Sputtering engine

[babydude2099]

I have a 92' Grand Am. I'm not too familiar w/ engines, but mine says "QUAD4 OHC" on the collector. I bought it about 2 years ago and 6 months later, the engine sound changed and so did it's hp. I could hardly accelerate, and it sounded like a VW beetle! I couldn't have it serviced because of my budget and I didnt have any time to learn about engines. Anyways, just yesterday my g/f was driving it and the engine sound changed for the worst. The car shook from the sputtering engine, and the hp was practically gone. She couldn't make it up a hill so she got stuck. To make a long story short, my car shakes when in idle, smells like gas, and sounds not unlike a lawn mower! people told me its one of my cylinders that doesnt work, and others told me my spark plugs are bad. Can anyone help?
Thanks
Andre

[Quad4Dominator]

I had the same problem about a year ago... check the catalyc converter (I know I didn't spell it right) It filters you emissions from your exhaust. I didn't have the funds for a raplacement either at the time, but what I did was cut the converter of with a power saw and sent it to an exaust shop to have a friend weld in a straigh pipe to the other side. Its not exactly legal, but you'll save money, gain horsepower, and get a nice throaty sound from your exaust....it all for the good. As far as the converter, the Quad 4's didn't actually need them as bad as other cars, so you're not actually hurting anything. You should have no chech engine lights either. Hope this helps and good luck.

[Quad4Dominator]

I had the same problem about a year ago... check the catalyc converter (I know I didn't spell it right) It filters your emissions from your exhaust, and it's probably cloged up. It's like your engine is constipated, not bieng able to fully release its gases. I didn't have the funds for a replacement either at the time, but what I did was cut the converter of with a power saw and sent it to an exaust shop to have a friend weld in a straigh pipe to the other side. Its not exactly legal, but you'll save money, gain horsepower, and get a nice throaty sound from your exaust....it all for the good. As far as the converter, the Quad 4's didn't actually need them as bad as other cars, so you're not actually hurting anything. You should have no chech engine lights either. Hope this helps and good luck.

[urweak]

There is a problem with the quad 4s when the motor shakes really bad. it comes times is the coil back, something that can be had for 50 bucks tops and you should be able to do it yourself. its the white plastic thing under the cover that says OHC quad 4

[babydude2099]

coil back? is that what its called? re-iterate please.

[Brad97GS]

First things first here, guys. Let's not overlook the easiest solution. Change the spark plugs. They probably need changing anyway, so even if it doesn't fix the problem here, it will be good to have that done. It's very simple to do - just take off the four bolts on the plate that says 'Quad OHC' and pull the unit off (the ignition module, coil packs, coil housing, and spark plug boots are under there). The boots may stick to the plugs, so you'll have to remove them - I never had a problem just pulling them up by hand with some force. The spark plugs are right under there.

When the engine is cold, you can just remove the old plugs with a regular old ratchet and spark plug socket. Then, apply some anti-seize compound to the threads of your new spark plugs and install them. It's best to have a torque wrench and to torque the plugs to 15 lb-ft (I think). If you don't have a torque wrench, just try to get them tight, but not too tight. Overtightening can cause damage. Reinstall everything and then start 'er up. My old '89 GA had very similar symptoms, and new plugs fixed that.

While you have the cover plate off (doing the spark plugs), you can visually inspect the coil housing (big white piece that has the four towers for the plugs). If there are black streaks (like electrical scars) on the housing, then the housing is bad. I believe you can get a new housing at NAPA, but again, I'd do the spark plugs first as they are cheaper to do.

[babydude2099]

Good advice. Thank you!
I have a Chilton repair manual. I fixed my nissan w/ a Haynes manual, and I don't know if Chilton sucks or nissans are easier to work with but this manual is complicated and seems lacking. I couldn't find anything in the index about coil housing. Do you recomend any better manuals? Oh by the way, I checked the engine codes with the paper clip method. The light flashes nothing but "12" over and over and over.... no other code.

[mthegodfather]

I would start with plugs and run a good fuel injector cleaner thru it.

[WHOOPhondaASS]

New plugs are a good start, then take the oxygen sensor to autozone to get it checked for free. Also check the air filter, its less of a problem, but it could be a problem when combined with the other things. Good injector cleaner is good too.

[Brad97GS]

I had (still have, somewhere) a Haynes manual for my old GA, and it was pretty useful. It should mention the coil housing, but maybe in the engine electrical section, not in the regular engine section. Regardless, it's a pretty simple system, and you can't miss the housing. It's the big plastic piece under the engine cover with four towers coming out. The coils are held inside it (held onto the cover by a bunch of little bolts).

[babydude2099]

If the housing does have big electrical scars on them do I just replace the housing or is this a sign of some underlying problem that I need to fix?

[4kQuad]

Housings crack...there plastic.

Look for a crack or Dust trails running on it. If you don't see any thing that is a good sign. Change out the plugs and gap the new ones before you put them in.

Check the air filter like someone else said. also look up the Idle Air Control Valuve. or IAC in the book. They get clogged with carbon and it can restrict air flow. It live on the top of the throttle body. As the name suggests it controls how much air gets mixed in with the gas, if the ratio is not right the car can't run right.

