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Misfire madness

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 9:13 pm
by JDMChris
My 96GSK8 has been running great until she started misfiring.

OBD2 reader comes back with "multiple cylinder misfire"

At first it was more of an intermittent problem.. now its pretty much f*kd lol

Started off with some Injector cleaner.. worked for a bit.. then problem came back.
Changed spark plugs.. worked for an hour or so.. lol problem came back.
Changed Fuel Filter.. Worked!
i thought i fixed the problem because i had no issues for 3 weeks prior to changing the filter.

Yesterday.. problem came back after washing my car (yes, pressure washed under hood)

My wires... work.. there not in the best shape but they work.. tested spark.. and it puts out consistently. (cap n rotor changed a few months ago)

Im kinda running out of ideas.. hoping its not failing injectors cuz that would be the most costly thing to change.

Here is my list of possible culprits. let me know what you think.

Spark Plugs (Changed 6 months old)
Spark Plug Wires (>2 yrs old NGK)
Cap n Rotor (Changed 6 months ago)
Fuel Filter (Changed 3 weeks ago) <--- is it possible to clog a new fuel filter that fast?
Fuel Pump
Fuel Injectors
MAF/Sensor
Compression

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 9:16 pm
by mitmaks
I think it's simple. You got some water in your spark plug wells. I just had same problem yesterday. I pulled all the spark plugs out, cleaned them, regapped, wiped out all the dirt/water in spark plug wells/sprayed some electric cleaner in each well and reinstalled. No more misfiring.

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 9:30 pm
by Daninski
Water and possible oil from leaky valve cover gaskets. Some garages have injector tester machines that can help narrow the problem down if you can't fix it on your own.

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 9:55 pm
by JDMChris
i was hoping it was that simple.
After work today i took each spark plug out and cleaned them. I noticed that in cylinder 1 had water in its well.

Unfortunately that didnt fix it.

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 11:12 pm
by mitmaks
water is still there. Also take off your disty cap and check for moisture there

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 1:25 am
by crazycanadian
JDMChris wrote:My 96GSK8 has been running great until she started misfiring.

OBD2 reader comes back with "multiple cylinder misfire"

At first it was more of an intermittent problem.. now its pretty much f*kd lol

Started off with some Injector cleaner.. worked for a bit.. then problem came back.
Changed spark plugs.. worked for an hour or so.. lol problem came back.
Changed Fuel Filter.. Worked!
i thought i fixed the problem because i had no issues for 3 weeks prior to changing the filter.

Yesterday.. problem came back after washing my car (yes, pressure washed under hood)

My wires... work.. there not in the best shape but they work.. tested spark.. and it puts out consistently. (cap n rotor changed a few months ago)

Im kinda running out of ideas.. hoping its not failing injectors cuz that would be the most costly thing to change.

Here is my list of possible culprits. let me know what you think.

Spark Plugs (Changed 6 months old)
Spark Plug Wires (>2 yrs old NGK)
Cap n Rotor (Changed 6 months ago)
Fuel Filter (Changed 3 weeks ago) <--- is it possible to clog a new fuel filter that fast?
Fuel Pump
Fuel Injectors
MAF/Sensor
Compression
NGK's are pretty good, but sometime when you get water down in plug holes it can ruin the wires... The water can aid in causing carbon tracking threw the plug boots.. Once this carbon track it made it proves and easy path for spark to jump threw..

Although if you want more help with the missfire we need to know more info.. When do you get the miss? sitting at idle? driving? high rpm's? under load?

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 9:00 am
by JDMChris
Interesting I was thinkin that last night.. The rubber boot at the bottom of one of them is finished.. Falling off and the hard plastic that goes around the plug has a crack in it.. When I held it out it would spark out the side.. Hmmmmm

Also interesting how it's not misfiring on my way to work today.. When i left it last night it was running really rough.
Will grab some new wires ASAP

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 9:08 am
by Daninski
Hope fully the wires fix your problem. :2thumbsup:

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 11:47 am
by JDMChris
As for more info.. It comes and goes at random. Usually at lower rpms.. And both times came about after washing my car..
At idle you can hear it miss out the exhaust. But it's a 6 and not the 4 so it's not as noticeable.

It will be missing and as I gain in rpms it will cut in and out.. kinda like it catches and misses.
I feel that if I pussy foot the pedal it helps but it could be a coincidence.

When it is happening, I would pull the spark plugs out clean em up a bit and put it all back together again.. And it would fix the problem temporarily.. Most of the time.

Everything above seems to point to wires but it's weird how changing my fuel filter made the symptoms go away for 3 weeks.

Hopefully the wires do the trick, if not.. I needed new ones anyway.

No more power washing my engine lol... But it looks sooo clean..:'(
:p

Anyway.. Back to work

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 11:50 am
by Daninski
Do you do anything to protect your electrical when you wash the engine like bagging the disty, avoiding the alternator etc.

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 2:04 pm
by JDMChris
Bag the air filter but everything else gets hit. Dizzy, wires, alt, belt. I don't aim
For em but they do get caught in the crossfire.

No reason too my engine bay is clean as is. Probably just gunna stop spraying it

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 2:14 pm
by wytbishop
If the boots are leaking spark you can totally see it if you run your car in the dark. Pull the square rubber tops back and run the car with the lights off and you'll see the wires arcing to the valve cover. At least I could on my old wires.

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 9:25 pm
by crazycanadian
JDMChris wrote:As for more info.. It comes and goes at random. Usually at lower rpms.. And both times came about after washing my car..
At idle you can hear it miss out the exhaust. But it's a 6 and not the 4 so it's not as noticeable.

It will be missing and as I gain in rpms it will cut in and out.. kinda like it catches and misses.
I feel that if I pussy foot the pedal it helps but it could be a coincidence.

When it is happening, I would pull the spark plugs out clean em up a bit and put it all back together again.. And it would fix the problem temporarily.. Most of the time.

Everything above seems to point to wires but it's weird how changing my fuel filter made the symptoms go away for 3 weeks.

Hopefully the wires do the trick, if not.. I needed new ones anyway.

No more power washing my engine lol... But it looks sooo clean..:'(
:p

Anyway.. Back to work
Yeah if its happening after you wash your motor it sounds like you are getting water down the plug holes.. when this happens you'll also get water in the boots as well.. You need to dry everything off really well when this happens.. Since its happened more the a couple times now I would replace the wires...

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 10:38 pm
by mitmaks
projectB10 has NGK spark plug wires for sale for very good price, better pm him and get some before they're gone.
http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.ph ... &hilit=ngk

Re: Misfire madness

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 10:37 pm
by JDMChris
I bought a set of NGK premiums at Canadian tire on sale for 130 tax in.. Pretty much why hes asking.. They will be in on Tuesday. They had to order it from the warehouse.. This guy buyin em all up lol