PCA Forums

Well yesterday morning it was pouring out. On my way to work, my car started backfiring (not even sure if it was, it was just making loud "pop po" sometimes, i think it was backfiring) and it seemed overall icky. No pickup, running VERY rough. And I was smelling some unburnt gas (i think, smelled kinda funny). Could it be bad gas? I checked the plugs and wires, it looks like all of it is relatively new (NO corrosion on plug wire leads). Right now it just runs very rough and is smelling like it is leaving unburned gas. Think a cylander is not firing? Right now it isnt backfiring anymore. It's an 88 chevy corsica 4cyl. I can barely make it up steep hills at this point, and gas mileage is sucking penis right now. Pls help.

sounds like the jets in your card are boogered up ( if it has a carb)

otherwise don't know

Dood I'm wililng to bet it's a misfiring plug...but it could also be a vacuum leak (not very likely thoguh)

Check each plug to make sure it's firing!

Yeah thats what I was thinking. hopefully it wont be something expesive. No it's not a carb'd engine. Thanks for your help.

check out your fuel filter, and your fuel pump (last resort) get your oil changed if you havne't in a long time... might be dirty injectors, or a failing injector, or a dead cylinder, take it to a shop and have them check it out if you can't figure it out.

it also may be bad wires and a wet dist.cap ! its all guess work - might buy some wire dryer at the local autoparts and spray the wires and see if that helps !

not smelling like rotten eggs is it ? if so clogged converter -but the miss fire could of did that

dude, i got this one under wraps

good move reggie

Well the guys at the shop seem to think it's a cracked coilpack. Cuz they changed the plugs (the were blackened) and the wires were looking brand new. I'm having my moms friend actually do the job (much cheaper that way!) cuz he seems to think that its not the coilpack. Yeah he also did a compression check and cylinders 2+3 were only at around 90lbs! Should be like what, 130? But anyways, this is a pain in my ass. My gas mileage is sucking now too! ! !

probably a crack in the coilpack,. hard to spot buty will kill performance and gas mileage, as far as compression goes, im thinkin around 125? not too concrete on this one..

Yeah I just had my moms friend look at it and it is the coilpack. It turns out that right now at idle, cyl3 is not firing at all. Disconnected the plug wire and it didnt sound any different, the plug wire wouldnt ground out, changed the wire, nothing. coilpack is the only thing left. i think

Could be a bad Dist. Cap or rotor also. That is if it has that. I know some chevy's use distributorless ignition. I'd check the cap if it has one. If it don't have a cap could be the sensor on the crank for the dist.less ignition. U can't just look at plug wires and be sure they are good. Take them off use a ohm meter and check for continuity or do like i do just pull the damn wire and see if ya get shocked! hehe I'd check out the cap rotor and coil first thoguh and go from there. 90lbs is a bit low on the compression the norm for a motor like that would be about 110-140. If the car has a lot of miles it probably has worn out rings in it. Have your friend check for blow by or do a wet compression test and it will tell you if its the rings or the valves where your loosing the compression at.

Yup just got the coilpack replaced. Runs like new again! Yeah this is a distributerless ignition system.