While at idle, it has a "mini shaking in the car"

While accelerating from a stop, it feels like the engine is weak so i have to press the gas pedal harder to make it go, the car shakes slightly while i do this.

Once i hit about 45 mph and the rpms settle down to about 1300, there is noticeable shaking from under the hood. I have to press hard on the pedal and get the rpms over 2200 to get any power back in the car.

Right now, it burns coolant pretty fast, it runs alright for short trips for about an hour but anything more and it gets hot. I dont drive it longer than that because i dont wanna screw it up. I drive it 90mph every day and it seems alright but it lost most of its low end torque.

Car had head work done to it around April before i bought it. My mechanic said it has an exhaust leak and the engine was going soon and i should replace it. That was about 6 months ago and its still running "alright", just not as powerful as it should.

Could this be something simple like plugs, wires, gaskets, intake, exhaust, fuel delivery, etc. or is it likely something more serious like heads or block? I was gonna do the plugs & wires and maybe the head gasket by a friend. Ive searched all over the forum for similar issues and answers but ive got nothing solid as of yet. Im a mechanical retard so please explain when talking to me

 

Dude, I would def start with the plugs and wires. It sounds like a spark problem to me. Opti could be starting to go out also. I would do some routine stuff first though if there is no SES light on. Change the plugs and wires and the fuel filter and see how it runs. Then let us know. The overheating could be various things, it's kinda hard to diagnose, could be the Water pump fins being worn, could be the radiator stoped up not doing it's job. I believe if you feel the bottom of the radiator after the motor is warm, and if it is cool to the touch then it's the radiator. Not sure the exact procedure, someone else will know on here I am sure.

 

Here is the work it had done on it in april when i bought it.

"Remove & replace 2 cylinder heads

R*lon 2 Cyl Heads & check all valves 525.00

head gasket set 256.42

install new water pump thermostat & anti*** 145.57

Water Pipe Bolt & S*** for head 14.27

It ran awesome for about 3 weeks than it crapped out. We got it running better in its current condition but it still has noticable power loss and it heats up too easily. My mechanic said in May that it has an exhaust leak from one of the heads, and its getting into the radiator. Its having a big problem with coolant now. He says eventually its going to overheat and the engine will blow. He says they did a bad job when they repaired it originally. Its run alright for like 5 months. I have not ran it hard since the original problem, just too scared. Only transportation right now.

 

Check the compression.

Is there oil in the coolant or is it burning it?

 

i just started a thread about 2 days ago, i had the same problem, except for the overheating thing. If the mechanic says you have an exhaust leak fix that first. If the exhaust leak is before the O2 sensors in the headers, then thats causing your problem right there. My car was doing the same exact thing, the kid that put my headers in screwed up and didnt tighten the header on all the way and the gasket was ripped, causing unregistered air to get in tricking the car to run rich. Tightened my headers this weekend and now my car runs perfect. Do you smell raw fuel sometimes? Im almost positive it has to do with the exhaust leak. But faulty or old plugs and wires could have something to do with it to. As for the overheating thing i would check to see if the thermo is still working by putting it in a pot of boiling water. Also your radiator could be clogged, try flushing it.

 

Sounds like a head gasket to me. Do a compression or a leak down test and find out.

 

Yes, i smell raw fuel all the time. How do i fix the an exhaust leak?

 

sounds like you have bigger issues than an exhaust leak

 

Temp gauge does not work either. Fans kick on when it gets hot tho.

 

As in?

 

Am I missing something here??????? You claim it's "burning" coolant, as in the cylinder, but you can't understand why it's down on power

Yeah keep looking for the problem, it's bound to show up eventually.

 

Shaking is most likely a dead cylinder. Probably at least from one of the cylinders taking on coolant. Get a leakdown done just to confirm, but it really sounds like a blown head gasket(s).
You really shouldn't drive it until you get it fixed or you could make the problem much worse which will cost you hundreds, if not thousands more (depending if you do your own work) than what you're facing now.