Misfire cylinder 2

[Bamacraig]

Car ran great until Sunday now it is bucking and shaking and sounds like it's going to blow. It is a 97 1.8 plugs, wires are only 6 months old, just changed distributor cap and rotor plug. What else could it be?? EGR? IAC? It is bucking so hard that you can hear me coming from a mile away, plus gas is horrible.
Thanks,

[mannydingo]

Car ran great until Sunday now it is bucking and shaking and sounds like it's going to blow. It is a 97 1.8 plugs, wires are only 6 months old, just changed distributor cap and rotor plug. What else could it be?? EGR? IAC? It is bucking so hard that you can hear me coming from a mile away, plus gas is horrible.
Thanks,

If you actually got a code from the computer stating the misfire then it isn't the EGR or IAC. Remove the spark plugs one at a time. While out, push the spark plug back into its wire. Put the tip of the plug up against the valve cover or the cylinder head somewhere. Have someone crank the car and turn it off immediately. Don't have your hand to close to the plug and only on the rubber of the wire. You will probably see the spark cross the spark plug space on 1,3 & 4 but not on 2. That will confirm that no spark is getting in there. Make sure the wire is on tightly at the cap and that you put all together well, etc. Since you put all new stuff, there is a chance the distributor is bad. Now you did change the little thingy inside(under) the distributor cap, right? I mean, the rotor thingy.

[RicardoS]

My engine has a blown exhaust valve in the #4 cylinder, have owned my 1997 for a year and a half now and my now fiance sold it to me with this problem (po304) is the code. ignition timing and everything checked and everything replaced like so many others. I would adjust the valve lash as these discontinued 1489cc 4cyl's have replacable shims that will most likely cure your problem, 350 at the local shop here in the Washington area, workshop manual makes it sound easy but think 350 isn't to bad if you have a ton of miles and have never had this done. Turns out there are 14 sizes of these shims and you would have to by one of each for 16 valves to assure fixing it in one shot (each one may need a different size shim or the same size twice, etc, etc..) Thats why I opted out to have it done at the shop because they have every size and you don't have to worry about having to buy to many parts! I would love to say that this fixed my problem but because I didn't do it in time, I've got a burnt valve and an even bigger project on my hands.

[Bamacraig]

Fixed it, new plugs NGK new wires and cleaned the heck out of the intake manifold. I think it was a bad plug wire.

[RicardoS]

My engine has a blown exhaust valve in the #4 cylinder, have owned my 1997 for a year and a half now and my now fiance sold it to me with this problem (po304) is the code. ignition timing and everything checked and everything replaced like so many others. I would adjust the valve lash as these discontinued 1489cc 4cyl's have replacable shims that will most likely cure your problem, 350 at the local shop here in the Washington area, workshop manual makes it sound easy but think 350 isn't to bad if you have a ton of miles and have never had this done. Turns out there are 14 sizes of these shims and you would have to by one of each for 16 valves to assure fixing it in one shot (each one may need a different size shim or the same size twice, etc, etc..) Thats why I opted out to have it done at the shop because they have every size and you don't have to worry about having to buy to many parts! I would love to say that this fixed my problem but because I didn't do it in time, I've got a burnt valve and an even bigger project on my hands.

Have to add that this code also blew the rings in that cylinder!!! (Nice work Bamacraig, happy to hear your problem is solved)