Check the fuel pressure regulator vacuum reference line for a strong smell of gas. If yes, the diaphragm in the regulator is ruptured allowing raw gas to be sucked into the throttle body. This would cause a rich condition, although ECU may try to compensate.

good luck

 

I looked at that, I did smell gas but it looked dry. I put a vacuum tester on it and it held, I assumed that it wasn't leaking having done that.

 

is this car stock? any ECU modifications? AFC?

 

You mentioned that you have problems getting the timing light to work and you are getting fouling of the plugs. You definitely have a spark problem that is preventing current from getting to the plugs. I would check the distributor cap and rotor for excessive wear, or just replace both parts.

Cylinder 4 gave you enough current to fire up the timing light, and 1 was the worse. Wire 1 is the longest wire and has the most resistance and 4 has the least resistance, so maybe the coil isn't giving you enough current. Did you try to start the car with the plugs/dist cap disconnected? That can immediately fry a coil.

EDIT: Check the resistance of each wire from end to end. Each should be less than 25 kohms. Plug the wires into the dist. cap, and check the resistance from inside the cap to each wire. They should be almost identical to the first readings.

I doubt that this is a fuel problem, because a good spark should still be sent to each plug regardless of how much fuel is getting in there.

If you pull each plug and clean them, does the car run better for a bit? I wonder if the intake was caked with enough carbon, that the carbon would insulate the plugs. I have seen pics of a ton of carbon that can build up in the intake over time. It might be worthwhile to remove the intake and clean it out.

 

PA: I agree that his symptoms point to the coil, but it would be a huge coincidence that it happened just after using carb cleaner. I think the carbon is a likely culprit as noted earlier. Very strange.

White: Maybe you should check out the coil.

 

I had tested the coil a few months ago when I had a no-start condition. Like Falkore, I question coincidences. As for the spark, the plugs and wires are brand new and the cap and rotor are about two months old. If the plug is fouled (and insulated) it's not going to get the connection to ground so: no spark. No spark = no current = no light on the timing light. Right?

Oh, and yes, it's completely stock.

Thanks guys.

 

Falkore, I agree that it sounds strang, but he is describing some sort of coil output problem. It may not be the coil itself, but power sources along the way. Do you think that enough carbon would build up on the plugs to basically prevent the spark plug from throwing a spark?

If each plug was essentially blocked, then there would be no potential for the current to go throught the wires. This would be just like him starting the car with the distributor cap off. The current would arc from the coil to the distributor housing and fry the coil.

Here is another thought. If he was working near the distributor, he might have knocked a connection loose near the engine bay fuse box or maybe near the distributor. Maybe clean the battery connections at the fuse box and make sure that everything is plugged in and secure. Also check that all of the battery connections are clean.

 

White: I think that you should test the coil. It's the only thing we can come up with and like PA said, the carbon insulation on the plugs has a potential to fry the coil. The signal strength pattern DOES point right at it.

PA: On that train of thought, I'd also look at the main realy, but it can't be because the rest of his car works.

 

Didn't have time to look at the car today. Hopefully tomorrow. I'll test the coil, at least it's easier than breaking apart the exhaust. I want to test the o2 sensor also.

You guys don't think it could be a clogged cat or O2?

 

Finally! I tested the coil - was ok, I tested the O2 - was ok. I tried to remove the o2 sensor to test the cat but it wouldn't budge. Decided to just remove the cat and drove it up on the car ramps. I noticed that, though it was still running awful, it didn't stall or bog down driving it up the ramps. I got out of the car and noticed it seemed tobe idlingbetter. Took it for a drive and it didn't stall, so I parked and tried the timing. Cylinder 1 only had the occasional miss so I was able to get it. Drove it again and parked - idled betterbut missingevery second or two. Drove it again and parked - no longer missing!

So the solution, and answer to my original question, was that it needed to run a long time to get all the crap out. Next time I will remove the parts and clean them off of the car.

Thanks to all for the help.