car idling like crap, big loss of power

[shinrekka]

I have a KA24E 5sp. Within the last 3 months I have replaced the clutch, timing chain, spark plugs, brake master cylinder, put in k+n air filter, installed Apexi n1 3" exhaust , oil pressure switch sensor thing, new radiater, power steering tensioner pulley and i think thats it. Recently I tried removing the cat to put on a test pipe but was unable to get the cat off because the rust fused it to the header. I ground off a bolt to get the cat off and then tried to drill it out. I was unsuccesful and a week later i hear an exhaust leak. Could this be why my car is idling like crap. And has a huge loss of power. I literally got out accelerated by one of those old 80's terrorist vans from back to the future movie. My clutch master cylinder is also going and i have a short in the dash (causes tail lights and dash not to work) as far as I know thats it. What do u guys think?

[omgosh]

Check for vaccum leaks...

Get the FSM and read the Engine Control and Emissions section, its very informing and has a bunch of troubleshooting written out for you.

[shinrekka]

i put in a test pipe today and the car runs alot better, how ever the idling problem still remains, and when i am in neutral approaching a red light the RPMs drop real quick and sometimes the car will stall out. Before i left class today i checked to see if plugs were loose and what not and i got shocked by a sparkplug wire even tho i was only touching the rubber. I heard a noise that my boss said I may of been hearing the some arcing. So i guess my plugs are shot im gonna get some tomarrow. Also could my car be running like crap because i have alot of bad wiring in the car such as shorts and stuff

- when car is off and key is out, if i turn my headlights on my heat blower turns on

- When I turn my lights on my radio turns off

- Now my car keeps blowing the fuse for the tail lights and dash, but my radio work with the headlights on

[SPOOLDU]

Have a shop like a alarm/car audio shop check out the wiring, there's obviously something wrong with your electrical system. As for your idle issue, the electrical issues may be the causing factor in this case. Other factors that can effect idle quality that you may want to check: Spark plug & gap, spark plug wires, coil, dirty t-body and/or intake filter, sometimes even (but not likely) your drive belts (check for proper tension)...and the worst case scenario, the alternator is just giving you the finger.

[shinrekka]

Well, I fixed the wiring. Bestbuy f-ed up my wiring from doing the radio install. They didnt even use the conversion harness i bought they just hacked up the wires and taped them together. So i pulled out the radio and now my wiring is fixed. I put in new spark plug wires and it did help out a little. The coil wire didnt seem like it was realy in there and when i took them all off there was brown stuff comin out of the hole were the coil goes on the distributer. So i bought a new distributer cap and rotor and will be installing it once my dad goes to work (no longer aloud to use the garage). Now I have some vavle train noise. At low RPMS is sounds like a tap and sometimes it goes away and comes back. Now on my way home from school I can hear like a rolling sound sound at higher RPMS. My cam or lifters shot?

[projekt_s13]

the thing thst was wrong with my S13 that caused the RPM's to drop and sometimes stall was the EGR valve. I got it cleaned and the prblem went away.

[s13dan]

MAF sensor might be off a little...

[shinrekka]

how do i clean out the EGR? Is that the metal disc thing above the intake manifold? I sprayed carb/choke cleaner in the maf but my engine ticking/kocking was getting worse so i drove it up and down the block to see if there was any difference but I didnt want to push it. I took off the valve cover and had to leave for work. I honestly am getting sick of the KA-E. I think i should start saving for an SR swap. So many problems, one after another

[projekt_s13]

sr20 sounds good but they have problems too, and the replacement parts are expensive

[shinrekka]

Well if i need a new engine and I wanna go turbo any way. In the long run i think it will be worth it for the SR20. I gotta lot of work ahead of me now and I probaly will need a second job. I could get my ka rebuilt and then spend over a grand to turbo it and then alot more for feul upgrades. Or i could get the SR20, an fmic, boost controller and a bov and i'd be perfectly happy. I'd love to have a turbo KA but im gettin tired of the ka and want somethin new. On another note, i started the engine up with the valve cover off and the oil was spraying up from the rear but not the front were the timing chain is. There is also alot of grime in there. However the knocking is coming from the rear of the head. I talked to a shop i make deliveries for and they told me the oil problem may be a spun bearing or an oil clog but when I told them about the knock/tapping the guy laughed at me and told me its time for a new engine. I'd still like to find out what the problem is because i'd like to attempt to fix it my self. I bought some "master engine cleaner" and am gonna try it out in half an hour.

[shinrekka]

yeh i uhh found metal shaving in my oil so i guess that means its all over?

[aznpoopy]

knock + shavings definitely sounds bad.

does the knocking sound like this?

http://www.zilvia.net/f/showpost.php?p=669358&postcount=2

[EchoOfSilence]

oh fuck, those sounds make me cry.


anyway... it sounds like it's knocking, and shaving shit off. You have a while till it shoots a rod. I'm sorry, man. I feel for you though, me ka-e's been not-perfect since the beginning, and it tires me too.

[PABSdrft]

whats the EGR valve my car has some idling problems too and is hard to start