Rough start, flashing CEL, here are the codes...

[SteveKen]

Before you get hip deep in evil...

As a sanity check, pull the serpentiine belt and start it up. Sometimes the alternator, A/C compressor/clutch or serp tensioner can cause a racket the reverberates everywhere.

Plus if the sound still remains, the other sounds of the accessory driven items will be silent enough to do more 'root-causing'.

[lswing]

Thanks Steve.

Fired it up for the tow truck, lumpy idle, clicking, flashing CEL again. Guessing same codes. Going down to Brink Motorsports, Mike has worked on these before, and will scan once it arrives. I'll pass on any info.

Thinking about getting that alternator replaced/rebuilt while she's down there, still stock from what I know, and been suffering under the heat and AC draw.

[lswing]

Update; shop scanned, misfire on 5,6,8 this time, not just 6,8 like I first had. Thinking cam adjuster, pass side...

[mik15]

i have a dead cam adjuster as well, but the car runs fine, no misfiring codes, no strange sounds, mine is on driver side, you might have some broken chain guides due to the clicking noise, but these were just as rare as my failed cam adjuster on these cars, so i don't really think that's what it is in your case....plus mine is at 143k miles, yours has a lower mileage...funny though, my cam adjuster also failed after having the car parked for a week or so....

[lswing]

i have a dead cam adjuster as well, but the car runs fine, no misfiring codes, no strange sounds, mine is on driver side, you might have some broken chain guides due to the clicking noise, but these were just as rare as my failed cam adjuster on these cars, so i don't really think that's what it is in your case....plus mine is at 143k miles, yours has a lower mileage...funny though, my cam adjuster also failed after having the car parked for a week or so....

Looking at the details of a cam adjuster I could see it getting sticky with lack of use. How do you know the cam adj has failed if no issues? Scan right, maybe failing but not failed? Broken guides on startup, assume they will show upon inspection. Thanks!

[mik15]

i had no idea mine failed, if i hadn't done a scan wouldn't have known...then i realized that i couldn't hear anymore that clicking sound between 1100-1250rpm, so it all became clear that my adjuster doesn't work any-longer...i suspect is my solenoid which failed, i don't think the adjuster got stuck....will change the solenoid over the weekend and it should shed some light whether my theory is right or not...

[lswing]

Passenger side was reading 16, failed drivers side reading -7...

You should get an electrical code if the solenoid has failed. Also it's your drivers side failing right? Here's to our passenger side lasting until 200k!

[mik15]

well, i have a short to plus error, and if unplug it i get open circuit error, this is why i presumed mine could be a faulty solenoid, keep my fingers crossed, i should find out in the weekend...also driver side...

i think if yours reads -7 then it got stuck, mine reads -1.5 and moves up to 0.5, but that's all, it doesn't go any further, unlike the passenger side which goes through the whole range...