It runs rough all the time but you can really feel it when its accelerating. Its like its running on one less cylinder then what it should be.

It has the coil packs. I was going to rule out the cylinders by shutting one down at a time until there is no change. Is it safe to unplug the coil packs while the car is running, or am I going to send 40,000 volts through my body?

Any other suggestions to solve this problem would be awesome.

Thanks in advance.

 

what car is this? it has coil packs?

step one, inspect spark plugs and replace if worn, abnormal or damaged. look for simple things like loose injector plugs or other worn ignition components.

you should be able to tell a lot from pulling the plugs out. be sure to keep track of which one came out of which cylinder just in case you find something odd with one of them.

 

This is a 96 RL. I've posted in the correct forums and had no response.

Yeah I'll pull the the plugs and do the inspections. Thanks

 

oh, ok. if memory serves those were notorious for blowing head gaskets. keep an eye out for coolant in the cylinders (you should be able to get a glance through the spark plug tubes), muddy looking oil, oil/flecks of carbon/bubbles in the coolant.

 

yeah I'm going to replace the plugs as they do look old. Its hard to see in the cylinders so I don't know about the gasket.

Plus new plugs always do wonders.

 

I didn't have the time to make it down to the parts store yet, but I pulled the plugs to
each of the coils.

When I did the engine would react to each one being pulled and would make the engine
run worse. I don't know if that's because the ecu noticed it was unplugged and
changed it or what. So after I replace the plugs it will probably run smoother since it
seems all the coils work.

On a second note I had my wife rev the engine as I sat there and watched what was
going on. The engine doesn't seem to vibrate (run as rough) when looking in the bay as
to sitting in the driver seat holding the steering wheel.

So I'm thinking that had something to do with the engine mounts. I watched them as
the engine would rev up and down and it looks to be some play in there, but not what it
feels like in the car. they do look old and seem to have one side torn. So probably
these are the culprits.

If you have any other advice or what to look for I would like to hear it before spending
more money on this project. Thanks again