2005 model. Car has ~45K miles on it. Original ignition coils, semi-fresh plugs, only engine mod is a cold air intake thats been on for around 20K miles. Constant oil changes using non-synthetic 5W20. Car will occasionally have bad days where:

hard start (both hot or cold, but usually when hot)
rough idle (only when hot. Car will sometimes almost die, catch itself, and fire back up to idle, repeat)
drinks battery fluid like crazy. usually have to add purified water once a week.
can't tell if there's a decrease in power or not, I've only driven the car about a month this year since I'm constantly out of state going to school. Its currently in a garage in Virginia being started at least twice a week.

The car is still under warranty and only occasionally has these problems. Most days it fires up fine and will blast around town without a hitch. But again some days I can tell its not running at 100% and research has pointed out to me that the apex seals are probably damaged to some degree. I'll be in Virginia next month where I'll be able to hold onto the car way more consistently. Is a new engine inevitable or is there something I can do with the current engine? Or is my problem even the seals at all? Thanks much. Hope everyone had a happy 4th

 

Sent you a PM of a dude's number who can do a compression test, give him a call. Think he charges like 50 bucks and he uses the TR-01 tester.

Otherwise...wtf is battery fluid?!

 

Coolant maybe?

 

Got it thanks, was planning on doing a compression test when I got to VA. Is he in Richmond? I'll be around Norfolk.

If you pop the top off of your battery the mixture of acid and purified water thats inside the battery is usually low in mine. No idea if its even related.



No problems with coolant. Wait I lied, my car is determined that its low on coolant (warning light is alway on). Otherwise coolant is good on both color and level.

 

He's in the Newport news area, I have a house in Williamsburg so I make frequent home calls

 

I have a contact in NC that has his own shop so I might give him a shot first if he can match the price of your guy (staying in NC for a couple weeks before going back to VA). Hope to see a solid 10:1. If so I might put some money into the car depending on whether or not my current plan falls through or not. Thanks again.

 

I would try a new battery and get a compression test.

 

You wont see 10:1 compression. A new car on the lot may not even have perfect 10:1 compression. Be happy if you're above 7.5 on all faces. Be even happier if all faces have near identical numbers.