legacycentral bbs

I have a 91 Legacy Wagon L with a 2.2 and an automatic.

In the last few weeks my Legacy has started to run rougher, I have a lost of power, my gas mileage was dropping, etc. The check engine light was coming on. I checked the engine codes while driving. I would get a #22 for the knock sensor for a few minutes and I was getting a #16 for the number 3 cylinder (passenger side rear).

I replaced the fuel injector and the check engine light went away. It ran great for about half a day. Now the car is running rough again but with not a check engine light. Its actually running worse now with the new injector. I get a decent amount of smoke from the exhaust and the car is having a hard time starting. I have to crank it upwards of 30 seconds for the car to want to turn over. I also notice its running very rich from the smell of the exhaust.

I replaced the spark plugs and wires, gaped them to .4 and it ran a little better but didn't want to start. I drove the car down to the end of the street but its still running rough and rich. When I parked it it died right there. The #4 (drivers side rear plug was fouled compared to the others.)

I am at a complete lost. I have no idea what could be causing this. My worse fear is a bad head gasket or burnt valve. I am not sure if perhaps somehow I got a wrong injector or something. It looked just like the one I pulled out.

The car has always had a bit of a fuel economy problem but it never had any other performance problems until recently.

I did also replace the timing belt and water pump about a 2 months ago I set the timing right and it ran great until this problem.

Any help would be great.

Sounds kind new an O2 sensor starting to die, or possible a ground problem(mine kinda did the same thing) or a dirty mad sensor, but d try there and see where it leads u

Was the new injector of the exact same type as what you removed? Are you sure you seated the injector all the way? If it wasn't seated all the way you could be getting fuel flowing by and flooding the cylinder. I'd remove the injector cap and double check things.

Update time

The injector was leaking a little. I pulled it again reset it. This time there was a steady stream of Gas spraying from around the seal strait up into the air. I pulled it and one of the seals was bad. I went to get a new seal kit and the kit did not even match was was on the injector. Both the injector and the seal kit were a GB brand from NAPA. I ended up returning the GB injector and kit

I bought a new injector from the dealer. I installed it. It is still running rich. Not as bad as before. The injector is seated correctly this time.

I used a old mechanics trick to put the end of a screw driver against the injector and listened to the end of the screw driver. Sorta like using a stethoscope. All of the injectors are "clicking" or working. I then pulled the plugs for each injector and the car would run rough again and when I plugged them back in the car surged and ran better except for the rear drivers side injector. This is not the injector that I replaced. If i had a voltmeter i would test the ohms but I do not have one. I may have to pick one up but I doubt the injectors are the problem.

I even tried the old propane trick leaking propane near the air lines. I did not get an surges so I do not think it is a air leak.

I have heard of the Evaporator Purge Solenoid going bad but I have not heard of it causing a problem anywhere near this.

I am really scratching my head here.

You can get a cheap voltmeter so I'd definitely suggest that. I think you've narrowed it down to the rear driver's side cylinder. You just need to confirm whether the issue is fuel or spark related.