#1,2 cylinders look good, coco brown, #3,4 cylinders look black??? rough and no idle

excess fuel or weak spark? check cap and rotor for condition, inspect plug wires for deterioration, change plugs

 

cocoa brown sounds too dark, light tan is better, maybe all 4 are old

Edited April 25, 201015 yr by Txakura
tan

Yeah, a Light Tan, non-glossy look is what you want.

 

Is the Black a dull Black or a shiney looking Black?

 

Dull Black = rich condition.

Shiney Black = oil burning.

 

Ditto on the, make sure all of the ignition stuff is in good/new condition. Plugs, cap+rotor, wires.

 

Also, insure that plug wires are in proper rotation on cap and cylinders.

About to throw the engine out.. budget car 350. now spending over 150.

Had a broken timing belt which got replaced, and yes the timing marks are

correct on the cams. Anyway, this is my first Soobie, and I need to figure what I to do with it. Pulled a compression test and it went from 80 122, 130, 138. It backfires and won't idle. It is either going back on G/L as a parts car or maybe pick up a use block at the bone yard. Thanks for the input.

well wait a minute, don't crap can it yet, one weak hole isnt worth throwing it away

 

it really sounds like you might have a wire switched if the timing belts are on, double check the cylinder number against the plug wires and direction of rotation

 

I think you're frustrated, let the board help and maybe it can be salvaged, what is the car, more details

Been posting on the running issues, but here is the car info.

88 GL wagon 4x4, 146K, 5 spd, D/R, straight body, fairly clean.