After owning my lancer for about a year it finally went kaput on me today.

A few months back my engine started to "tick" when It was running. The "tick" also speeds up and slows down depending upon my speed which lead me to believe it could be a valve slap.

I feel like that ticking noise has gotten progressively worse over time and it is pretty loud now, though in these pasts few months I have noticed several cars that sound exactly like mine with the engine ticking. Maybe it is nothing.

So I was leaving class today and all of a sudden while I was sitting at a light my car started to bog out and feel like it was going to die. The engine was bucking hard and it felt like I threw a rod or something, the feeling the car was giving me was just awful, it stalled out and I rolled to a stop in a parking lot.

After freaking out for a minute I turned the car back on and it started up fine and sounded normal. I just said "wtf" and got back on the road and made it about 1/4 mile before it started bucking and dying again. I tried to put it in neutral to try and save my engine but it kept dying and stalled, then it wouldn't start back up right away. I sat on the side of the road for maybe a minute or two and the car wouldn't start at first. Then it started right up and I went on my way babying it the whole way home. I noticed on my way home that If i tried to press the gas too hard the engine would start bucking again and dying. (To fix it I put the car in neutral and let it idle normal again before putting it back in gear)

It feels like it is not getting enough fuel? Possibly not enough compression due to a bad valve?

I am going to run the car for codes tomorrow and do some more diagnostics and will report my findings here.

EDIT: (Update 6/29/11)
Just pulled a P0171 code (system too lean) which I have been almost since I have owned the car.
And also pulled a new code P0304 which is a cylinder 4 misfire.

 

I would start with a compression test and work your way up !
Could be a fuel issue thought .

 

Just pulled a P0171 code (system too lean) which I have been almost since I have owned the car.
And also pulled a new code P0304 which is a cylinder 4 misfire.

 

Take the second cat converter out, I mean completely out so you end up with a open downpipe exhaust and take her for a spin.
If it runs fine, you simply have a clogged cat(too much back pressure), which is what it sounds like according to:

The ticking is likely a unrelated issue.

 

Thank you so much for your suggestion! It turned out to be the catalytic converter after all

Anyone have a suggestion on where to get a good replacement? I can't find anything on ebay anymore lol.

 

I'm glad to see I was able to help.
I buy most of my stuff from www.AutoPartsway.com
Prices are usually really good, and shipping is wicked fast.

 

I ran to all my local auto part stores this morning and could not find a single catalytic converter or even gaskets lol. I ended up ordering the Magnaflow from RRM and got some extra gaskets off ebayz.

 

I had the same issue and it was the coil packs that went bad. Changed them out and ran like new. I later cleaned out the throttle body and it ran even better.

 

I am having issues again, after I installed the new Magnaflow cat I received from RRM I am now getting problems while trying to accelerate from low rpms, and I have like no power at all anymore. When I rev near 4k it feels like it is gonna blow.

The problem starts when I first start the car cold. The engine starts but starts to like "buck" lightly and fast and the exhaust sound is fast. (Sorry if you can't understand because I really can't either) If I try to go forward or reverse right after I start the car it will jump because the engine is acting up. If I let it warmup for a few minutes (which I do everytime I start my car now -_- ) it works pretty well. The exception is sometimes at stop lights when I go to accelerate from low RPMs it does that quick jumpy engine thing and there is little to no power. It also does this when I slow down and don't shift down and try to accelerate again, and the car is at like 1.5-2k rpms. It likes to run smooth at 2k+.

Here is a video I just uploaded, it only contains the clicking noise I have been hearing for a while. And the loud vacuum sound my intake makes. Let me know what y'all think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oFhf2DxzJI

I will upload a video with the weird noise at start up if I can.

edit: I am also missing this "cover" from the bottom side of the car, right next to the oil pan. #4 in the picture below. I talked to a guy at Advanced auto parts about it and he said it was an "inspection cover, probably made of plastic" I called the stealership about it and they said they have something similar to what I am talking about for like $68.

 

Ok so when I go from low rpms or idling to WOT or even a little less than WOT it bogs out. You might be able to hear it in this video I uploaded, excuse my phone quality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slkKO4ivlqM

 

Just removed spark plugs today... oh boy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66045779@N08/6008861876/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66045779@N08/6008861876/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/66045779@N08/, on Flickr


The plug on the far right (Cylinder 1 I believe) is totally missing the side electrode.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66045779@N08/6008862618/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66045779@N08/6008862618/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/66045779@N08/, on Flickr

Two of the other plugs have oil on them

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66045779@N08/6008315753/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66045779@N08/6008315753/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/66045779@N08/, on Flickr


What should i do now? replace engine?

I am going to get new spark plugs and see if that helps...

 

well thats not really good. if that electrode was in there bouncing around it probably nicked up your piston. maybe scratched up your cylinder walls which will cause oil to get past the oil and compression rings causing loss of oil and smoking.i would just drive it till it dont drive no more. oil on the plugs could mean either bad rings in all 4 cylinders or if the oil was on top of the plugs it could be the rubber grommets on top of the spark plug holes bad. either way it needs some work.

 

oh and that cover your asking about in the pic above is a torque converter access plate,for when your removing either the engine or tranny you can get to the bolts,it is metal.

 

Wow man cant say I have ever seen the entire top missing jeez. If you havent already definately take some kind of small magnet down the spark plug whole and get any metal out of there if its still in the combustion chamber.

 

ive seen it a couple times and the piston and walls wasnt too pretty,just from that little piece.