ill do my best to describe this....</P>


my 2.3L LX "knock" almost, a very rapid knocking. i popped the hood, and there was coolant splatered all over the left hand side of the engine bay. </P>


There is a small leak in the coolant fill / resivoir. </P>


The knocking usually occurs when the gas pedal is pressed, and the RPMs are in the range of 1500 - 3000 (i didnt want to take it any higher than that)</P>


Also, to add a couple of notes. </P>


1) the heat coming out of the vents is VERY hot</P>


2) the car is VERY VERY sluggish. even for a 2.3L Mustang </P>


3) the car has problems starting up. </P>


4) I changed the plugs liek 2 days ago. the old plugs had severe carbon buildup on them. </P>


i might be able to post soundsif no one canquite figureout. </P>

 

Ok, so i decided what it would be like to run with-out the front most cylinder? </P>


it sounds EXACTLY the same....acts the same (very very rough idle, shaking the entire car) </P>


tried the same thing with the other cylinders, but they would all cause the car not to crank over. </P>


so i canged the Plug wires, and the disty wire, cleaned the Disty cap. still the same. </P>


pulled the front most plug, looks black. but gapped still correctly. </P>


<IMG src=smileys/smiley5.gif border="0"></P>


needless to say, i havent got the slightest idea. </P>

 

are you sure it a knock or pinging....I'm think timing belt

 

timing belt? </P>


ive been more and more leaning twards head gasket... but i will be alot happier if it was the timing belt.... </P>


</P>

 

yep or you have a bad H/G..

 

Actually i discovered something more interesting, </P>


the spark plug in Cylinder #1 isnt firing consitantly. its very sporatic. i figured this is the cause and soon to be the solution to my issue.</P>


Basically, ive so far replaced: </P>


- Spark Plugs</P>


- Spark Plug Wires</P>


- Disty Cap</P>


- Rotor ( thing inside the Disty cap)</P>


One question... the rotor on the inside of the disty cap, it spins pretty freely, except it will catch on something and actually turn the (what i think is) the actual Disty. </P>


</P>


any insight would be great</P>

 

you need to pull the dist..something is a miss...I have my idea but pull the dist. I think you'l see the problem