Troubleshoot this one!
 

I've a replacement motor in my 91 lx and has performed well since installing. I was merging onto the freeway 4th gear (4000 RPM) and without warning the car started to feel like I was running on 2 or 3 cylinders. Pulled off, called and got towed home. The car was able to start several times, but still performed very poorly. Checked it out, did a run down, got spark from coil, got fuel, won't start.
I've the service manual but don't know where to start my troubleshooting. Weird because there was no symptoms leading up to event.
Could it possibly be a pluged cat convert?
Dist?
Wires?
Hell where should start? Please give me your guys' thoughts.
Thanks,

check for vac leaks, internal mechanical damage.

you need to check the condition of your plugs...you may have lost a few electrodes and are missing so badly that it won't stay running. Also you'll need to check your timing. The distributor may have twisted and throw your timing WAY off and caused it run badly. When you say "got fuel"....how do you know?? Did you check the schroeder valve on the fuel rail?

I'll double check those things, but I know the plugs are brand new. They were the first thing I replaced after I got towed home. The timing was always advanced, by how much I'm not sure. It was turned as far left (counterclockwise) as possible. This was done becaus e the motor shook violently at idle. I'm pretty sure one of the motor mounts is bad, so if I up'd the idle rpm and it chilled out it's shaking. Only noticable at an idle, otherwise the motor has ran smooth whenever I was on it.
Got fuel? I pulled small hose that goes into throttle body off, shot some carb cleaner ( not starting fluid ) into the carb and got nothing. My fuel gauge hasn't worked for some time. The only time I know my fuel level is when the fuel dummy light comes on, and after a fill up.
I've inspected my hoses, can't find any leaks/cracks.
How might I check for "internal mechanical damage"? The motor had 180 p.s.i. in all 4 cylinders last time it was checked, 6-8 months ago.
Where's the shroeder valve on fuel rail and how is it inspected?
I know this has to be a simple fix! Your ideas and feedback are greatly appreciated, Keep um coming cause I refuse to take my car to the dealer. Whatever the problem is I can fix it. I just don't have the dynostic skills to pinpoint the deallyo. Peace

check the spark plug wires while the car is running too because if you take the plugs off one at a time and one of the plugs you take off make no difference then change that one...also check the vacum hoses for leaks...let me know what you find out too...

I can't get it to fire up at all. I mean it turns over fine , but won't run. UGGGG!

no start
 

Did the engine get wet?
Is the air intake hose clamps
tight? Go back to basics. Sometimes
while troubleshooting we can
easily cause other problems.
I mention this because you said
"can't get it to fire up at all", as
before it ran a little. I bent the
connections on my voltage coil
while troubleshooting a hard start
problem and put the rotary button
back on wrong. Took a while to figure
out.

Funny you say that, because when I was troubleshooting there was a light mist going on, and from that point on it wouldn't start at all. But I'll go back...way back and double check the obvious. I'm gonna get back out there today, it's been warm, but any thoughts on the catalic conv.? will the car start with out backpressure? If I was to disconnect exhaust from say the downpipe?

I don't know about the converter or back pressure concern.
However, if the engine compartment got wet I would be
looking for water in the Distributor cap. You indicated that
you had spark. Was it throughout the whole crank of the engine
or just at the beginning and end of crank? It has to be sparking
throughout the crank. The distributor also talks to the ECU telling
it when to send a signal to your igniter, which in turn will send a
pulsed ground to the Primary of the voltage coil. Thus delivering
the right spark at the right time.

The little connector on the distributor has a gasket beneath the
small plate that is held on by two screws. Likely that gasket
is all dried out. If water get in there ...oh boy. Also, at the point
where the Dist. Cap meets the Dist. body verify you have a good
O-ring to keep water out in the future. Check the distributor cap for
any cracks.

Also, are your plug wires in good shape. Look for breakdown points
to ground. Let the sun go down and have someone crank over the
engine. See any sparking to the engine block? If not you still could
have problems with the wires. Also, look into the recessed area
where the boot meets the plug. Verify it is dry in there.

If you find water in the distributor let me know.

your carb? what kind of car is this again?

^^^^^^^
some of the early 90's proteges had 1.5l carb motors. Real comon in ausi.


Anylitical one, the rough Idle when it was cold out was most likley carborator freezing. It happens to all carb. cars in the cold. This is not your problem however. although it could be the carb itself. i hade to replace the carb. a couple of times in my GLC(same engine.)

Well to all that commented to this thread, I appreciate your help X10. I figured it out.
After rechecking the obvious, I took off my timing belt cover and saw that my timing marks I'd made were all wak. The timing belt had jumped some teeth, intake 3 teeth and exhaust 4 teeth (d.o.h.c). The rubber gasket that goes around the bottom piece of the timing cover had been shreded and musta gotten lodged in the way. For future reference let this be a lesson. Other than taking off the timing cover there wasn't any tale-tail signs. I can't believe the car even ran at all that far out of timing. Peace ya'll I love this resource. We all do.