cylinder out (help me please)

I have two questions. I think I have a cylinder out on my 93 z28 (lt1). How do I figure out which cylinder it is? I've asked this question before asking in regards to my last camaro, and the response was to remove the spark plugs each one in turn until you can't tell a diffrence in the way the engine is running.

Couple of problems with that. The burning hot exhaust manifold is no more than 2 inchs away from the spark plugs, and I kind of like the flesh on my hands. If I remember correctly you can't get to the last spark plug without removing the exhaust pipe as well. Also you can't get to the router because the water pump is right on top of it. What a Jam huh?


Thanks everyone.

could you use a spark plug wire puller? or some pliers?

or use a timing light....and pray its not the last sparkplug

Can you pull the injector harness to each cylinder?

How do you figure you have a dead cylinder?

thats what my dad just suggested

What do you mean by have a cylinder down? WTH does that mean? No compression? Have a leak down test done, that will tell you which one isn't compressing.

If I remember correctly you can't get to the last spark plug without removing the exhaust pipe as well.

Umm, you don't remove the plugs, just the wire (and have it nearly grounded otherwise you'll fry your coil). Simply remove the plug wires one by one, best by having the motor off, pull the wire off set or hold it to a ground, fire the motor until you reach the cylinder where there is no change in the condition that the motor is running.

You should be getting a trouble code tho if it is a misfire. Have you checked the wires out make sure they're not burnt or cracked?

Finally, never, ever run a motor with no exahust manifolds or plugs. That's a nice way to pull debris into the combustion chamber, if its big enough and you restore fire to that cylinder you run the chance of burning a hole in the piston.

shove your fingure in the plug wire and turn it over,lol , then you can tell if it has spark. I have a little tool that one end plugs in the wire and the other conects to the plug and you turn the car over and the little tool has a light, if it lights up it has spark, if not then you dont. It is nice to have.

here is what it looks like, http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/In-Line-Spark-Plug-Tester-Tool-Test-Ignition-System_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ63700QQitemZ4626 337233QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

6.99 + shipping :lol:

I bought one at the swaps for .75 :thumbsup: