Car still misfires after tuneup, 22 mpg, what next...

[uslspct]

Well I have a leak or two for sure, but I don't go through oil like crazy. I understand what you mean though. How exactly did you fix your problem?

The low gas MPG by itself, even the sucky low rpm power, I wouldn't think much of, but coupled with the misfires, like today, as soon as I started it blub blub blub, makes me think something isn't right.

I'll check the ignition system before I do the head swap, maybe swap a dizzy in. But maybe I'll find something when I pull the head off. I still never checked to see if the timing belt was dead on.

[ferenza]

Sounds like a dizzy problem or a worn coil.A bad coil will make the car hesitate , stuble and die at low idle.From my experience my dizzy coil gave a intermitten check engine light,and stumbled all the way up to 3500rpm.anything after that it felt fine.You could also have a weak signal from the cam sensor which causes hard starting ,back firing, a misfire, or no start. Before you remove your head check the ohms on the coil when its cold and then hot

[deevergote]

If it does have anything to do with the coil, Nick.. I have two MSD Blaster coils in my basement if you want to try them out.

[uslspct]

Car acted up really bad today.

Checked coil again cold and hot. Same good specs.
I pulled off dizzy cap and rotor and it was super clean in there.
I noticed I am leaking oil near ps pump and it's hard to be certain, but it looks like it's coming from head gasket. And with the other leak behind that one, signs are pointing to pulling the head off asap. But that still wouldn't cause my rpm needle to die/bounce.
I would like to change distributors before I do the head/cam/belts/seals and see what that does. That and my fuel pump since that's sitting in my basement ready to go.

[wed3k]

you ought see if you can put a scope on the motor. this will rule out ignition or mechanical failures.

[uslspct]

you ought see if you can put a scope on the motor. this will rule out ignition or mechanical failures.

Ok, find someone around here who'll do that please.

I think I solved the tach drop problem. I had some cut wire inside the dizzy from long ago taking out the internal coil and ignitor. I think it was grounding out sometimes. The insulation was falling off. I taped it up really good and the problem hasn't come back.

So misfire is still there. Onward to head swap though. And speaking of headswaps...

[tutsuo]

Id say alt or that msd ignition, everyone and i mean EVERYONE i know that has an msd ignition system has had misfireing issues or issues when reving past 6.5K

[uslspct]

So I don't drive this car any more. I turned it on today to charge the battery and just check things out. I put cardboard underneath the car to really see where my oil leaks are coming from. I think they're getting bad. Check out this pic of oil behind the timing cover. The IM is showing and the red is my valve cover. Tilt your head to the right and this is what you would see looking straight down there. I cleaned my bay and engine months ago to see where oil was coming from and I noticed this spot before, but it seems to really pool here now. All around the timing cover and parts behind the block leak to, and have been for some time. What would this leak be? It's not the valve cover gasket.

[networknewbie]

so excessive oil leak leads to misfires ?

[Bad_dude]

so excessive oil leak leads to misfires ?

Only if it leaks into your plugs.

[Bad_dude]

Why don't you take the car to the auto store and have them test your alternator? They could tell you if the diodes are still good. The alternator will drop to 13.7V if the battery is fully charged without any accessories going. This is the maintaining voltage.
The plugs look fine to me. The little red tint is from the fuel additives. Other than that a little brown is normal. No signs of oil burning or white crust from heat gasket.

[uslspct]

Why don't you take the car to the auto store and have them test your alternator? They could tell you if the diodes are still good. The alternator will drop to 13.7V if the battery is fully charged without any accessories going. This is the maintaining voltage.
The plugs look fine to me. The little red tint is from the fuel additives. Other than that a little brown is normal. No signs of oil burning or white crust from heat gasket.

Alternator is fine. That issue is not one anymore. Still have bad misfire and some oil leaks, may be related. Especially since both seem to be getting worse. I will pull off the timing cover any day now...

[92Inspire]

that oil leak on the back of the head that you took a picture of is usually the cam seal if the valve cover is not leaking. when they go and start to leak really bad the oil actually flows from that point like a water fall. almost like honda designed it to.

[uslspct]

that oil leak on the back of the head that you took a picture of is usually the cam seal if the valve cover is not leaking. when they go and start to leak really bad the oil actually flows from that point like a water fall. almost like honda designed it to.

It is probably that seal. I don't drive it anymore and a new head and oil pan will go in soon.
It's weird, the other day I drove it around the block and it didn't sputter once. And one week before that it sputtered like crazy.

[uslspct]

Car is not driveable now. It's died many times over last few days. Sometimes through intersections because it dies upon acceleration from a stop. It throws a cel but fires right back up and cel light is gone. Gotta be something dizzy related or the fuel pump. One injector having a problem wouldn't do this. Could be coil but I've tested it to be fine. I've triple checked for any loose cables. People say fuel pump usually wouldn't act like this, but we'll see...

I can't replicate the failure while the car isn't moving. What's different when it's in gear that would be the problem?