My car wouldn't accelerate, CEL came on
My car started having some issues 5 days ago. The first sign of trouble was a rattling noise coming from the engine. It sounded like an old diesel engine. The frequency of the rattle would increase as the car accelerates. However, there was no performance loss & the check engine light did not come on. The next day, early in the morning, the car started normally (the rattle still present). It drove normally for about 5 minutes. Then I had to drive up an incline and the car stopped accelerating. It wouldn't drive past 3-5 mph even on pressing the gas pedal. I immediately stopped the car and while I was trying to figure out what happened, it started driving again normally. But I immediately took it to the nearest auto shop. The following was the diagnosis: 1. Codes P0320 - Ignition/Distributor Engine Speed Circuit Fault), P1191 - Limp Home Valve System Fault, P1193 - Limp Home valve on low RPM). However, I had these codes for almost an year now and the car ran without any problem. So, I am not sure if these have got to do with the current issue. 2. Vehicle needs: a.) Timing Belt Service b.) Tune Up (Ignition Wires Frayed by Rodents) c.) Camshaft and Crank Sensor All these are just guesstimates and they told me that in their opinion, its not worth repairing the car as it is going to cost a lot of money. It seems even to correctly diagnose the issue is going to be expensive. So, they told me to just keep on driving till it dies. They said that apart from the rattling noise, which is still present, the car is driveable. I have to mention here that I am a full time student and I cannot afford expensive repairs. I drove the car without any issues for 3 days. The rattling noise was present but there wasn't any issue with the performance. But today, early in the morning, the car again wouldn't accelerate after running normally for the first 3 minutes. This time, the check engine light came on and the car wouldn't accelerate beyond 3-5 mph. Just 2 months ago, I got 4 new tires, replaced the brakes and got a new battery. So, I am sad that all that will go waste if I get rid of my car now. My question is, looking at my symptoms, is there anyway to guess what might the issue with my car? If I at least know how much is it going to fix it, i can take a decision to whether fix it or not.