Runs very rough, burns oil

[TSIGuy510]

so i have a 90 laser rs, its running very rough, it wont hit positive boost, the rpms jump all over, it has no power, i just top off the oil last night (the valves stoped chattering) the next day chattering again....its been gettign worse and worse. And the car doesnt want to stay running after its been running for a while. Ill shut it off after a drive 20-30 mins later try to start it, it starts up for about 2 secs then the rpms just fall instantly. but if i hold the gas for about a min and 1.5 2k rpm it would after than just idle low for a while. it would run really rough while it was doing that tho. after i drive it for a while and i turn it off i can here the coolant bubling in the coolent res. i use this car everyday to get back and forth to work so i really need it to run. The car is stock minus k&n filter, hard intake and upper intercooler pipe. stock boost stock everything else. It does have its thermostat removed. The timing is fine, no oil on the belts, i just made new gaskets for the tb and tb elbow. there is how ever an exhaust leak from the exhaust mani. i have two broken studs on one side and 1 on the other.not sure if that would casue all of this tho....idk i need some help guys with this one. ask me any questions you want and ill try to answer them. thanks in advanced

 

[haswesley]

Have you given the car a tune up lately? New plugs, plug wires, fuel filter, clean the K&N air filter, etc.? I would start there. If the car isn't building boost, it sounds like you have a major leak, such as innercooler piping is disconnected. The valves ticking is your hydraulic lifters aren't building the necessary pressure anymore. Usually, its caused by them being dirty. Purchase some 3g lifters that has the 3mm holes in the top. Most DSMers here have this very common problem. Its just the age of our cars. Hope this helps.

 

[TSIGuy510]

Have you given the car a tune up lately? New plugs, plug wires, fuel filter, clean the K&N air filter, etc.? I would start there. If the car isn't building boost, it sounds like you have a major leak, such as innercooler piping is disconnected. The valves ticking is your hydraulic lifters aren't building the necessary pressure anymore. Usually, its caused by them being dirty. Purchase some 3g lifters that has the 3mm holes in the top. Most DSMers here have this very common problem. Its just the age of our cars. Hope this helps.

it has new plugs, and the filter is clean, the plug wires are old, dont know about the fuel filter would any of that really cause this? i should replace them anyway i know. and all my piping is nice and tight, just tightened it all and like i said before made new tb and tb elbow gaskets. but it does seem like its a very very bad boost leak. my freind said maybe a turbo oil seal is bad but idk, any ideas on if this problem is connected to the coolant bubble thing? it never had a problem boosting before. it would boost solid. always did that little jerky thing and low throttle tho. yah i took the valve cover off to make sure none of them were loose (bent valves) but they were all solid

now it wont even idle...it just dies unless i give it gas, and it sounds like death....and i have oil so idk whats going on....someone please help me out.....

it runs so bad now, it sounds like a diesel. it will die if i dont hold the gas. and it has NO power and unless i give it more than 50% throttle it bucks like crazy!!! any ideas? please someone help!!!

 

[haswesley]

Have you checked the compression in each cylinder? Air bubbling into your coolant reservior could be a sign of a leaking or blown head gasket. But, usually, you would also be losing coolant. Are you losing coolant? Is air bubbling in the coolant reservior while the car is idling? Since the car will not idle by itself, maybe someone can sit in the car with their foot on the gas while you check.

 

[TSIGuy510]

Have you checked the compression in each cylinder? Air bubbling into your coolant reservior could be a sign of a leaking or blown head gasket. But, usually, you would also be losing coolant. Are you losing coolant? Is air bubbling in the coolant reservior while the car is idling? Since the car will not idle by itself, maybe someone can sit in the car with their foot on the gas while you check.

no havnt checked the compression, i think the head gasket is ok tho, i dont think its burning coolant but idk it might be, and i think it only bubbles when i turn the car off, but idk ive never noticed while it was on....it was doing that before this started tho....back when it ran fine...

and im not sure if its my valves anymore, its not a ticking sounds its more like a really loud clacking rushing air pppsshhhhhhhccckkkk sound

 

[my dreamt dsm]

From personal experience it seems to be your head gasket. What happen to me was first I realize oil amount is not up to spec even though I just changed it few hundred miles ago. And then I realize Im pushing coolant and temp rising. My radiator bottle gets full really quick from the coolant being pushed. I replaced the radiator cap and thermostat for second measure but it didn't help. I also realize my mobile 1 syn. is very water texture unlike something oil would look like.
Another clue is the car is idling very rough like bad motor mounts. Brownish coolant also.
With this all being said. Head gasket was the problem. Having it change next month when time allows!

