Car Is Drinking Gas & Barely Accelerates

[VBdenny]

sorry to hear about your problem. I had a 1975 Plymouth Fury years ago and was headed to NYC on the eastern shore of Virginia. The car began losing power until I realized I had some kind of problem. I turned around and headed back home being only 50 miles out. By the time I got back to Norfolk the car wouldn't go over 30 floored. I removed the cat and replaced it with a "test pipe" which they use to sell. The car was fine after that. I will say that it never put out any white smoke. The only time I have ever seen white smoke is when I had a head gasket go out on my Caprice. I had to replace the engine even though it still ran okay. If anti-freeze gets in with the oil it will eventually cause the main and rod bearing to fail, usually within a year. imes a headgasket leaks the coolant into the combustion chamber instead of the crankcase. I suspect this might be the initial cause of your cat problem as the water and anitfreeze burn they can cause the cat to clog. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions, if it were my car I would take it to Lexus and have them diagnose the problems so you know what page you are on. I know that they are expensive on diagnostics but it will at least let you know where to start. Either way it bites the big one. Good luck with it.

[VBdenny]

Guess I should have read page 2 huh. Anyway, glad to hear it wasn't that bad.

[Lexls]

Army, yeah you can't win em all. Nonetheless I really appreciate your thoughts on this, you obviously know a thing or two about engines. I myself do not know very much...I'm learning though! With the problem I was having it really could have been anything, and sometimes you just have to be there.

The shop I took my car to charged $99.40/hr for labor or diagnostics. Last I heard that was around the Lexus dealer labor rate? The shop was only a few blocks from my house though, they employ experienced mechanics, and they don't charge an arm and a leg for parts (still overpriced though).

Day two and it's still running perfect. I drove around 60 miles today and milage seems back to normal. I also got gas today and figured a rough estimate for the milage I was getting with the coil out.......3 MPG :cries: !!!! A little rich ? I'm thankful it's fixed.

[SKperformance]

just goes to show

unless you can see the car you don;t know

i guess it didn;t have a cap or rotor since it used coils but it sure sounded like an ignition problem.

thanks for the update

[silvermate]

just goes to show

unless you can see the car you don;t know

i guess it didn;t have a cap or rotor since it used coils but it sure sounded like an ignition problem.

exactly, we can't stress that enough around here, all we can do is offer suggestions, its very hard to diagnose a problem over the internet.

anywho

glad you got it fixed buddy........thanks for the update

[jzz30]

haha ok everyone payup! :chairshot: J.K.

worn ignition parts can cause to over work the coils. one affects the other causing the chain reaction breaking the weakest link. a gap that is too big on the plugs can do this. so i would advise if you havent changed out the cap, rotor, wires and plugs, now might be a good time to do so so you get a fresh start.

[LScott400]

Thanks to all involved in this forum!

My son got stranded with this problem in the '94 (cats were a-glowing). A little time spent searching the forums and 2 new coils later he is back on the road.

Now for the bad news... the harness connector for the RH coil broke when I removed it due to age/heat/brittleness. Talked to parts dept. and a tech I know at at a local dealership and no connector repair kits offered. New harness is about $200 and a search on car-parts.com shows engine harnesses used for $225-$500. Anyone run into this and have advice?

Thanks!

[SKperformance]

tap in california

[93ls400walt]

Do you have contact info. for tap?

[LScott400]

Thanks SK!

Here you go Walt.

[93ls400walt]

Thanks again LScott400

Walt

[crazimofo]

i encountered this problem..

LScott400 did you get a new plug? what did you do?

i have new ngk plugs, wires, caps, rotors, ignition coils, still same problem..

thinking it might be the plug..it is on there i think..but i know the plug is broken..

would it throw a CEL? because I scan and have no codes..

[LScott400]

i encountered this problem..

LScott400 did you get a new plug? what did you do?

i have new ngk plugs, wires, caps, rotors, ignition coils, still same problem..

thinking it might be the plug..it is on there i think..but i know the plug is broken..

would it throw a CEL? because I scan and have no codes..

Received this e-mail:

From: "Richard @ Lexus" <lexus@taprecycling.net>

Subject: lexus parts

Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2006 08:13:25 -0700

HI we have the conector ...price is 125.00 please call me at 1 800 765 7100 my name is Richard at ext 16....

I had decided to ride with it the way it was for now. Car drove great for 3 1/2 months (too good) until my son experienced horizontal compression of the forward portion of the vehicle.