Running on 3 cylinders

[Mike22487]

On my g/f car, I believe its running on 3 cylinders, 2000 gallant 2.4l, I have unplugged the #1injector while its running and the engine barely sounds different
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Some history on the car, it has 279,xxx miles, it burns a quart of oil in less than 700 miles, we put 80,000 miles a year on the car, because of it burning oil the o2 sensor bank 1 sensor 1 constantly send a check engine light, 2-3 times a year it throws a random multiple cylinder miss fire code, I change the coils out (i have 3 sets from the junk yard I keep changing out) and it works for a few more months, it eats spark plugs in 2 months (ngk platinum), the timing belt and balance shaft belt was replaced 2 years ago, the rear motor mount gets replaced every year (it disintegrates), the motor shakes the whole car at idle speed
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Here's a picture of the spark plugs at a month and a half
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q235/mike22487/2011-03-25101005.jpg
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Here's a video at idle in park
http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid137.photobucket.com/albums/q235/mike22487/video-2011-03-25-09-51-48.mp4
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http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid137.photobucket.com/albums/q235/mike22487/video-2011-03-25-09-51-48.mp4

[wetamup2k3g]

Welcome, that's alot of miles you got there!
One thing, though. I heard your video and I hear what sounds like compression leaking (not surprising given your mileage). I heard that same idle whistle right before my spark plug popped out ( I was rushing one day and didn't tighten the plug down, I guess, I'm still not sure how that happened, but I digress).
Now, i'm not there, so it could be anything, pulley bearing, belts, but that sound is familiar to me. Here's a description of what may be going on with your plugs, BTW

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k525/wetamup2011/c72e1491.jpg

[Mike22487]

I listened around with a mechanics stethescope and I hear all of the injectors pulsing, it sounds like that hissing sound is coming from under the headers on cylinder one (head gasket?), ill have to get a mirror to check it out, while I had it idleing in the driveway the other day a black liquid was coming out the tail pipe, it didn't smell like gas though, and I dought it was condensation because the car just drove 100 miles like this home from where she was,
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should I just take the car to a garage and let them figure it out?

I've been working 7 days a week and dont think I have time to mess around with this car and sleep, I have done engine swaps and numerous fixes on my 3 nissans I have,

[DTP]

Definitely do a compression and leak down test. You gotta figure that hiss out. Has it overheated?

The seals could be killing your spark plugs, but they are not leaking enough oil to completely cover them. If you catch my drift.


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[Mike22487]

The car hasn't overheated, when you hit the gas pedal after sitting at a stop light white smoke comes out the tailpipe, I know it needs valve guide seals from that

[Mike22487]

Ok, compression test done,
cylinder
#1 dry 180 wet 211
#2 dry 190 wet 214
#3 dry 152 wet 214 (piston rings?)
#4 dry 0 wet 0 (dont understand)
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I couldn't find a leak down tester to borrow or rent, I'll have to buy one off of amazon or go to harbor freight
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whats my next step with this car? Take it to a garage, or get a replacement engine somewhere?
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Can anyone recommend a place to buy a low mileage engine from in south florida?

[ADExternal]

Just repace all your seals and gaskets. Also make sure your valve cover is in good condition when you take it off to change.

[Mike22487]

With 276,xxx miles on the engine I think it will be a little more involved than just gaskets and seals, how much would that typically cost for a shop to replace them all?

[ADExternal]

Quite honestly, with 276k miles, I would just rebuild the entire motor or have it swapped. For a local shop in houston it should runs about 200$-350$ including OEM parts.

[Mike22487]

Quite honestly, with 276k miles, I would just rebuild the entire motor or have it swapped. For a local shop in houston it should runs about 200$-350$ including OEM parts.
^ for a rebuild or swap?

[Mike22487]

I got a quote from one garage they said for a used engine and install it would be $2800 with no warranty on the engine, another garage I've been to before gave me a quote without finding an engine first and said in the range of $1800 with a warranty on everything, and another garage is supposed to call me back today

[ADExternal]

How much are you wanting to spend on this car? of course rebuilding a car is good only for the motor and watever you replaced. its alot cheaper then a new car but a new car has everything.... well new.

[DTP]

$1800 is about right. See how much it would run to rebuild it.


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[Mike22487]

The other garage called me back, he said it would be $1800 for labor and a 2004- 50,000 mile engine from a crashed car (rear ended) (compression tested and leak down tested) with a 6 month warranty on the engine, he said it would be over $2000 + to rebuild it and with that many miles on that engine who knows what it looks like inside,
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my g/f puts 80,000 miles a year on that car, all that it needs now is shocks, a rear motor mount, tint re-done, and tires
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Wheres a good place to get shocks at? Advance auto wants $400 for shocks, what brand is good, probably just stock replacements, she drives all highway miles

[Mike22487]

Engine has been replaced, it cost $1800 to replace it with a 54k mile engine, its not getting good gas mileage

There are 2 codes that come up, p0170 fuel trim malfunction (bank 1) (p0170 (bank 2) came up once but hasn't come back after 100 miles), and p0400 egr flow malfunction (possibly leaking hose I found) I will fix that this week

Its using a lot of gas probably from the p0170 code, the old engine kept tripping the front o2 sensor from the oil burning but the sensor was cleaned, what do you think it could be?

[finald8ta]

i just got this po170 code today, butt my car was missing alot like dead plugs, so i ended up replacing them check ur plugsand replace that o2 sensor with a new one

[Mike22487]

Plugs are new, it isn't missing at all, o2 I will switch to another one I have