QuestionQUESTION: This is my son's car and ever since we had the engine rebuilt a year ago it has not been running right. We have been told that it has an exhaust leak, and that it need plugs and wires. We put new plugs and wires on tonight but it keeps back firing and still idle's rough and wants to die. This car has had the works, new slave cylinder,clutch,tires, wheels,new paint job etc. We are trying to get it running smooth so we can sell it before he goes back to school.
ANSWER: Tammy: Why did you not take it back to the place that did the rebuilding and get them to fix the engine right. As my guess is that they did not do something right. But my repair manual says this first one was stark plugs, second wires and you said your did those. Bug also the distributor cap and rotor(did you do those too?). So then it says leaking EGR valve, air filter clogged, fuel pump not delivering enough fuel( that can be tested easily enough), timing belt or pulleys worn, camshaft lobes worn, but still if the engine was rebuild as it should have been those last two things should have been rebuilt. But on the backfiring.. emission control system not funcition properly(you should have this coded to see what the computer might kick out as to the problem with the car), ignition timing incorrect, fuel injection system in need of adjustment or worn excessively, vacuum leaks, damaged or worn lash adjusted and/or valves sticking... these ideas came out of my repair manual. But really I think you should take the car back to whoever did that rebuilt and see if they might find the problem with the car. As it could have been something they did not do right and only now is showing up in the car. God bless: Linda
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QUESTION: We have had it back there two times and they are telling us it is nothing that they have done. It has an exhaust leak that they told us is at the end and we took it to a dealer and he couldn't tell us where is was coming from. So I have tried to get them to fix it but I am not getting anywhere. Thank you for getting back to us and I will have them check the things you suggested.
AnswerTammy: I know it is a pain when you get someone to fix your car, you pay them but the job is not done right. Why not get the computer coded to see what it kicks out at you as to the problem, there are many sensors through the engine and the computer gets its ideas from those sensors as to how the engine should run. So one of those sensors could be bad. You car could have one of those bad computer too, as there was some bad ones put into cars of early years. I really wish I could help you more. back firing would not be caused by an exhaust leak. An exhaust leak might make it run a little rough though. Still if the car is not very loud I don't think it is that either. Could be it is just a small hose that was forgot to be hooked up, or one has a small hole in it so you have a vacuum leak. But those at times are hard to find, you might have to get a shop to do that for you. Again I wish I could do more for you, as you have to be getting tired of all the ideas as to what is wrong but nothing that fixes problems. Please keep me posted though. God bless: Linda
