Barely Running

[OREGON85]

I was driving home yesterday and my 22RE started ticking and lost power and in about half a mile it wasn’t even drivable. Now it barely idles and sounds like its only running on two or three cylinders. I checked the distributor to spark plugs, the vacuum lines appear all good, and I took the valve cover off and everything looked good. What’s the next thing I should look at?

[fenderbmxer86]

Is it a tick or a knock?

How does the exhaust look?

Does the exhaust smell funny? (dont go taking a big wiff, but you can notice a differance)

Run a compression test yet?

What color is the oil? Does it look milky?

[OREGON85]

It not a knock, but it's not really a tick either, more of a tap.

The exhaust looks normal, but the last few months when it on a steep incline or tipped real far it burns oil.

Since I don't have a parking brake or somewhere flat to park I haven't gotten a chance to smell the exhaust closely, but I haven't noticed anything from sitting in it while it is idleing.

I haven't done a compression test.

The oil looks a little dirty but fine.

Thanks for the help!

[22REkid]

If it only sounds like it is running on 2 or 3 cyls. fire it up and start pulling plug wires 1 at a time to see wich cyl it is not firing on. If you pull a wire and it gets worse that means it's firing if it doesn't change then you found one that is not firing. Sounds valve train related like maybe you have a broken valve spring.

[OREGON85]

Nope, no broken valve spring. I looked. But now it doesn't even start. :help:

[22REkid]

Maybe MAF?

[OREGON85]

What does MAF stand for? Where is it and what should I look for?

[brandon88]

Waht about your timing chain or gides maybe?

[OREGON85]

Valve guides wouldn't cause it to stop running so quickly would it?

[bbagwell]

MAF = Mass Air Flow

That is about all I know sorry.

[brandon88]

I was actually thinking about the gides for your timing chain they could be slipping or even broke but I'm still not sure if that would cause you problem or not but its something ?

[OREGON85]

Mass air flow is what I thought too, but that is all I know.

I just turned it over with the valve cover and distruptor cap off and everything is going around just fine. I'm getting worried it might be more internal :frown:

[OREGON85]

I took it to the dealer for a compression test and cylinders 2 and 4 have no compression which they attribute to a blown head gasket. So I guess that is my next project :rolleyes:

[22REkid]

It is odd to have #2 and #4 blow at the same time. Did they actually do a block test to see if there are exhaust emissions in the cooling system or did they just do a compression test?

[OREGON85]

It turns out that it actually was the head gasket and manifold gasket. The head gasket went because the thermostat was not working.