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Hey all,

I replaced all front gaskets and seals (oil pump, water pump, cam shaft, crank shaft, oil pan, and valve cover gasket) had quite a leak. NO MORE LEAKS .I had the timing 180 out when I put it back together and blew a small hole in my intake house and fixed it with duct tape for now. I replaced my oil with non synthetic, I HAD synthetic in it but I want to clean out the engine so Im doing frequent oil changes then Ill go back to synthetic motor is not knocking or tapping. I hear mixed opinions about doing this. I started getting a miss and was running almost like having water in the distributor cap. Its dry, I replaced all spark plug wires, cap, and rotor. This miss is still getting worse.. Thinking maybe the fuel filter next. ? Will O2 sensors do this.? It is running rich as well.. What ya think.. ??

It sounds likely that you blew something else out, or the duct tape isn't working. You could try spraying starting fluid, or something all around to see if you have a vacuum leak.
I don't know much about I4s.

Oh thanx but what will the startig fluid do if theres a vaccum leak thats a new one for me

Starting spray will get into the leak, and cause the engine to surge. That's how I find leaks. Just idle the car, and spray it onto possible leak areas, and listen.

Sounds very much like you have water or oil in the spark plug wells. This same thing happens to me anytime I wash my engine. The water shorts the spark to the block and it misfires. Since you said your VC gasket was leaking, I'd think you might have oil in the wells. Leaving the spark plugs in and blowing compressed air in the wells seems to be the best way to get it out, as the water/oil will never evaporate for some reason.

Something to look at...

Hey thanks for the response, However I completely replaced the sparkplugs and it hasnt helped either. (In other words that area is nice and dry and the VC gasket is replaced). That is the exact type of vibration/ crappy idle that I am getting tho.. . So I am stil open for suggestions I am still looking. I pulled off the distributor cap again to make sure it was clean and that was good. Im soo lost. but please by all mean keep the suggestions coming all helps.

wow im having the same problem as u but did to the following by changing the valve cover gasket or any other gaskets at that but i doubt its the problem it could be a fuel filter which i bought and im about to put it on i changed my pcv valve have u done urs? i did and still nothing, im put the filter on today and how that works if not im either going to sell it or drop a new motor in it cuz the guy that own the car before me didnt take good care of it anyways im find my self picking all the mess from a not well maintain motor. let find out the problem together bro.

One more thing to add... The timing was 180 out when I first put it together... and I backfired when I cranked it up... Then I readjusted and it was right... Any chance these cars will allow the exhaust valve and piston collide when its out like that .. ??

Nah there are valve reliefs in the pistons... In the ze anyway I dunno what your running

make sure your plug wires are in order ..... keep it simple. Switch to the msd mod

Soooo before I swapped it out, the verdict was that i had a messed up spark plug somehow. Problem was solved.