It is heald in by two torx screws. When you pull it out a small rubber ring will come with it...IT IS very important it is put back with the IACV is put back. Else you will have a vacuum leak.

If it was my car, I would look at the housing, then plugs, then IACV.

Becuase you talk a lot about the sound of the car changing...also look for a rubber hose that has slipped off something causing a vacumm leak. Listen for a sucking sound or a sound like a straw with a small hole in it, when it's blowen through.

Good luck.

[babydude2099]

Ok, pulled out the spark plugs. One of them was covered in oil! Also, I'm a little concerned because a small piece of dried making tape fell into one cylinder when I pulled out the spark plugs. I didn't realize that there was dried masking tape inside the torque nut that I was using, and it fell in! I tried getting it out but it seemed like nothing was in there.

[babydude2099]

Ok, I started the egine with new spark plugs. Nothing changed. The engine still shakes in it's bay and putts like a lawn mower. I checked the coil housing and it was a little dirty, but was easily cleaned, no burn marks. Could this be a piston ring? one of my spark plugs was covered in oil... If it is, would it be easier to just get a new engine? The junkyard is having a special, all working engine $75. What would be easier; fixing it or new engine?

[WHOOPhondaASS]

first try some restore, it really works.

[Jay Anderson]

Check your exhaust. I was having a problem where the car had no power what'so'ever, really loud. Was gonna put it off for awhile but going up a hill on the Taconic State Parkway, dropping from 65 to 45 with a faster drop if the gas is floored is something I can't deal with. From what I was told by meineke, if you have the 4 cylinder, and just a little loss of backpressure, the car will run like crap, depending on where and how big the hole, the car may not run at all.

Easy enough to do, just slide under with a flashlight and inspect any rusty sections of the pipe, i'd also suggest taking a vice grip and setting it so it will just grab the pipe, not bend it but just lock with a little pressure. Go down the pipe and in various sections grip it, if the metal bends and gives way at all your gonna need a replacement exhaust

[Brad97GS]

I've driven without a muffler (on my old '89 GA with the Q4) and not had a problem like that. I believe that Meineke was wrong on that point. In your case, a clogged catalytic converter sounds more likely. :)

[babydude2099]

Ok, I got a compression test kit from g/f's dad. The only problem is, how do I use it on this Qaud4 OHC? The spark plugs aren't accessible like any other normal engine! My Chilton manual only says "clean cylinder head area and remove spark plugs.... install a screw-in typ compression gaugee...make sure fitting is snug." The picture doesnt look anything like my engine! I think it's instructions for a v6 engine or something but it doesnt say for what kind of engine it's for. Usually it'll say for "2.3L (Vin A, D and 3) engines" or something like that. But it doesnt say anything!

[babydude2099]

Ok, I guess you dont need the ignition coils to be connected to the spark plugs when doing a compression test. This is all new to me so I'm a little confused. let me get this straight, from what the manual tells me, we take out all spark plugs, and with them all out, test one cylinder at a time? One of the steps tells me to "disable ignition system." Do I need to do that? or is that for installing a "remote starter switch."? Ok, hopefully I wont kill myself, but all I'm gonna do is remove spark plugs, and crank the engine for every cylinder. I hope thats not incorrect.

[Brad97GS]

Well, hopefully you didn't kill yourself! :P You can easily disable the ignition system by disconnecting the ignition module (the big plug that plugs into the module just under the engine cover). Then the coils won't fire, and you won't have to worry about electricity going all over. But it should be okay anyway, as long as you don't stick something in the spark plug boots while cranking.

I've never done a compression test before, but I always assumed you kept the other three spark plugs in while testing the one cylinder. Anyone want to clarify?

[babydude2099]

Ok, I did the compression test and here are the results.
cyl#1: 160, Cyl#2: 164, Cly#3:115, Cyl#4:175. By the way, I intalled new spark plugs yesterday, when I took them out today, #4's was like new. The others were dark and dirty.

[babydude2099]

I put a tsp of oil in #3 and then it was 130.

[Bruce Gabriel]

You may have a timing position sensor going bad. If you've got a local State technical college that trains auto mechanics talk to the man that is the head of the program. It's a blessing for them to be able to give the advanced students "real world" troubleshooting problems. (When the student graduates & goes to work for a shop this is what he's gonna encounter the first day. a car with symptons that could be any of 3 or 4 things wrong- They'll find out really quick if he can troubleshoot!) It's good for them& you, It'll get fixed & won't cost you an arm & a leg! Gabe

[4kQuad]

#3 is the problem.
They should all be within 10 lbs. #3 is short by 30 plus pounds even with a little oil.

Thats not a good sign.

[JokersGrand]

When performing a direct compression test like you did, make sure that you have WOT. Wide open throttle. Or else your readings will be low and possibly false.

Does your Quad run the same way ALL the time, or just sometimes?

[WoR]

Is it just me or did nobody else see that he said he had one plug covered in oil, and one cyl. with low compression? Does that mean he could have a bad head gasket?

[Brad97GS]

I was thinking piston ring with those symptoms...