head gasket or spark plug wires

[nismobenzo]

'90 ka24e-my car was running fine-leaked oil and occasional smoke since i took out the cat but didnt overheat and ran strongit randomly started bogging one time after i started it up..since then it idles around 500rpms and seems like its about to diethen i drive and it runs fine unless im right below 2k-backfires alot in that rangebut otherwise it runs like normal-but when i shift gears sometimes the wheel locks up and the car basically turns off until i get it back in gear and gassing itmy oil and everything looks fine-i just dont understand why its runninglike if my timing was off or not running on all cylinders or something...any ideas or questions to help me get to the bottom of this?
Modified by nismobenzo at 8:06 PM 11/29/2009

[OutToWinPAHC]

So no major smoking or steaming, is there oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil?

First, fix the oil leak

Then do a compression test.

Then try the basics, inspect all sensors and connection, make sure they are all clean and not corroded. Check the fuel rail for leaks (injector O rings), Maybe give her a tune up (cap, rotor, plugs, wires) and time it, replace fuel filter, and clean the MAF (MAF Clean), maybe a seafoam job.

[nismobenzo]

last time i added radiator fluid it looked clear andi duno what coolant in the oil looks like but it appeared normal..

would and oil fuel filter make it run like that??im not in any way a machanic but i can do some basic stuff..but my main spark plug wire slides off and is bent so i thought it could have something to do with itand what did you mean by checking the "cap and rotor"?

[OutToWinPAHC]

The ignition coil goes into the center of the distrubutor cap and down to the center of the rotor under the cap, the rotor spins at engine speed the pad on the rotor makes contact with the 4 pads one at a time as it spins under the cap. Then into the wire to the plugs where it ignites the fuel.

Its easy to do, but you will want to time it afterwards. Maybe a buddy can help you who has a timing light and knows how to use it.

If I were you, no offense, do a little homework and figure out how to do a tune up, also replace the fuel filter, and do the other stuff I wrote. Check the how to's, stickies, and FSM.

[nismobenzo]

so basically alot of crap could be making it bog/cut out??damn you single cam!

[OutToWinPAHC]

Yeah, but a tune up is cheap on that, just get good plugs, wires, cap and rotor and time it. Fuel Filter, seafoam, and maybe maf clean, but before you do it visually inspect it all.

[nismobenzo]

cool yea ill pick up some new spark plugs/wires tomoroweverything appears normal except for my spark plug wireso im hoping thats the culprit..im was just really lost when it ran just fine all daythen later that same day it just would act like it wanted to die until giving it some gas and idling oddly most of the time

[nismobenzo]

so definatly getting new spark plug wires and steel wooling the plugs at leastbecause the ignition coil is bent and wont stay securely in the distributor

[nismobenzo]

i got new wires/plugs/and coil-it ran fine but still bogged and backfired alotthen the power just deminished day after day after day..-yesterday i could barrely make it up to speed to make it home from work..i had my foot to the floor and it was barely accelerating.then today it would even stay idled. i tried to make it run and it just died..sound like a distributor maybe or what do u think

[OutToWinPAHC]

Or fuel related, could be a bad MAF that's reading too low, TPS, clogged fuel filter, dying fuel pump.

Do you have a check engine light?

[nismobenzo]

Or fuel related, could be a bad MAF that's reading too low, TPS, clogged fuel filter, dying fuel pump.

Do you have a check engine light?

the only light that comes on is the battery light when my car dies on me.would i be able to test any of the stuff u suggested being wrong??my fuel/air filters have maybe a week or two of use on themand the fuel pump looks to be brand new

[OutToWinPAHC]

So you opened your gas tank and looked at the fuel pump?

You battery light comes on when it dies because its not charging because the alternator is not spinning. That is normal.

Try replacing your fuel filter, and try "MAF clean" And try seafoaming your engine.

Also look for vacuum leaks, search how to find vacuum leak.

I think your fuel filter is shot or your MAF is misreading, or you o2 sensor is bad and misreading.

[nismobenzo]

So you opened your gas tank and looked at the fuel pump?

You battery light comes on when it dies because its not charging because the alternator is not spinning. That is normal.

Try replacing your fuel filter, and try "MAF clean" And try seafoaming your engine.

Also look for vacuum leaks, search how to find vacuum leak.

I think your fuel filter is shot or your MAF is misreading, or you o2 sensor is bad and misreading.

so i can use maf clean and seafoam even if the car wont idle on its own?

and vacuumm leaks have been checked and everything looks fine..

compression on the 3rd cylinder is 120 but im thinkin thats not the cause..

[nismobenzo]

sad bump =[