oaksc400

Just got over one problem over the weekend... but my car was due for a tune up anyways.. so basically I have a terrible loss of power I think I'm running on 4 cylinders. I'm changing my oem spark plugs/wires to ngk. Also got a new distributer cap/rotor, this is all going in over this weekend. Any ideas on what else it can be?

I just got my sc and little problems and issues are driving me insane!!

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

It's very likely that it's an ignition problem.
See if the problem persists after replacing plugs, wires, cap and rotor, also you'll want to check the coil packs themselves, both right and left side as sometimes one will fail and then you're pretty much running on 4 cylinders.

Biddles

iTrader: (2)

While you're at it, it's a perfect time to Seafoam your car. It really works, I highly recommend it.

SC400Zulu

What's seafoaming?

Studiogeek

iTrader: (6)

That's a big "can o' worms" question as there are many opinions on seafoam and application. I think it's a great product. O.L.T made a motherload thread about seafoam and techniques for application. Find it and read it.

Zulu, right about now you should be living in the CL "Mega Links" thread and reading/studying it in it's entirety. That link LIVES HERE and probably includes the Seafoam mega thread.

k7q

iTrader: (37)

Had this problem with bad coil packs and check your intake coupler. My coupler had a cut and it ran like it was on 4 cylinders.

Any CEL? That is the first thing you need to check

oaksc400

I don't think it's a bad coil because wouldn't a bad coil have bad idle/stalls? I have no CEL Im changing plugs and wires this weekend and I'll keep everyone updated.

Thanks and merry Christmas to everyone

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

No, it will buck/hesitate, Cat's will tick more when hot, fuel smell from poor/incomplete ignition, loss of power, rough idle, sputtering from exhaust, just the kind of things you'd expect from only runnin 4 cylinders. The car will start and run, it just has the above symptoms, pretty rare for it to stall because as the RPM's drop from the extra load the ECU will try to compensate by opening the throttle so that's why the idle is rough and it will sputter.

It's easy to test though.
Disconnect one coil pack and see if it starts, if it runs exactly the same, the disconnected one is blown. So reconnect the other and disconnect the first one, now it shouldn't start at all since the one connected would be the blown one. If it starts both times then the coil packs aren't the problem.

Easy way to test and you can tell for sure. Without testing it all we can do is just guess, based on our past experiences, but everything is a guess until it's tested physically in person.

oaksc400

Thanks for clarifying!!! I will also do a ignition coil test as well as my tune up. I just bought my SC and I must say this forum is very helpful. Thanks!

bigwhite

I bought a bad used ECU and caused my sc4 to run on 4 cyl. and have a bad idle.