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New here!! Just wanted to let you guys know what i found. Driving along downshifting and when getting back into throttle the car lost power about 50% loss, and exhaust sounded much different almost like my dist. went out or a misfire. No check engine light, no codes, I could smell unburnt fuel and was coming out the exhaust so seemed like a rich mixture.
Check list of what i went through:
1. I have had problems with moisture in my old distributor and spark was a little weak so i swapped it out and no change.
2. Unbolted exhaust before the converter to make sure it wasn't plugged -good.
3. Checked tps specs etc. and -good
4. Checked fuel pressure -good
5. Checked all vacuum hoses and -good.
6. Checked all wiring and grounds-good
7. VAF working properly and in spec- good
8. Checked all sensors including temp sensors and crank sensor-good
9. Checked compression and was 205 psi on front 3 cylinders and 190-195 on rear cylinders and took a little more turning over to achieve these numbers
10. All spark plugs and wires are good.
11. Probably some things I checked that i forgot to mention but in a nut shell i checked everything and here’s what i found. obviously the last thing i checked and found the problem was timing belt on rear cam sprocket had jumped one tooth, this is why i wasn't getting full compression on rear cylinders and explains unburnt gas and all my symptoms. Not much tension on belt so guessing the tensioner is shot. So the mx3 is in storage for the winter and will be getting new timing belt kit so i can work on it over the winter.
I wanted to post this in case someone else is experiencing these symptoms because it took me awhile to figure it out.

Your keyboard is broken.

Sorry, caps lock was on.

Did you type without looking? Took 3 whole posts before you noticed? C'mon man, little more courtesey, please

Getting flamed after just 4 posts, indoctrination by fire. Anyway welcome to the forum. Nice to see you went out of your way to check things on your own without coming on here expecting to be spoon feed. Even with your car in storage hope to see you on here a little more in the future. On the weekend Nd4SpdSe (Mike) wears women's clothes and some times experiences PMS so don't feel too hurt by his comments. Cheers.

I've been in the field for a month and a half, my tolerence for stupidity is down, I appologize...

Nd4SpdSe wrote:I've been in the field for a month and a half, my tolerence for stupidity is down, I appologize...

Mike your outstanding in your field.

Clogged cat + exhaust leak by the manifold?

Don't know what you are talking about but no cat wasn't clogged and no there wasn't any leaks by manifold

Ahh, I missed your mention of the cat before, my mistake!

As for the exhaust leak, it's a likely explanation of the fuel smell in the cabin.
Edit:

I completely misunderstood the intent of this post... You were describing your issue, AND the solution you found to it.

Not half bad! Please do edit the caps lock out though!

I'm OCD, and I had an extra moment... so I spellchecked and slightly revised your post. Try editing the original post, and copy/pasting this into the page:

New here!! Just wanted to let you guys know what i found. Driving along downshifting and when getting back into throttle the car lost power about 50% loss, and exhaust sounded much different almost like my dist. went out or a misfire. No check engine light, no codes, I could smell unburnt fuel and was coming out the exhaust so seemed like a rich mixture.
Check list of what i went through:
1. I have had problems with moisture in my old distributor and spark was a little weak so i swapped it out and no change.
2. Unbolted exhaust before the converter to make sure it wasn't plugged -good.
3. Checked tps specs etc. and -good
4. Checked fuel pressure -good
5. Checked all vacuum hoses and -good.
6. Checked all wiring and grounds-good
7. VAF working properly and in spec- good
8. Checked all sensors including temp sensors and crank sensor-good
9. Checked compression and was 205 psi on front 3 cylinders and 190-195 on rear cylinders and took a little more turning over to achieve these numbers
10. All spark plugs and wires are good.
11. Probably some things I checked that i forgot to mention but in a nut shell i checked everything and here’s what i found. obviously the last thing i checked and found the problem was timing belt on rear cam sprocket had jumped one tooth, this is why i wasn't getting full compression on rear cylinders and explains unburnt gas and all my symptoms. Not much tension on belt so guessing the tensioner is shot. So the mx3 is in storage for the winter and will be getting new timing belt kit so i can work on it over the winter.
I wanted to post this in case someone else is experiencing these symptoms because it took me awhile to figure it out.


I'll edit it out of my own post afterwards.

Have you checked your O2 sensors ?

Misfires are usually related to your distributor, but you said it's fine...