SiHatchR6

Ok was driving on freeway today just cruising and all the sudden I lose tons of power. Car is still running at the same speed with it floored but will not go any faster and starts to sputter and I can hear it, sounded like a 1 cylinder haha. So im sure its gotta be spark issue but not positive. What confuses me is recently I replaced plugs and cap and rotor for smog reasons but did not replace wires because I believe they are not that old. Not positive though. Ok so I pull over and soon as I let off gas car dies. So I start it up again but have to give it TONS of throttle to get it to even start up. Once I got it to stay on it sputtered like crazy. So does this sound like a air/fuel starving issue or does this sound like a spark issue? What should I check? Thanks in advance.

SiHatchR6

So nobody could even take a shot at it?

SiHatchR6

Oh and check engine light came on. Please help someone!

jeterkm02

first check what code was thrown
heres how: http://www.c-speedracing.com/faq/03.php


then pull your spark plugs out and examine.

check all fuses, spark plug wires, fuel injector harnesses and vacuum lines to make sure theyre in tact, and where theyre suppose to be.

then come back.

wilsel

check your codes first...

If you want to check each cylinder for spark take out the fuel pump fuse, take each plug out, reattach it to the plug wire, and short the end of the plug (where the gap is) against metal while your friend attempts to start the car. make sure your not holding the wire when he turns the switch. Watch to make sure your plug fires. Hopefully that makes sense.

SiHatchR6

Ok guys update. I was going to check to see what code was thrown but decided to pull the distributor cap off to see if I could even see anything. Well there it was, the rotor was loose as hell. Theres no way in hell that thing was sparking anything. So since I know what the problem is what could have caused it? Also now I need to know what part to get. Cap and rotor look fine but whatever turns the rotor is really loose. Is this something I can tighten or should I just get a new distributor. Dont want to buy one if I dont have to. If it is ok to pull the distributor than I will to tighten or whatever I have to do. Im thinking I need a new distributor because the dust cap was destroyed in the process. Thanks guys for the help so far.

wilsel

Was the rotor button still screwed on?

NeverBX

if you have MSD 8.5mm wires it might be that. in our old crew here in hawaii about 12 of us had MSD wires and we all had a problem where we had the same symptoms, and we all found that the stock ngk wires solved everything.

SiHatchR6

Ok pulled the distributor. The rotor WAS still screwed on, made sure of that. However the shaft that goes through the distributor was really loose and I could not get it tightened. Have no idea what is causing it to be so loose. IMO the distributor is not shot. How tight should the shaft be? Anybody got some more info? Should I fork out and buy a new one?

Also I dont have MSD wires I have the NGK wires but either way I dont think wires were the cause of this problem. Thanks though for the input.

wilsel

The shaft that the rotor screws onto should have a very small amount of play. You should not be able to move it freely with your hand (especially spin it). Sounds like a bearing in the distributor has gone out to me.