Make sure you do the timing chain tensioner test listed in the Service bulletin. I rebuilt my VTC's, but I think replacing the tensioner was what cured the problem.

Also, as for the bench testing prior to production catching this problem, I think this problem is due to loss of spring rate due to thermal cycling (since I didn't see any wear on my spring). On the bench they can continuously test hundreds of hours of running, but it would take too long to warm up the engine, then cool it down and do this over and over again thousands of times like an engine in use.

 

I just recently got a 93 VE with only 65K. It clacks for a couple minutes on cold starts but then goes away and doesn't really return.

I'm been struggling with a really rough idle, too, and occasional bogging down on acceleration. Then, every once in a while on acceleration it sputters big time. It hasn't stalled, but it's more just annoying when you expect good acceleration out of the gate.

Is this maybe just a coil pack issue? On the highway it runs very nicely, but then when you slow down to idle it's very rough again and chugs enough to really shake the steering wheel.

 

sounds like a dead injector to me

 

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