Zinnabon

I am really sorry that I have to post this here, for some reason I am unable to post anywhere but here.

My car is having an odd problem and trying to figure out what it is. I live far from an autozone, so I can't get the codes, and I don't want to drive the car if it will make the matter worse.

My car has been sitting on my drive way for a while, I usually turn it on once every now and then.

This past Friday I went to turn it on because I was going to be driving it on Saturday. When I turned it on everything was normal, I left it sitting for a while to warm up. When I came back to check it, the engine temp was fine, oil is fine, the CEL was off. Everything was fine....

Before turning the car off, I always rev the engine to 4K RPM. This is were the problem started. The moment it got to 4K RPMs, the CEL light started flashing, and the engine would shake every few seconds with the RPM dropping everytime it would shake, and my exhaust would shake also. So, I stopped, put my seat belt, and took it for a small drive around the corner to see if anything else would happen.

I drove for few blocks with no problems, it felt normal, but I wasn't accelerating. Took it back home, parked it again with the Engine on, and the car seemed fine while idling. It would only start shaking again when I would rev to turn it off.

So, today I went to turn on the car again, now the engine is shaking while idling, every few seconds there seems to be a small trembling in the Engine and exhaust, with RPM slightly dropping every time. Also, The CEL is permanently on now.

I want to take it to autozone to get it checked, but like I said, it is kinda far from my location. I want to see what you guys think if I should be driving it, even if it's just to take it to autozone to just get the codes checked... or any advice would be appreciated.

Great forum and thanks in advance guys.

edit: some info on the car

2005 Rx8
It has 35K miles on it.

My brother was also the last person to drive it before this happened, I told him to take the battery off when he was done using it. He told me that he accidentally dropped a metal piece that holds the battery in place somewhere, I am unsure if this has anything to do with it, but more information isn't bad.

There also seems to be like a ticking noise on the engine when I opened it up while it was on.

logalinipoo

I wouldn't drive it to autozone, but go there and rent the scanner tool. Then get back with the codes. It could be a bunch of things.

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

A ticking noise can sometimes be a plug wire "arcing", not connected right. That could also cause the engine to run bad, (misfire) and cause your CEL to come on.
Check to be sure your wires are connected properly to your coils and plugs.

Zinnabon

So I made sure that all the cables were connected properly, I am no longer hearing a ticking sound every few seconds.

I got in the car and turned it on again. Every time I rev to 3K RPM and hold it a weird popping noise starts to come out of the exhaust, every time I hear that popping noise the engine seems to lose some power, it holds at 3K RPM even 4K, with a slight lost of RPMs whenever it starts to pop. Also, a it smells really bad, like burnt oils...

edit: My brother just told me that he hasn't used the car for quite a long time, it has been sitting in the drive way with the same gas in the tank for the past year.... Actually, it might have been more than a year...

Should I drain the gas and fill it again with high octane?

logalinipoo

It really sounds like the Cat to me, If you want to risk killing your engine run it like that a bit and look to see if the cat is glowing. If not find a way to read the codes. A clogged Cat will kill the engine quick.

If you don't get it up to temp good enough the car is dumping tons of excess fuel at warmup and all the fuel over and over from starting it every week could destroy the Cat.

Does it get to 3K RPM pretty quick or does it take a bit?

Do you use good premium gas? Mine sat for almost 2 years when I rebuilt the engine it fired right up.

Zinnabon

It gets to 3K RPM pretty quickly, everything feels normal. Engine Temp is completely normal, I stayed by the car to watch it for a while, it stayed at its normal temp the entire time.

Everything seems completely fine except for that popping noise coming out of the exhaust and the slight trembling. When the car is idling it doesn't happen often, but when I start to rev the engine I can hear that popping noise more frequently.

Like I said, the gas has not been replace in a very long time. The smell of fumes is also very bad, which wasn't normal when I use to drive it before lending it to my brother.

I would use premium gas, but I do live in Washington State, near the ocean. Temperatures tend to drop quite low in the area I live in. I don't understand enough about gas to know if it makes a difference... My uncle said it does.

*Avarice*

You reply regarding premium fuel seems ambiguous. Am I understanding that you're NOT using premium fuel? If so, begin there with problem resolution. I use premium fuel EVERY TANK and buy NON-ETHANOL fuel anytime possible (almost everytime!) You mentioned that the fuel in the tank has sat for a very long time. Ethanol absorbs moisture from the surrounding environment which leads to water in the tank and rust as well. This might be your problem. If after treating the fuel (I use STA-BIL to treat gasoline in motorcycle/lawnmower/etc.) the problem doesn't abate, I would consider replacing the coils/plugs and wires. I had a problem recently with CEL and sudden onset of total power loss after 3 weeks of ownership (used car/75k miles). Changed out my ignition components and problem was solved.

Good luck...
Post back with update please.

Zinnabon

Sorry, I wrote in a hurry because I was running late and I didn't proofread.

I use premium fuel all the time. What I have in the tank right now is premium fuel.

I am going to try to empty out the gas tank, add more premium gas, and go from there. I am also going to Autozone later to rent the scanner.

I'll let you guys know what happens after.

Zinnabon

I emptied the gas tank and added more premium. I rev the engine up to 4K RPM and held it, it seems to be working great now. The exhaust is no longer making that noise, engine is no longer shaking, the CEL is still on, but I think that will stay on until I reset it.

Thanks for the help guys

I am still taking it to Autozone to make sure that it's nothing else.