Studdering, bad idle, and CEL. Please help!

[silver98gst]

The two pics below are the spark plugs I took out of my car after I experienced studdering and irregular rpm idling. Two of the spark plugs seem to be damaged at the tip and I'm wondering what could cause such damage and what damage this can do to the engine?
The car started studdering last night when I was driving home from work. A CEL came on that says cylinder 2 misfire. Today, I changed my spark plug wires and spark plugs, but the problem is still there. The car starts but idles from 1,200rpm and drops down to 800, 500, 200, 500, etc. I'm taking my car to a mechanic to get it checked soon, but wondering if someone here can help with the diagnosis.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/804000-804999/804200_37_full.jpg http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/804000-804999/804200_38_full.jpg

[98spydert]

It doesn't look like anything crushed them. Do they look melted on the end? I can't tell from the pic but my guess is the dumb ass at the auto parts store gave you the wrong plugs. I told you to get NGK BPR6ES for a reason :) Compression test it (tester's only ~$23 at Sears, you don't need to wait for me) and as long as everything checks out put the right plugs in with your new wires and have at it.

[silver98gst]

I put in the ngk spark plugs and new belden wires from napa autoparts. Still has same problem.

[my3awds]

Your car is misfiring for a reason. Try to install the new plugs (gapped at .29-.31), new wires, and reset the ECU by removing the positive terminal on your battery for 10 seconds to see if you can clear the CEL code. Then drive it again and post back.

[Robert GST]

are you sure those tips melted back and didn't break off? :shock: WHOA! Are those champion spark plugs?!?! lol I ran those one time in my talon and they lasted about 3 hours. :lol:

[boostedAWD]

are you sure those tips melted back and didn't break off? :shock: WHOA! Are those champion spark plugs?!?! lol I ran those one time in my talon and they lasted about 3 hours. :lol:

yea uh that second pic looks like the tip of the plug is completely gone... :shock:

[EuroEclipse]

are you sure those tips melted back and didn't break off? :shock: WHOA! Are those champion spark plugs?!?! lol I ran those one time in my talon and they lasted about 3 hours. :lol:

yea uh that second pic looks like the tip of the plug is completely gone... :shock:

it is :)

[silver98gst]

Your car is misfiring for a reason. Try to install the new plugs (gapped at .29-.31), new wires, and reset the ECU by removing the positive terminal on your battery for 10 seconds to see if you can clear the CEL code. Then drive it again and post back.

New ngk spark plugs are in the car, and belden spark plug wires I bought from napa autoparts. Also disconnected the battery for over 10 seconds then reconnected it. Drove the car for a little bit in the parking lot and still has same problem. I cleared the CEL with the logger and it hasn't alerted of another CEL. The car is still stuttering/shaking but the idle seems to be stable from the short amount of tme I drove it in the lot.

Yes, those were champion spark plugs. The only reason I bought those is because kragen is out of ngk and almost everything else. I should've went to napa to buy the spark plugs.

[boostineclipse]

Mine was like that for sometime.. even after changin all the plugs/wires numerous times. Did you do a compression test yet? If not, do one. Mine ended up being a hole in one of the valves.

[silver98gst]

Mine was like that for sometime.. even after changin all the plugs/wires numerous times. Did you do a compression test yet? If not, do one. Mine ended up being a hole in one of the valves.

Trying to get a compression tester right now. The problem is that the Eclipse is my only ride. I called the local places in town and they don't seem to have the tester. I'll try again tomorrow morning to see if I can find a ride and a place that has it.

[boostineclipse]

Where you located?

[silver98gst]

Where you located?

In Davis

[boostineclipse]

Oh I see.. you've tried Sears, Autozone, Kragen, Napa?

[silver98gst]

Oh I see.. you've tried Sears, Autozone, Kragen, Napa?

Yea, tried the places in town.

[boostineclipse]

Dang man that sucks.. if you were closer I'd let ya borrow mine. Hope you can find one tomorrow man~

[silver98gst]

Ok, got a diagnostic check at Davis Mitsu and the guy said, "#2 injector over fueling. Recommend replace injector and retest." Anyone know where I can buy a stock fuel injector for a cheap price?

[Robert GST]

I have 4 stock injectors, but I live in modesto.

[silver98gst]

I have 4 stock injectors, but I live in modesto.

