Hesitation, knocking, failed emissions test

[Diamond]

Hey guys just bought me a 1992 plymouth laser RS turbo. Car is FWD and the engine has about 30,000 km. Well heres the story i purchased the car last week and it has been sitting for about two years. Well i took it for safty and it only needed brakes. E-test whole diff story it failed e-test but only one part (e-test is an emissions standered in ontario) and failed it by like 4 times the amount. And when im drving just out of no where the car will hesitate for a minute like not exellerate just hesitate and shake for like a minute and the check engine light pops on and then it goes away and drives fine. well today its very cold out but i have drivin the car for about 10 min then got to work and put it in park and all of a sudden i here a slight knocking noise so i popped the hood and it sounds like its coming from the top. well its not to loud but its there and the car has sat for about two years and i havent got to change the oil in it if i change the oil with this help and should i add anything?

 

[Diamond]

Hey guys just bought me a 1992 plymouth laser RS turbo. Car is FWD and the engine has about 30,000 km. Well heres the story i purchased the car last week and it has been sitting for about two years. Well i took it for safty and it only needed brakes. E-test whole diff story it failed e-test but only one part (e-test is an emissions standered in ontario) and failed it by like 4 times the amount. And when im drving just out of no where the car will hesitate for a minute like not exellerate just hesitate and shake for like a minute and the check engine light pops on and then it goes away and drives fine. well today its very cold out but i have drivin the car for about 10 min then got to work and put it in park and all of a sudden i here a slight knocking noise so i popped the hood and it sounds like its coming from the top. well its not to loud but its there and the car has sat for about two years and i havent got to change the oil in it if i change the oil with this help and should i add anything?

 

[jking29]

The tapping noise up top is most likely a lifter. An oil change will help alleviate that usually. If the car has been sitting for 2 years it is definitely in need of maintenance. You should really plan on doing a complete timing belt job including tensioners, balance shaft belts or elimination and water pump. Also a complete tune up is in order including plugs, wires, filters and possibly an O2 sensor. A boost leak test is also in order here, as a leak can cause the driveability problems you are describing. Also, what part of the smog test did it fail? If we know that we can help you pinpoint why it failed. Congratulations on your purchase, just make sure to do the maintenance as it is FAR cheaper to do it now than to repair it when it breaks from not doing it. And it WILL break without maintenance.

 

[Diamond]

well timing belt and all that is on the way and thanks for the responce umm the part it failed was the nitrous oxide part not sure why or what but thats what they told me. as well i did some more re-search on the site and deff sounds like lifter tick because it only happens somtimes its not that bad and and its only at idle and roughtly 2000 rpms

 

[Quasimondo]

Excessive NOx (nitrous oxides) are an indication of running excessively lean, as opposed to excessive HC's (Hydrocarbons) which is an indication of running excessively rich.

Things to look at would be replacing your fuel filter, and possibly pulling up the fuel pump and checking the screen filter installed on that. Old gasoline over time can become varnished and gum up your fuel system. If you managed to get the car running, it wasn't enough to play havoc with your fuel system, but that doesn't mean that it won't have an affect on driveability, especially if you have excess deposits in the filter.

 

[JayRolla]

Sat for 2 years and you drove it without changing the oil??WTF I would not have even started it. Do all regular maintenence. All fluids, plugs, wires, ect...........

 

[illegal99si]

first of all if the car has been sitting for 2yrs i would change all the fluids in the car immediately. oil starts to gunk up after sittin for awhile so the noise is probably ## valves tappin from not being properly lubed which can also case them to get stuck and cause hesitation

 

[BISHILVR]

Sounds like the "normal" lifter tick to me. Do change the fluids right away though, the ph of oil becomes corrosive over time. It sounds like you have bad plugs/wires also.