I have a 2.8q...Occasional ignition issues, when car is idle you can hear a fluctuation in the engine (like a putt putt noise). I cannot get a read on codes because I have a new radio installed, so I will have to put my old radio back in to get the proper codes... Anyone know what it would cost to fix cracked cylinders?

Can anyone elaborate on the issue I might have?

 

How did you come to the conclusion you have cracked cylinders? You'd be having a lot more issues than idle fluctuation. We need the whole story, here.

 

if you cracked a cylinder the whole engine is garbage. hopefully you didnt do that. i dont see how you could have.

 

if you have idle fluctuation you migh have a vac leak

 

your car looks great man, I'd like to take mine in a similar direction. mine's also black.

As far as the cracked cylinders go, I am probably wrong. The exhaust fluctuation sound was due to a leak in the 2 flex sections, and I am getting these welded/replaced tomorrow.

Here's the story...I occasionally have issues starting the car and the check engine light comes on and off. The ignition issue is guaranteed to happen if I am in first gear, and I let off the clutch slowly to a point of stalling out. If I attempt to start the car, it turns over, but has issues starting and sometimes will take like 20 minutes, and rpm regulation when it begins sounding like it is going to start, to get the car started.
Kinda sounds like cylinder misfiring right?

 

Yes, but not likely due to cracked cylinders. What made you come to this conclusion? You'd have a water and oil mess and your engine would be good for nothing but a boat anchor.

Bad coil packs, spark plugs, ICM, bad cam position sensor, vacuum leaks... these are the common things you should be investigating and ruling out.

Read out the DTC's (diagnostic trouble codes) to see why the check engine light is on.

 

Gotta be honest, I am just starting to learn about engine mechanics, someone on the site said it must be cracked cylinders, and a few agreed so I went out on a whim. if what you explained would be the case, then it definitely isn't, thank god. I'll get the old radio in and get a proper read on the codes.

 

Hey, no problem, we all start learning. Even the pros learn as they go (trust me ).

A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Some guy once heard that his brother's buddy's cousin's next-door-neighbor had an Audi (or so he thinks) and it had cracked cylinders, so all Audis have that problem, and then he told you that must be the issue, right? Wrong.

Don't always assume the worst. There is no way to tell your car had cracked cylinders unless you were to compression test, leak-down test, look at the cylinder bores with a bore-scope, or do a complete engine tear-down.

Definitely start with the DTCs. Let us know what you find.

 

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

Hey guys, finally replaced the alpine radio with my original so I could get a read on the codes.

The only code to come up (1 of 1) was: P0118 -- Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT)

Now I have heard there is a ECT sensor that costs about $8...any suggestions what to do?
Would this be a cause for engine misfires and occasional ignition problems?
Thanks for the help guys

 

if the engine was misfiring there would be a code saying that it was misfiring. either its not misfiring, or you didnt pull all the codes. the CEL will flash every time you misfire.

replace the ECT sensor and maybe your spark plugs. you need to give us a better description of the problems because according to the car, its not having the problems you say it is.