Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

Ben_M wrote:
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>
>[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>>know nothing about cars. :-P I'm a bit concerned though by some of your comments
>>because my sister is still driving the car to work and back every day. Is this no good?? :P I've been talking to her and she says it's still running smoothly but just with 25% less power obviously, oh and if you run the revs too low it doesn't handle that at all, which I'm guessing is to be expected with only 3 cylinders.

>>Thanks for all your replys.
>>
>>Ben

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Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

Ben_M wrote:
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>
>[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>>know nothing about cars. :-P I'm a bit concerned though by some of your comments
>>because my sister is still driving the car to work and back every day. Is this no good?? :P I've been talking to her and she says it's still running smoothly but just with 25% less power obviously, oh and if you run the revs too low it doesn't handle that at all, which I'm guessing is to be expected with only 3 cylinders.

>>Thanks for all your replys.
>>
>>Ben

--
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Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

Ben_M via CarKB.com wrote:
> Ben_M wrote:
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>
>> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>>> disconnect the injector on the plug that's missing and drive it like
>>> that so you don't damage the cat.
>> Ok, thanks a lot for all your replys, but I probably should have mentioned I
>> know nothing about cars. :-P I'm a bit concerned though by some of your comments
>> because my sister is still driving the car to work and back every day. Is this no good?? :P I've been talking to her and she says it's still running smoothly but just with 25% less power obviously, oh and if you run the revs too low it doesn't handle that at all, which I'm guessing is to be expected with only 3 cylinders.
>
> What do you think? Is it likely to be worth repairing? I'm willing to throw
> $1000 at it.
>> Thanks for all your replys.
>>
>> Ben
>


Well,

No-one can have any thoughts without some history on the car to help.

Has the oil been changed in the past 6 months?

Can you take it to a shop and get a quote on repairs? Remember my 3
questions earlier? The answers will speak volumes on what needs to be done.

If it is a spark plug, then be prepared to spend $2.00 to fix it.

If it is a plug wire, then empty your wallet to the tune of $20.00.

If there is no compression, then you may be spending close to $1000.00
if you can't repair the cylinder head yourself. Caveat: If there is no
compression, and the cylinder head is fine, then you may need to replace
the engine.

Double caveat: If the damage is due to oil starvation, replace the engine.


More info needed. Have a mechanic look at your car asap.


Marco

Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

Ben_M via CarKB.com wrote:
> Ben_M wrote:
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>
>> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>>> disconnect the injector on the plug that's missing and drive it like
>>> that so you don't damage the cat.
>> Ok, thanks a lot for all your replys, but I probably should have mentioned I
>> know nothing about cars. :-P I'm a bit concerned though by some of your comments
>> because my sister is still driving the car to work and back every day. Is this no good?? :P I've been talking to her and she says it's still running smoothly but just with 25% less power obviously, oh and if you run the revs too low it doesn't handle that at all, which I'm guessing is to be expected with only 3 cylinders.
>
> What do you think? Is it likely to be worth repairing? I'm willing to throw
> $1000 at it.
>> Thanks for all your replys.
>>
>> Ben
>


Well,

No-one can have any thoughts without some history on the car to help.

Has the oil been changed in the past 6 months?

Can you take it to a shop and get a quote on repairs? Remember my 3
questions earlier? The answers will speak volumes on what needs to be done.

If it is a spark plug, then be prepared to spend $2.00 to fix it.

If it is a plug wire, then empty your wallet to the tune of $20.00.

If there is no compression, then you may be spending close to $1000.00
if you can't repair the cylinder head yourself. Caveat: If there is no
compression, and the cylinder head is fine, then you may need to replace
the engine.

Double caveat: If the damage is due to oil starvation, replace the engine.


More info needed. Have a mechanic look at your car asap.


Marco

Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

"Ben_M via CarKB.com" wrote:

> >for the sake of a few bucks, you can replace the plugs and probably fix
> >the problem. then the drive home won't be an issue. otherwise,
> >disconnect the injector on the plug that's missing and drive it like
> >that so you don't damage the cat.
>
> Ok, thanks a lot for all your replys, but I probably should have
> mentioned I know nothing about cars. :-P I'm a bit concerned by some of
> your comments because my sister is still driving the car to work and back
> every day. :P Is it pretty much likely to be a write off? Thanks for all
> your replys.

and...

> :P I've been talking to her and she says it's still running smoothly but
> just with 25% less power obviously, oh and if you run the revs too low it
> doesn't handle that at all, which I'm guessing is to be expected with
> only 3 cylinders.

some people might be better off taking the bus... if she wants a 3 cylinder
car then she should get a geo metro. the car may have a simple problem or
it may be more complex. driving it around in its current state is like
pouring lime juice into an open wound, it can only make it worse.

Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

"Ben_M via CarKB.com" wrote:

> >for the sake of a few bucks, you can replace the plugs and probably fix
> >the problem. then the drive home won't be an issue. otherwise,
> >disconnect the injector on the plug that's missing and drive it like
> >that so you don't damage the cat.
>
> Ok, thanks a lot for all your replys, but I probably should have
> mentioned I know nothing about cars. :-P I'm a bit concerned by some of
> your comments because my sister is still driving the car to work and back
> every day. :P Is it pretty much likely to be a write off? Thanks for all
> your replys.

and...

> :P I've been talking to her and she says it's still running smoothly but
> just with 25% less power obviously, oh and if you run the revs too low it
> doesn't handle that at all, which I'm guessing is to be expected with
> only 3 cylinders.

some people might be better off taking the bus... if she wants a 3 cylinder
car then she should get a geo metro. the car may have a simple problem or
it may be more complex. driving it around in its current state is like
pouring lime juice into an open wound, it can only make it worse.

Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

"Ben_M via CarKB.com" <u20663@uwe> wrote in message
news:5e8f1fb644a14@uwe...
> jim beam wrote:
>>> Hi everyone,
>>>
>>[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>>>
>>> Ben
>>
>>for the sake of a few bucks, you can replace the plugs and probably fix
>>the problem. then the drive home won't be an issue. otherwise,
>>disconnect the injector on the plug that's missing and drive it like
>>that so you don't damage the cat.
>
>
> Ok, thanks a lot for all your replys, but I probably should have mentioned
> I
> know nothing about cars. :-P I'm a bit concerned by some of your comments
> because my sister is still driving the car to work and back every day. :P
> Is it pretty much likely to be a write off? Thanks for all your replys.
>
> Ben
>
> --
> Message posted via http://www.carkb.com

The catalyst is probably okay if it has just been driven around town. If the
dead cylinder is actually pumping unburned fuel mixture into the exhaust,
high speed driving may melt the catalyst. I've seen both undamaged catalyst
with seriously rich mixture and melted catalyst for no obvious reason, so it
could go either way. Similarly, if the cylinder is dead because the valves
aren't operating or the injector isn't squirting, it should be safe from
that standpoint.

The big concern is why the cylinder is dead in the first place. In the
larger view it suggests a lack of maintenance, which is always problematic.
But in the smaller view if the problem is a dead injector or bad plug/wire
or distributor cap it is ready for more years of service.

If you truly have to drive it 250 miles to find out, I second Jim Beam's
recommendation - unplug the injector and drive it. How do you know which
injector? Start at one end and give each one a try. The engine won't idle on
two cylinders, so when you find the one that doesn't make it any worse than
it already is you've found the one.

Mike

Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

"Ben_M via CarKB.com" <u20663@uwe> wrote in message
news:5e8f1fb644a14@uwe...
> jim beam wrote:
>>> Hi everyone,
>>>
>>[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>>>
>>> Ben
>>
>>for the sake of a few bucks, you can replace the plugs and probably fix
>>the problem. then the drive home won't be an issue. otherwise,
>>disconnect the injector on the plug that's missing and drive it like
>>that so you don't damage the cat.
>
>
> Ok, thanks a lot for all your replys, but I probably should have mentioned
> I
> know nothing about cars. :-P I'm a bit concerned by some of your comments
> because my sister is still driving the car to work and back every day. :P
> Is it pretty much likely to be a write off? Thanks for all your replys.
>
> Ben
>
> --
> Message posted via http://www.carkb.com

The catalyst is probably okay if it has just been driven around town. If the
dead cylinder is actually pumping unburned fuel mixture into the exhaust,
high speed driving may melt the catalyst. I've seen both undamaged catalyst
with seriously rich mixture and melted catalyst for no obvious reason, so it
could go either way. Similarly, if the cylinder is dead because the valves
aren't operating or the injector isn't squirting, it should be safe from
that standpoint.

The big concern is why the cylinder is dead in the first place. In the
larger view it suggests a lack of maintenance, which is always problematic.
But in the smaller view if the problem is a dead injector or bad plug/wire
or distributor cap it is ready for more years of service.

If you truly have to drive it 250 miles to find out, I second Jim Beam's
recommendation - unplug the injector and drive it. How do you know which
injector? Start at one end and give each one a try. The engine won't idle on
two cylinders, so when you find the one that doesn't make it any worse than
it already is you've found the one.

Mike

Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

Marco wrote:
>>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>>
>[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>>>
>>> Ben
>
>Well,
>
>No-one can have any thoughts without some history on the car to help.
>
>Has the oil been changed in the past 6 months?
>
>Can you take it to a shop and get a quote on repairs? Remember my 3
>questions earlier? The answers will speak volumes on what needs to be done.
>
>If it is a spark plug, then be prepared to spend $2.00 to fix it.
>
>If it is a plug wire, then empty your wallet to the tune of $20.00.
>
>If there is no compression, then you may be spending close to $1000.00
>if you can't repair the cylinder head yourself. Caveat: If there is no
>compression, and the cylinder head is fine, then you may need to replace
>the engine.
>
>Double caveat: If the damage is due to oil starvation, replace the engine.
>
>More info needed. Have a mechanic look at your car asap.
>
>Marco

Ok thanks for all your help, you guys are awesome. I think given my complete
ignorance in cars, my best bet is to get her to take it to a local mechanic
and hope they give her a courtesy car. :-/ lol

Thanks a lot guys.

Ben

--
Message posted via http://www.carkb.com

Re: Firing on 3 cylinders
 

Marco wrote:
>>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>>
>[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>>>
>>> Ben
>
>Well,
>
>No-one can have any thoughts without some history on the car to help.
>
>Has the oil been changed in the past 6 months?
>
>Can you take it to a shop and get a quote on repairs? Remember my 3
>questions earlier? The answers will speak volumes on what needs to be done.
>
>If it is a spark plug, then be prepared to spend $2.00 to fix it.
>
>If it is a plug wire, then empty your wallet to the tune of $20.00.
>
>If there is no compression, then you may be spending close to $1000.00
>if you can't repair the cylinder head yourself. Caveat: If there is no
>compression, and the cylinder head is fine, then you may need to replace
>the engine.
>
>Double caveat: If the damage is due to oil starvation, replace the engine.
>
>More info needed. Have a mechanic look at your car asap.
>
>Marco

Ok thanks for all your help, you guys are awesome. I think given my complete
ignorance in cars, my best bet is to get her to take it to a local mechanic
and hope they give her a courtesy car. :-/ lol

Thanks a lot guys.

Ben

--
Message posted via http://www.carkb.com