Misfire and not starting

DOHCDUDE

MEMBER
1991 ACURA INTEGRA

Hi, i'm glad I found this site because i'm stuck on this one and need help. Anyway, a few months ago I had my distributor replaced on my 91 integra LS, it has 128,000 miles and is a great car with great gas mileage, once this was done and the timing reset everything was fine. It had new plugs, wires, distributor, cap, and rotor button. After a while I had checked my plugs a few times then when the motor wrmed up it was misfiring really bad so I checked my plugs and discovered that cylinder 2 and 4 plugs were missing the screw on conductor on the top of the plug that the wire snaps onto so I replac ed them again this time with acura NGK-R plugs and I gapped them to factory specs. It ran wonderfully for a week and a half no problems at all then it started missing again real bad. From a dead stop until third gear I could hardly go once above 40 miles an hour it was fine, it was also idling rough too, then one day I went to start it and it didn't start and hasn't since. Whe I try to start it I just hear something grinding and its not cranking or turning over, please help me, i'm dying to get my car back out on the road. Also when I put new plugs in, after like a week I check them and they're always totally black and burned up, whats going on?

1 Reply

SQM

MECHANIC
6,383 POSTS

Hello,

It sounds like you are getting oil in the spark plugs that is what causing them to foul and to black due to burnt oil residue.
This happens when oil enters the combustion chamber, typically due to worn piston rings, too much clearing between the valve guides and stems, or worn bearings.

In order to fix the spark plug oil fouling, you will have to fix the oil leak issue.

You can start by checking the engine compression.
Worn piston rings can cause the cylinder(s) to have low compression.
This engine should have 135 to 185 PSI of compression with the difference between the highest and lowest cylinder being not more than 28 PSI.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-engine-compression

If you have low compression, you can do a oil test to see if it is due to worn piston rings. Pour a tablespoon of oil into the spark plug hole. Then check the compression if the compression rises then the piston rings are at fault.

Weather the piston or the valve guide leaking, this will require engine disassembly.

Please let me know of any questions.
Thank you.

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