 

[TSIGuy510]

From personal experience it seems to be your head gasket. What happen to me was first I realize oil amount is not up to spec even though I just changed it few hundred miles ago. And then I realize Im pushing coolant and temp rising. My radiator bottle gets full really quick from the coolant being pushed. I replaced the radiator cap and thermostat for second measure but it didn't help. I also realize my mobile 1 syn. is very water texture unlike something oil would look like.
Another clue is the car is idling very rough like bad motor mounts. Brownish coolant also.
With this all being said. Head gasket was the problem. Having it change next month when time allows!

my car doesnt over heat tho, the oil looks perfectly fine, no wierd smells under the valve cover, and the coolant is bright green. i just replaced the valve cover gaskets and plug wires, so we will see how it runs tom. i wanna let the gasket set over night the loud clacking sound seems to be coming from around the fuel rail intake mani area. just checked the valves again also, they seemed fine, none loose or anything outta place

hey guys this might be a long shot but now it wont start and its cranking kinda weak. and i remember when my talons alt was going out the talon ran super rough, which my car is doing, the tac was jumping all over, which my car is doing, it had no power, which my car is doing, and it keep dying also. idk why but i have a strong feeling its the alternator.....i think ima gonna replace it and see if that helps...ill keep everyone...."two people" posted

 

[TSIGuy510]

so i just tried to jump it....that didnt work, the plugs are wet with fuel so i know its gettign fuel, pretty sure its getting air so that only leaves spark that its not getting....any ideas guys please help

 

[summerisway2hot]

Do a compression test. What makes you think its not a head gasket? Though there is a good possiblity it is not, why not eliminate it?

Also, you dont know if you are overheating... if your coolant is bubbling, then it is one of two things: 1. Bad head gasket/head etc. or 2. you are boiling over. I know from personal experience that just because the stock temperature gauge does not read hot does not necessarily mean that you are not running hot. Since the car doesnt like to run, id say water pump is out, so now you are down to process of elimination.

Last thing... and im not sure of this on 1gs, but why is your tstat removed?

 

[TSIGuy510]

Do a compression test. What makes you think its not a head gasket? Though there is a good possiblity it is not, why not eliminate it?

Also, you dont know if you are overheating... if your coolant is bubbling, then it is one of two things: 1. Bad head gasket/head etc. or 2. you are boiling over. I know from personal experience that just because the stock temperature gauge does not read hot does not necessarily mean that you are not running hot. Since the car doesnt like to run, id say water pump is out, so now you are down to process of elimination.

Last thing... and im not sure of this on 1gs, but why is your tstat removed?

dont know why the tstat was removed, the car wouldve been blowing alot of smoke before the car would stop running if it was the head gasket right? which it was not doing.

 

[TSIGuy510]

so im getting spark and fuel, and air is pretty easy to get so im guessing im getting that fine....only thing left would be compression. would a leaking or cracked valve cover make it not start? i need to get an extension for the compression tester.

 

[Tanro]

When was the last time the engine was rebuilt?

Its 20 years old, Most cars that old have 180-230k miles. It sounds like you are gonna need to replace the H-Gasket at the very least.

 

[dsmmsd]

you should try the headgasket just to make sure..you never know

 

[TSIGuy510]

dont think i can replace the head gasket on my own, and i think it only has 170k, and it wasnt blowing smoke. and its been replaced before and it didnt skip timing....im so screwed....

 

[Friend-O]

head gaskets are relatively easy, just about 20-30 bolts and your there, just be sure to torque to spec or get some arp head studs. If you do a compression test that may give you some idea, it may also be a firing issue as well. if it runs at higher rpms ok where its running high timing and not running so hot at idle where timing is around 6-10 you can check there too. but its definetly a timing or compression issue. if your coolant is boiling out of your res then you may want to check your termps. Also get yourself a thermostat or youll be riding in a boat without a paddle.

 

[TSIGuy510]

would it still run if there was a small crack in the valve cover?

 

[DSM1G90]

It does have its thermostat removed

which really needs to be back in for the system to operate correctly. The temp sensor sensing a lot cooler water will tell the ECU to have the injectors to shove in more fuel to heat the motor up to the temp programmed within the ECU, thus you're running pig rich all the time.

Boiling coolant usually points to a blown HG but can point to a weak cap and a system that needs a huge flush job..

Sounds like your ECU is caving in esp if it's the original one ...

Good luck with your find - DSM

 

[blowinsmoke95]

im thinking of a couple things, just from my short experience... bad/poor idle assoicated with shitty startup: bad temp sensor and or broken connectors... i had a 90rst and it had 3 sensors on thermostat housing and one on radiator... are you sure the gaskets you made didnt rip or anything? also grab up some carb cleaner and spray around the injector bases at the head while the car is running... does it change the idle any? I think your main problem is a boost leak... somewhere. get a boost leak tester and set that bi*** to 20psi... youll deff be able to hear if theres ANY boost leaks...

and yes it will still run if the valve cover is cracked... my 2g has a cracked valve cover and i drive it daily... just have to keep rags and a quart of oil handy at all times....

 

[HAZARDINTEGRA]

Well from the sounds of things here I would say that the Head Gasket is shot. I dont know much about 1g's but didnt they have a capacitor that goes bad in the ECM that causes problems similar to yours.