Forum:
Hello To all.
1990 Charade 1.3L
What Started, with what was thought to be a bad spark plug causing rough idle, has concluded with a red-hot glowing exhaust manifold.
The bad spark plug idle feeling, transitioned to what felt like running on 2 cyclinders as I tried to just get it home. Once home it would not start, unless I serverly advanced the ignition timing. Once started it ran really rough unless I reved the piss out of it, then it seemed smooth, but had no power. The following was already checked or replaced:
Checked all the spark plugs and they are good.
Replaced the Distributor cap and rotor.
Checked the ignition wires and they are good.
Checked the spark color at the plugs to be white.
Check the timing belt to see if it slipped or walked, good.
Rebuilt all Fuel Injectors and flow tested them, good.
Replaced the O2 Sensor.
Last weekend I tried to drive it up the street a few blocks, I wasn't able to go fast and it had no off-the-line power, when I came back the exhaust manifold was glowing.
The red-hot exhaust manifold leads me to think either it was running with Retarded Ignition Timing or had a lean fuel mixture. Which then leads me to think MAF sensor (if this car even has one? does it?) or Ignition Control Module (where is that located?).
What do you think about my engine problem? Help will be appreciated.
James
1990 Charade 1.3L Rough Running Engine (ICM, Injectors, Timing)
Fixed it.
It turned out the be the spark plug wires. Although I did not see them arching (checked at night with the lights off and the engine running) and I witnessed the spark plugs firing (pulled each plug, connected it to wire and cranked the motor), it turns out that they were grounding from the boot to the engine when installed. Hopefully someone will be able to use this to fix their car.