Bad misfiring on 3 cylinders... Stranded need help

[brandnew07z]

Hey everyone,

So I need some direction and can't figure this one out. So about 6 months ago my car started misfiring while I was on a trip to California from chicago. I fixed the problem by changing the plug wires. I still occasionally got a bit of an engine stutter when putting the throttle to the floor, but didn't seem to much of an issue.

Now here's my problem im currently on the road in Nashville. And after 5 hrs of driving same exact problem started again. Out of nowhere my car started misfiring wasn't a gradual loss of power but instant while cruising on the highway. I pulled over tried changing spark plugs didn't fix it. I only had an he to Nashville so I drove on 2-3 cylinders the rest of the way. At one point I pushed the clutch in going 60mph and the engine died. I popped the clutch and got it running again and it fixed the problem instantly for another 30 min before it went back to misfiring.

I just changed all the plugs again, tried a new coilpack. But nothing, I can't imagine the plug wires are bad again, but it's the same issue as before. I do have one cylinder that has a helicoil in it, and at idle that seems to be the only cylinder misfiring, as I pulled each plug while running at idle. But when driving an especially under load the car is terrible running on max 3 cylinders sometimes 2

I've brought the car to a shop and they don't know what the problem is. One thinks it's a clogged cat.

I really need to get back on the road, does anyone have some direction?

[M-technik-3]

Check the coil pack. What year is the car? OBD I or OBD II?

[brandnew07z]

Originally Posted by M-technik-3

Check the coil pack. What year is the car? OBD I or OBD II?

Yeah I changed it... It's a 97 so I assume obdII

[M-technik-3]

So changing the coil pack did not help? 97 is OBD II so you should have the codes pulled if it is tripping the CEL. Ti's are known to have poor Cat's so You could have the system tested.

[brandnew07z]

Originally Posted by M-technik-3

So changing the coil pack did not help? 97 is OBD II so you should have the codes pulled if it is tripping the CEL. Ti's are known to have poor Cat's so You could have the system tested.

Yeah I brought it to a shop now, the mechanic called and said he think might be the cat being clogged... But they found some intake hoses that could be leaking... I just don't understand why it's only done this on long trips and then it was fixed with the new wires, unless multiple problems with the same symptoms have been going on

[M-technik-3]

M44 have quite a bit of small rubber hoses that break down due to heat and age. Has the Check Engine light been coming on?