What is wrong with 1998 Honda CRV? Idles fine at first and then idle drops and shakes

[98crv98]

Hi all!
I have a 1998 Honda CRV, 130k miles. Just recently the car started having an issue. I was driving it last night with no problems. Then I parked at a store and was inside for about an hour. As I was heading home and after about 1/4 mile driving down the road, when I stopped at a stop light, the idle dropped to about 600rpms and it started running rough and shaking a bit. It was sluggish and the check engine light began flashing. I drove about 2 blocks to a gas station. The rough idle and shaking continued after I stopped driving and was just parked stationary. I pulled over and had a friend trailer it home. I believe I also smelled an odd smell, but not 100% certain as I was more concerned at the time about the idling/shaking. Maybe just the catalytic converter? When I started it up this afternoon after it had sat overnight (it wasn't cold out, outside temperature was about 60 when I started it in case that matters), it idled normally at the typical startup rpms of around 1200rpms for about a minute, and then it started the low idle and shaking again. I scanned the OBDII codes and got: P0300-Random Cylinder Misfire Detected, P0301-Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected, PO303-Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected
Any ideas what it could be? Thank you for any help!!!!

[berniedd]

Check your valve clearances ASAP. Sounds like the dreaded valve burning issue with 1st gen CRVs. Notice it is worst once the engine's hot and valves have expanded. Let's hope permanent damage is not yet done. If it is, pull the cyl head and get a valve job. Also clean your idle air control valves, I think there are two of them in the 1998 model.

[jparsons]

Check the cap and rotor. I was getting cylinder misfires too, and rough running and idling. When I opened the cap, I was surprised it was running at all. Replaced the parts ($50 at Autozone) and it runs like a top and no more codes. 202k

[n5926g]

When was the Timing Belt changed last.I have seen these symptoms pop-up when the belt slips a tooth. The belt not only runs the Camshafts,but also distributor.Normally when a TB goes bad it either brakes entirely,or it can be so worn that it slips.Breakage normally always results in bent intake valves(since this is an interferance engine).Slipping one tooth will usually not bend the valves,but will cause valve timing/Ignition issues.
Driving it until you find out exactly what the problem is isnt a good idea.