Sticking valves??

Sep 23, 2004 1 Replies

About a week ago I started getting a check engine light with codes P0301 (misfire on Cyl. 1) and P1316 (excessive misfires). I was getting some stumbling whilst driving, nothing too major.



I cleaned the plugs (only 3 months old, and I use the factory Champion RNY11YCC gapped to .9mm-1mm), replaced the wires with some 7mm Silicon wires from my local O'Reiley's. I also performed a Seafoam cleaner treatment in the gas tank and straight into the intake manifold. I also swapped out the single coil that powers cyl 1 with a known working replacement.



I am still getting a check engine light, but the only code I am getting is a P1316. The idle is USUALLY great, but recently its been shuddering at idle and low speeds. If I hit the accelerator, it smoothes out, but as soon as I let off, I get the shudder. If I come to a stop the engine sounds like it wants to die. Low speeds and idle are not very smooth.



So I run a compression test. I get 150 PSI on all cyl's but #6 where I get 138 PSI. I am pretty sure that is in check. I would like to go ahead and rule out a head gasket because the oil has no signs of coolant, nor am I using any coolant. I also hooked up a vacuum gauge to my manifold where the fuel pressure regulator normally supplies to. I did get some needle movement at idle. I drove around and when I hit the gas the needle dropped to 5"Hg and set there like a rock then when I let off, it hit back to 23"Hg and started to shake (it literally looked like the needle was trying to dance).



Does this 100% mean a sticking valve? Anything else I can do to either rule out the valve, or specifically test that theory?



TIA


What voltage is the alternator putting out at idle? If it's low that could be the source of the problem.

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