or likely blown head gasket.

 

No blown head gasket, #2 cylinder has a major problem.

Compression test:

1 - 181
2 - 0
3 - 190
4 - 192

So, I must have burnt a valve or something in there. It still has spark, and still fires, at least the header pipe gets hot, so I'm guessing something let go with the valve train.

Hope to pull the valve cover tomorrow and inspect further, but in all probability, she'll get parked until its warm out to work on it. A little cold to be working on a car outside in northern WI. Damn......