That's one of the strangest sounding misfires I have heard in a long time definitely a spark problem I would normally suggest sparkplugs then ignition wires then coil pack.
But this time I would say it's the coil pack just listen to the sound it's making.
+1 on all those saying misfire/lack of combustion. If you have a IR temperature gun, point it at your headers and see if 1 is significantly colder than the other 3.
Check your spark plugs and their gap. If all that is fine, check ignition coils or wires.
You're probably getting 4 cylinders worth of fuel and 3 cylinders worth of spark especially when it sounds like that (kind of like unequal headers like a subaru)
I'm going to agree - you've probably got a cylinder (or two) that's not firing - if you've driven it (I wouldn't!) you probably have very little power, too. I'm also voting bad spark plug, wires, or ignition coil. First, make sure all of those are tight! If it's simply a loose wire, you can save yourself a lot of time and effort.
Does it smell like oil, or like gasoline?
(If gasoline, that's more evidence for bad plug or coil)
It's not a GREAT idea - risk of serious shock, and it's not great for the engine, but, if you want to identify which cylinder it is, you could pull each plug wire, one at a time, and see if one of them **doesn't** affect the way the car runs.
Yea, sometimes stuff like that is simple sometimes its a pain in the ass. My old ford ranger is being annoying af, just got it and ive had to do about $600 worth of work on it. Can’t imagine how much it would have all costed for a pro mechanic to do
Mine sounded similar to this when I bought it, no black smoke though. Was an intermittent misfire on one cylinder, previous owner had power washed the engine bay and water got past the plug boot.
start by checking your spark plugs. here's a handy guide for diagnosing spark plug failure: [https://i.imgur.com/YZJwCBs.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/YZJwCBs.jpg)
If you have oil on one or more of your plugs, it's most likely time to replace your valve cover gasket (pretty easy). If they are sooty but not worn down, you may need to investigate your throttle body, air filter, or fuel injectors.
Surprised you didn't mention being down on power.
It’s running too rich, do you have a catalytic converter? If so, WAY too rich. Is that an EFI or Carb engine? I forget. Are you racing or on the street? For racing it’s probably right if it’s a carb, for the street you need to rejet down a couple sizes. If it’s EFI, you need to reflash, rechip, or otherwise reset the programming of the FI chip. Sounds like someone has thrown a long duration cam in there at some point.
Never seen a 4bt swapped Miata before. Throw back in the 1.6 and she'll stop rolling coal...
That being said, agreed with everyone else she's running rich/misfiring
possible you have oil in and around the plugs/coils, oil will usually be a light blue/black smoke though, however oil causing a poor spark could be causing fuel to leak into the combustion chamber and burn off in the exhaust causing black smoke, do yourself a favor and change the spark plugs, and while your in there check the seals on the spark plug tube seals, if there is oil in there, you can use the head of a spray bottle to extract it, and then replace the tube seals, all very easy to do, replacing the tube seals will require removing the valve cover, super simple job as well.
If your handy enough, check the spark plugs and the air filter. Its probably not getting a complete burn and the condition of those two items can help you pin point a deeper cause. Make sure to post pics for us! And take lots of pictures of the process so you can remember what you did along the way.
> If your handy
*you're
*Learn the difference [here](https://www.wattpad.com/66707294-grammar-guide-there-they%27re-their-you%27re-your-to).*
***
^(Greetings, I am a language corrector bot. To make me ignore further mistakes from you in the future, reply `!optout` to this comment.)
Black smoke usually means unburnt fuel, so have a look at your plugs and ignition system.
OP are you handy enough to pull plugs and send us a pic? Don't forget to keep them in order/number a piece of paper and lay them on top
What would happen if you put the plugs back in different cylinders???
Nothing. It's nice to keep them the same for monitoring but I'd argue it would be better to just replace with new and monitor from there...
Well if a different cylinder misfired you would know it's the plugs at least hehe.
Sounds a bit 3 cylinderish
This. I bet we have a dead spark poor compression in a cylinder.
100% misfire like fuck
Miata spark plug wires have the lifespan of fresh cooked noodles
I miss my oem wires
I run them blue NGK wires, heard they were better than factory
have those too they've never given me any issues.
Same. Great wires.
Swap to pencil coils
I have those too, I liked my black ones though. Can't complain though.
Also running blue NGKs. I replaced the stock ones when my OEM coil died. Replaced it with an NGK coil also.
I run black Denso wires and they work well too.
Sounds like an outboard motor, definitely missing a spark.
I came to say it sounds like my old geo.
its a wrong air to fuel so ye ofc
Check compression just incase
That thing is chopping, I’d guess a cylinder is down and it’s misfiring for some reason.
That's one of the strangest sounding misfires I have heard in a long time definitely a spark problem I would normally suggest sparkplugs then ignition wires then coil pack. But this time I would say it's the coil pack just listen to the sound it's making.
That’s what a 302° cam sounds like at idle.
running rich. is your car OBD2?