Could one injector really cause the problem? How much do you want for your stock injectors? Lee already offered to sell me his for $100. Beat that price! :D I'm also checking out some of the sellers on tuner's classified section where they're selling them for $50 shipped.

[98spydert]

I have 4 stock injectors, but I live in modesto.

Lee already offered to sell me his for $100. Beat that price!

Correctiong, have them cleaned and checked like I did then beat that price ;)

[Robert GST]

lol i dont know if they were cleaned, the guy gave them to me with the car and said i can use them for smogging the car, hmm but I can easily beat that price kinda because I wont have a car to put them in and I dont have any use for them so $50 but with the gas money to get to modesto and back it will kinda even out to the $100 lee is asking.

[silver98gst]

Thanks for trying to help guys. Robert, I don't need the stock injectors anymore. I'm taking Lee's advice on not wasting money on buying stock injectors when I'll have to upgrade them later anyways, so I bought a set of bigger injectors. Everything should arrive soon. Lee, IM me your address later. Thanks!

[boostdork]

I had almost the exact same problem, and I mean exactly. It was so bad I took it back to the builder and we were thingking we were going to have to tear off the head. (head was reamnu by a different shop)

What fixed it (I kid you not) was cheecking the connection of the accesory and main leads to the positive batery terminal. We tightened it and unkinked one little wire there and it began running fine immediately (with ecu reset)

Best we can figure is irregular current to the ECU makes it stupid. It was pulling the #3 cyleder completely and jacking the idle. If its the same issue your going to kill your O2 with all the fuel thats going out unburnt. (I did)


YMMV I am a newb

P.S. Im in Roseville if you want to swing by I can let you use my Comp Tester. I know its far but figured I would offer the assistance I can since everyone else has offered in kind to me. I bought it to check this very problem.

[98spydert]

His ended up being a burnt valve. Half of it was gone!

The oh so cool shop that fixed it for him simple took the head off, dropped a new valve in, and put the head back on. Now he's got 50psi less compression in that cylinder compaired to the others. They told him that was normal...

[silver98gst]

His ended up being a burnt valve. Half of it was gone!

The oh so cool shop that fixed it for him simple took the head off, dropped a new valve in, and put the head back on. Now he's got 50psi less compression in that cylinder compaired to the others. They told him that was normal...

The valve wasn't half gone, but it was still bad. :( Going to do another compression test soon and waiting for Manny to help me with the leak down test. The last time the compression was checked I got 150, 120, 120, 150. Not sure what is causing the low compression. The shop said they replaced the valve and resurfaced the area around it and said that is all I needed. They also said I didn't need to take my head to a machine shop to have it resurfaced and cleaned because my car has low mileage. The more I talk to Lee and my bro about this problem the more I feel ripped off. I certainly don't want to take the head off again, but I don't want to have this problem.

[98spydert]

His ended up being a burnt valve. Half of it was gone!

The oh so cool shop that fixed it for him simple took the head off, dropped a new valve in, and put the head back on. Now he's got 50psi less compression in that cylinder compaired to the others. They told him that was normal...

The valve wasn't half gone, but it was still bad. :( Going to do another compression test soon and waiting for Manny to help me with the leak down test. The last time the compression was checked I got 150, 120, 120, 150. Not sure what is causing the low compression. The shop said they replaced the valve and resurfaced the area around it and said that is all I needed.

You told me something completly different on the phone lol. Is the shop changing their story the more you question them or what?

[EuroEclipse]

looks like it's time to call the BAR for you.

[silver98gst]

You told me something completly different on the phone lol. Is the shop changing their story the more you question them or what?

Don't remember what I told you on the phone. Give me a call later or IM me. The last compression test was done at Manny's place. After I find out the results of another compression test and a leak down test I'll decide what to do from there. Last time I called the shop was to ask them about the valve cover gasket since it is leaking oil from the sides. The guy told me the gaskets will leak a little oil and try tightening the bolts down a little more.

P.S. - the shop that did the work was Newlogics motorsports. I do NOT recommend them and will not go back there. Overall I had a bad experience. It seems like they wanted my money and getting my car out of the garage rather than giving me advice and helping me out. Not to mention the long wait for parts when I could've just ordered the parts if they told me they couldn't get it in time.