september last yr. and plugs were replaced again about 2 months ago. one went bad so jus changed them all.

 

OMG!!!!! i changed the oil filter, spark plugs, wires, distibutor cap and rotor, valve cover gasket, spark plug tube seals, fuel filter, even seafoamed it and stillllll having this problem. ran smooth most of the day and all of a sudden it starts again. now im seeing a little bit of smoke coming from the engine when i opened the hood earlier. i think i read somewhere that the smoke means the head gasket is gone? i think im going to just take it to my mechanic. trying so hard to avoid that.

 

Where precisely is the smoke coming from? Is the smoke from burning coolant or oil? Does the engine overheat or lose coolant or oil?

 

i didnt reply b4 because the forum was preventing me from posting. but i changed the spark plug wires to ngk wires. i was using some cheap valucraft wires. car runs great.

 

well...it started again not too long after my last post. i unplugged the tps sensor like bcivic sed to do but it still sputters. i did a compression test and the results were 200, 190, 190, 200. also im still finding oil on the first two spark plugs but not on the tip of the plug just where the threading is. i also asked my mechanic and he sed he thinks its the catalytic converter failing. here's a pic of the plug (cellphone pic)

 

My guess would that the oil on the plugs is coming from leaking spark plug seals, which are not the cause of the engine sputtering. You may need to replace those leaking seals again. Are you having difficulties with the installation?

With respect to the sputtering, have you checked the ignition timing?

 

installing the seals? no, no problem. and the timing i haven't checked.

i was reading somewhere on how to do a leakdown test and it said if you can hear air coming out of the tailpipe it could be the exhaust valves. you think that could be my problem?. when moving off the car feels like it has no power then all of a sudden it gets power (don't really know how to explain it). usually under 2,000 rpm.

 

This possibly fits with the ignition or mechanical timing be a bit off.

Unless, you are seeing white or blue smoke from the exhaust pipe or the engine is overheating, I don't think compression or leak down tests would be called for at this point.

 

no there is no smoke. and no overheating. does autozone or pep boys rent a timing light. don't really want to buy one right now. can it be done w/o one?

 

You will need a timing light. Definitely phone to ask whether any of the auto parts chains offers a free rental.