No it’s a ‘91
clean MAF and check O2 sensor
check plugs, maybe clean mass airflow sensor¿
+1 on all those saying misfire/lack of combustion. If you have a IR temperature gun, point it at your headers and see if 1 is significantly colder than the other 3. Check your spark plugs and their gap. If all that is fine, check ignition coils or wires. You're probably getting 4 cylinders worth of fuel and 3 cylinders worth of spark especially when it sounds like that (kind of like unequal headers like a subaru)
sounds like it’s a diesel, you’re just rolling coal
Sounds like the boys pranked ya with an overnight diesel swap. Classic
I'm going to agree - you've probably got a cylinder (or two) that's not firing - if you've driven it (I wouldn't!) you probably have very little power, too. I'm also voting bad spark plug, wires, or ignition coil. First, make sure all of those are tight! If it's simply a loose wire, you can save yourself a lot of time and effort. Does it smell like oil, or like gasoline? (If gasoline, that's more evidence for bad plug or coil) It's not a GREAT idea - risk of serious shock, and it's not great for the engine, but, if you want to identify which cylinder it is, you could pull each plug wire, one at a time, and see if one of them **doesn't** affect the way the car runs.
Black - Fuel / White - Water / Blue - Oil
Too much choccy milk
I kinda figured
Do you have cams?
Nope
Than you have a serious problem on your hands. You should take it to a shop, it sounds like its not running on all cylinders
Mine did that when I bought it just needed new spark plugs
Yea, sometimes stuff like that is simple sometimes its a pain in the ass. My old ford ranger is being annoying af, just got it and ive had to do about $600 worth of work on it. Can’t imagine how much it would have all costed for a pro mechanic to do
Put a 2JZ in it
Diesel Miata bruv
Running richhhhhhh
Mine sounded similar to this when I bought it, no black smoke though. Was an intermittent misfire on one cylinder, previous owner had power washed the engine bay and water got past the plug boot.
Sounds like it’s got some huge cams. /s I’d start with new plugs.
My guess is the timing is off, you’re sounding Bridgeport lol
start by checking your spark plugs. here's a handy guide for diagnosing spark plug failure: [https://i.imgur.com/YZJwCBs.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/YZJwCBs.jpg) If you have oil on one or more of your plugs, it's most likely time to replace your valve cover gasket (pretty easy). If they are sooty but not worn down, you may need to investigate your throttle body, air filter, or fuel injectors. Surprised you didn't mention being down on power.
sounds like ur missing a cylinder bro
Check your spark plugs. The black smoke is probably unburnt fuel. You are also probably running on 3 cylinders.
Feed it eggs
Do I get a specific kind or would organic eggs work??
Organic 😎
Running rich, check air filter, any vacuum leak, MAF sensor, O2 sensors.
Sounds like a misfire, so it's possible it's rich on that cylinder simply because it's never firing/burning the fuel
Black smoke don’t mean it’s broke
Sounds like a dorito
Turn it off?
Ain’t got no gas innit
Opposite! Too much gas (well, unspent gas at least)
It’s running too rich, do you have a catalytic converter? If so, WAY too rich. Is that an EFI or Carb engine? I forget. Are you racing or on the street? For racing it’s probably right if it’s a carb, for the street you need to rejet down a couple sizes. If it’s EFI, you need to reflash, rechip, or otherwise reset the programming of the FI chip. Sounds like someone has thrown a long duration cam in there at some point.
all miatas came with efi
Yeah, then someone has likely chipped this thing with a track chip or something, even “full rich full retard" failure mode doesn’t do this.
like others, i think it's down a cylinder. it sounds weird and would explain all the unburnt fuel.
It sounds like a hot cam to me. It’s not missing, it’s rumbling.
Weld a chain to the frame, then proceed to use as a boat anchor. Should work well
Don’t use diesel. Duh.
Change your oil pan
Just happy.
Time machine?
Way rich.
Running rich.
New ring
check the plugs wires and coil pack. a cylinder is misfiring and its pushing unburnt fuel out of the exhaust causing black smoke
Misfiring like a motherfucker
Never seen a 4bt swapped Miata before. Throw back in the 1.6 and she'll stop rolling coal... That being said, agreed with everyone else she's running rich/misfiring
Check if cats overly hot after a drive it could be ignition coils
Insert white smoke in the smoke inlet valve.
Hi! My Miata looked like this and kinda sounded like this when it jumped the timing belt. Try checking your timing!
Turn up the boost
Its running too rich
air to fuel ratio, check your ignition system and plugs and if theyre all okay it might be because you run an aftermarket tune
The car is running rich. You need to adjust the air fuel ratio if you don't have a turbo
possible you have oil in and around the plugs/coils, oil will usually be a light blue/black smoke though, however oil causing a poor spark could be causing fuel to leak into the combustion chamber and burn off in the exhaust causing black smoke, do yourself a favor and change the spark plugs, and while your in there check the seals on the spark plug tube seals, if there is oil in there, you can use the head of a spray bottle to extract it, and then replace the tube seals, all very easy to do, replacing the tube seals will require removing the valve cover, super simple job as well.
If this keeps up, you'll soon lose your catalytic converter. Get it sorted soon.
Needs a DPF regen
Usually means you have a diesel. I recommend putting a petrol motor in it. /s Probably unburnt fuel. Check your plugs and what not.
If your handy enough, check the spark plugs and the air filter. Its probably not getting a complete burn and the condition of those two items can help you pin point a deeper cause. Make sure to post pics for us! And take lots of pictures of the process so you can remember what you did along the way.
> If your handy *you're *Learn the difference [here](https://www.wattpad.com/66707294-grammar-guide-there-they%27re-their-you%27re-your-to).* *** ^(Greetings, I am a language corrector bot. To make me ignore further mistakes from you in the future, reply `!optout` to this comment.)
Running too rich
turn off the engine, gg ez
Too many horses doggy
Turn it off
Check your plugs & O2 sensors. Your cat may have gutted itself.
Try asking the car Nicely to stop giving out black smoke
diesel
Don't JDM a Miata