Phase 0.5: The Struggle

A few days ago, I picked up my car with a new timing belt and water pump installed. No problems along the way. Awesome, I'm stoked. I thought I could finally give it some throttle... But this misfire reared its dumb head!

I knew it would cause a problem sooner or later. It already was. With this misfire*, before this timing belt job, the car would shake a little bit at idle. It would misfire, obviously. But it was fine as the car even started moving forward.

The other problem I had with it was that around 40-60 mph especially, if I gave it a little too much throttle, it would buck on me. Now, instead of bucking on me, a cylinder misfires, the car shakes, and I keep going.

The shaking is extremely annoying as you can imagine. My mechanics think it's the spark plugs or wires so I'm going to do the wires now because I already put new spark plugs in there (yes, Japanese brand, NGK). When I did the spark plugs shortly after getting the car, it went from constantly bucking and shaking to only mildly shaking at idle, like I said, and bucking only at strong acceleration. 

I hope to God it's the spark plug wires. I should be able to get a new pair ASAP but I couldn't imagine dealing with something else if it, indeed, is not the wires.

My engine is completely covered in oil, they said. The leak is weird. Only a very small amount leaked out the whole time I left the car at the mechanic's. Then I drove it for another day before checking and it was at low so it seems like it slowed down a little bit. The mechanics cleaned the engine a little and I see that there's a leak around one of the valve cover bolts.

$1,000 to do the camshaft and crankshaft seals. This is what I was quoted at the same mechanic. They did a good job on the belt and stuff but I don't know why they would then try to rip me off like this, ESPECIALLY when they would have been able to access those seals and possibly put new ones in for $200 extra or something. But no call, nothing.

I can't find an honest mechanic in Florida. I just can't. I've had my car returned to me with bolts missing (multiple times), stuff like a hose left disconnected, or they didn't tighten the battery connection. What is going on guys?

But those seals, that's my main goal. Lexy the Second will survive. I don't have to worry about the belt messing up so I'm not so bad off.

I mean, yeah, the car shakes a little like it's a race car at stop lights but also accelerates smooth as long as I drive it like before. Quick enough to not slow down traffic. Again, with the new timing belt in, the misfire is extremely prominent if I do give it enough throttle for it to shake and it accelerates but I just know the motor doesn't like it. Also, the shaking has become milder (maybe the ECU is still adjusting) and actually didn't shake at all for a moment this morning.

What does that mean for me? It means I'm gonna keep driving it slow until I get a set of spark plug wires and replace them. I looked at cylinder #4 yesterday and there was oil around the perimeter. I'm going to find out today but there is a possibility that that oil was external, meaning I was topping it off and spilled some and it could have run down in between the plastic cover because I bought this car with a broken one.

Honestly, the wires need to be re-done in general. There's a certain way you place them so they all fit in their covers but on this car, the wires coming from the distributor cap are set up such that the cover there doesn't go down all the way. The cover is broken in two pieces to pull off this stunt...

People, have some damn pride in your work!

It's okay, I just need to adjust the way the wires sit when I get new ones and I'm gonna have to find a new cover at the junkyard. Today I'm gonna try switching out that one spark plug wire with one of my own. I did this when I first got the car to replace a torn spark plug wire so I might as well see if that works for now.

If that's not it, it may possibly be the fuel pump although those wires are very old. I have hope. That's why this is a struggle for me. Spend $100 for a diagnosis to tell me I need new wires? Or spend $100 on a new set of spark plug wires and install them and see?

The problem is when you throw five parts at it only to still have the same problem so if it's something you're really not sure of, take an L and just go to the shop.

Trust me, it blows to have this tiny little job (hopefully!) to do before I can tear ass with my new timing belt. Of course you will get a big update at that time. It's been two years... 

I've been working on upholstery stuff too that I have to show you right now. I've been working on finishing the front seats. All that is left is the part of the job that I haven't seen anyone ever use so I'm going to keep it a little bit of a secret for now. Essentially I just have to sew on the part that will hold the fabric onto the seat and I'm doing that after I finish this article.

I know not everybody reads every article so the fabric in the picture above is what I'm going to be using to reupholster the back seat. That's also the trim - there will be some on the sides of the front headrests - simple and clean. This fabric is amazingly soft and for those who don't know, I'm going with two different fabrics for front and back for a reason. But it's all tweed-like which is what I love. 

I have to put the LEDs in that I missed, like the trunk light, sun visor mirror, and a couple other spots. 

I have a lot of hope for the car. I was nervous that the misfire might hurt the engine in some way but it doesn't appear to be doing so. I've been driving it like that for six months now and the mechanic agreed that it's probably fine. The oil leak? It sucks but I can afford to add the oil.

There's usually - almost always - something that gets between you and your goals. It's like some sh#$&+ rule of life or something! But we overcome. Hopefully Lexy 2 overcomes these two little problems and can finally run like she's supposed to. At the very least, I am in reach of that. Thanks for reading, people.

Notice the small covers on the top of the headlights on this car. I want that for Lexy 2 but more pronounced.

* The mechanic's computer showed a misfire on cylinder #4 but my scanner showed a "random misfire" when I first got the car. I probably should have scanned it again. If the wire I changed out a long ago fixed that cylinder, it could have went from random misfire to just misfire on #4. That's my hope and it's the most likely problem.