car broke HELP!!!!

[pdub42]

Update: spark plugs changed car running fine now, but..... checked oil its all milky now. Could the bad spark plug have caused a head gasket to fail? or head gasket cause a spark plug to fail? I am guessing that I am going to need to be ordering a gasket kit now.

So when i first bought the car engine went out on me, put a new one in ran great. Just hit 1100 miles since new engine. Ran great last night, this morning I start it up and its idling weird kept dropping to 500 then back up to 1000. Got all the ice scrapped off the car and head to class immediately something is wrong car has no power and when i get up to speed it starts misfiring and hesitating like crazy then as im merging onto the highway sounds like something breaks or pieces coming apart or something and check engine light starts flashing. I shut it off and coast to the side of the road and got it towed back to my house. Checked the code it is P0300 which says random multiple cylinder misfire. Not sure what is wrong but I took the valve cover off I was hoping my timing belt didn't slip and a valve hit or something but from what I can see under the valve cover it looks alright however I cannot see the valves at all. Any advice?

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

Just like you said, first check the basics. Timing belt would be a good place to start because it will cause a good amount of noise. You can't see the valve's from the valve cover. They are inside the engine. Take the timing cover off and see if it is damaged. Was the motor rebuild or "new"? Who did the install and what kind of belt was used?

 

[pdub42]

Engine was used from totaled car. Engine had 86,000 miles on it when me and my neighbor put it in. I put a dayco timing belt I think that was the brand it was from advanced auto and I also put in new idler pulleys and a new tensioner. I do have the valve cover off and could not see anything wrong but all I can see really are the springs and the shaft of a few of the valves. I looked at the timing belt through the inspection window and it didnt break at least but I am not sure if it is lined up or not. Its only like 20 degrees out right now and snowing so it kinda sucks workin outside in that haha.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

Do just the basic checks first, make sure everything is connected. A sensor probably came loose or fell off. Make sure everything is together and tight.

 

[pdub42]

is there a good way to check for spark without starting the engine? I am afraid to start the engine with the CEL flashing like that Ive always been told that if its flashing shut it off immediately.

 

[EclipticalGS]

Ignition coil
Spark plugs
Ignition circuit
Injector
Upstream HO2S
Compression pressure
Timing belt
Crankshaft position sensor
Air intake
Fuel pressure
Crankshaft position sensor circuit and connector


These are the possibilites, check to make sure if all your belts are on. Did your coil pack or coils by any chance explode? Happened to my 420a, same code, firecracker noises.

 

[quiksilver20004]

If it was a sensor that caused it then it should have thrown a code for that sensor. Pull your plugs out and see what they look like and let me know. As far as getting spark on a 2g 7bolt motor without cranking over the motor i have no idea. i know with the 1g you can turn the ignition to run and spin the cam angle sensor. But the 7bolt 2g has both a cam angle sensor and crank angle sensor so no idea unless you can jumper the signal from the Cam sensor into the Crank sensor because they throw the same signal to the ecu. That way you could just spin the cam. sounds ok i theory haha

 

[boostd_mitsu]

the cel flashes when it is setting a code. check the timing and make sure its on, if it is then you can turn the motor over to see if you have spark. to tell you the truth, if you heard some bad noises while you were driving, chances are cranking the motor over now isn't going to do anymore damage then what already happened. make sense? good luck with everything

 

[pdub42]

the cel flashes when it is setting a code. check the timing and make sure its on, if it is then you can turn the motor over to see if you have spark. to tell you the truth, if you heard some bad noises while you were driving, chances are cranking the motor over now isn't going to do anymore damage then what already happened. make sense? good luck with everything

Oh the flashing check engine light doesnt mean anything different? I know for my old mustang that I used to have if the CEL would flash you were supposed to immediatly shut off the engine or damage could occur but wasnt sure if it was the same for these cars. I turned the engine over a few revolutions by hand and it seemed to turn over fine. I tested the coil pack all the resistances were within spec and also tested the wires and they were fine. I pulled the spark plugs, cylinders 1-3 were whitish brownish colored on the tips and cylinder 4's was black. I am uploading pics let me know what you guys thing I should do now. I was thinking I should pull the fuel pump plug and crank the engine and test all the spark plugs?

cyl 1-3 look like this

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this one from cyl 4

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oh and I was wondering if I crank the engine with fuel pump unplugged if I can get a decent compression test reading without starting the engine?

 

[born2tune]

im thinking like 95blackgsturbo it might just be some sensor, because bad sensors make good engine perform awful.

 

[pdub42]

Yea I am starting to think that its not as bad of a problem as I first thought.

Tested compression all were around 180 put new spark plugs in it put it all back together started it up and drove it around. Runs great now. Hopefully that plug is all it was I guess if not then I will find out when another plug stops working.