Nissan Repair: skipping, nissan frontier, cylinder number

Question
QUESTION: My 1998 Nissan frontier has a light skip when under power.  I have changed the plugs and wires. I also changed the fuel filter.  The service engine soon light comes on and a day later will go off.  It seems to run smooth when it is cool but after about 5 minutes it starts to run rough again.  It is not a dead skip but just rough running and down on power.

Can you help me?

Bobby

ANSWER: Robert,

Check the codes and email me back and we'll go from there.  The light skip could be the first signs of oil on the optical shutter wheel in the distributor.  If that is the case repalce the distributor.  Go to Autozone or Checker and they will scan the codes for free.  Email me back what they come up with.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: All the codes say cylinder number 2 is the one that is skipping.  I put in a can of Sea Foam and will run it through and see what happens.  I can't understand why it runs so well when the engine is cool but then starts running so rough when it heats up.

Answer
Bobby,

Change the plug from number 2 to another cylinder and see if the condition moves to another cylinder.  If it does replace that plug.  If not do a compression check to see the health of the number 2 cylinder.  You could have a broken compression ring letting oil into the cylinder causing the miss on that cylinder.