Olds Regency needs help!

My beater '88 Olds 98 Regency has recently started running like crap. It started with a loss of power and soon started to have difficulty starting. I just tried to get it running after sitting for a couple of days and when it finally started it barely stayed running. I kept on the gas a little to warm it up, but regardless of how far I pushed the pedal down it wouldn't let the RPMs past a certain point, probably about 2500 to 3000 RPMs. It also seemed to miss periodically. I shut it off and walked around to the front of the car to see both exhaust manifolds glowing the brightest orange I've ever seen. The check engine light is telling me there's a problem with the EGR, but I seriously doubt that could cause this much trouble, especially since the check engine light was on way before the problems started. Would this be some kind of exhaust blockage? Is there anything else that could cause this? Thanks.

 

Are you getting exhaust out of the car? sounds like it could be backed up.

 

Second that diagnosis.

 

Yeah, I'm going to cut the exhaust in front of the catalytic converter and see if that changes anything. Time to break out the hacksaw (man, I miss my sawz-all).

 

This brings back some memories. I worked for a GM dealership around the time your car was built and saw this problem more times than I care to remember. Catalytic converter will be your problem.

 

I cut the catalytic converter loose and the car still won't stay running. On a hunch I pulled each spark plug to check them. All six plugs had oil on them. I'm thinking that if it were piston rings or valve guides there would be oil on some plugs, not all of them. This leads me to think maybe the pcv valve is shot. Does this sound accurate?

 

It's possible, but I've never heard of a pcv doing what you describe.

When's the last time the fuel filter was changed and do you have access to a fuel pressure gauge you can use to check your pump output?

 

I've heard of a PCV valve causing oil to push past the rings. I figured since it's a $2 part it's worth a shot. I actually have a fuel filter for the car, so I'll probably put that in too. The way this thing was acting, I'm thinking it's a combination of problems.

 

Sorry, I wasn't completely clear. Yes, blow-by can cause the oil-related problems, but generally not the problem of getting past 2500-3000 rpm and missing. Should still run reasonably well, but would be getting some blue smoke out the exhaust.

Yes, could be multiple problems. Perhaps PCV valve, worn rings, old plugs, worn plug wires combination causing it to run very poorly. Also any other routine maintenance parts that are overdue, i.e. cap & rotor.