EJ8 keeps misfiring.

[EJackBauer8]

Within the last 18 months my car has been giving me some hesitation almost every time I start it up. My car was stolen last year in September, and I had to replace the ignition cylinder since then my car does not start up on the first turn of the key. I have to hold the key and it's either at the second or third time it tries to that start that it actually does. Sometimes it wont start at all and I'll have to push start it. When it does start like this it sounds real rough and then I'll get a CEL and the codes will usually be P0301, P0302, P0303, P1399, and P0420. In the last 7-8 months I've replaced the spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor rotor, distributor cap, fuel injectors (granted they were used but car ran better when installed), and last week I replaced the cat with a high flow cat. I'm gonna try the defouler trick within the next week, but is there something I'm missing here?

 

[Joe Mason]

Sounds like a serious timing issue. Double check your plug wires on both sides.

 

[bairdandrew77]

Check your timing, do a valve adjustment, check each plug wire for proper spark, make sure each plug wire is in the right place on the distributor and engine, check for any wires that were cut or damaged from when it was stolen. Do those before throwing more parts at it

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

 

[EJackBauer8]

Sounds like a serious timing issue. Double check your plug wires on both sides.

I'll check them thanks.

Check your timing, do a valve adjustment, check each plug wire for proper spark, make sure each plug wire is in the right place on the distributor and engine, check for any wires that were cut or damaged from when it was stolen. Do those before throwing more parts at it

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

I'll do that, but the wires and plugs were replaced after the car was stolen so I know those are good.

 

[XpL0d3r]

I'll check them thanks.

I'll do that, but the wires and plugs were replaced after the car was stolen so I know those are good.

I'd double check regardless, you never know if you happened to have shitty plug right out of the box, etc.

 

[EJackBauer8]

I'd double check regardless, you never know if you happened to have shitty plug right out of the box, etc.

True, I'll check them. I did the defouler trick and it's running a bit better in the 10-15 miles I drove it. I need to drive it more to get a better idea of how it's helping. I still need to check my timing, but I am gonna do a valve adjustment soon as well.

 

[XpL0d3r]

If it's running better with the defouler trick then you have a bad sensor or cat (my guess is cat, see below). The defouler trick pushes the sensor further from the direct flow of gases, so it tricks the ECU into thinking the cat is doing its job as the sensor detects cleaner air. If the car wasn't running right before this defouler trick, I would look into replacing the cat.

The secondary o2 sensor is good since it drives better when the other sensor is away from the direct flow. The primary sensor is probably good too, since the readings between the first sensor and second sensor differ and the car runs better when the defouler trick is in place.

 

[EJackBauer8]

If it's running better with the defouler trick then you have a bad sensor or cat (my guess is cat, see below). The defouler trick pushes the sensor further from the direct flow of gases, so it tricks the ECU into thinking the cat is doing its job as the sensor detects cleaner air. If the car wasn't running right before this defouler trick, I would look into replacing the cat.

The secondary o2 sensor is good since it drives better when the other sensor is away from the direct flow. The primary sensor is probably good too, since the readings between the first sensor and second sensor differ and the car runs better when the defouler trick is in place.

The cat is new, I've read that a lot of peeps who got an aftermarket cat had the code P0420 coming up, and they fixed it with the defouler trick. I did the defouler trick and as expected the car does run better, but I'm still doing a valve adjustment. It's only been about 80-90 miles that I've been driving on it, so I'll wait to see how it goes with it.

 

[XpL0d3r]

Did you get a high-flow cat? That can also trigger a CEL. Too little restriction so the readings between your primary and secondary o2 are too similar.. it thinks the cat isn't working and will throw the code.

No worries now since the defouler trick would fix this issue too

 

[EJackBauer8]

Did you get a high-flow cat? That can also trigger a CEL. Too little restriction so the readings between your primary and secondary o2 are too similar.. it thinks the cat isn't working and will throw the code.

No worries now since the defouler trick would fix this issue too

Yes I did, and so far it has. Let me give you all some history on this car it had a blown headgasket 2 years ago around this time actually and it got replaced. The mechanic doing the job said there was a whole in the block which was plugged by him. He told me I had limited time on that engine, and I'm feeling it now in the sense I have to fill up my radiator resorvoir at least once a week. So I'm thinking it might be time, but I have the opportunity to get a D16ZC with "45000" (claims the owner) for 300$. Should I get it? Also would my D16Y8 transmission fit the D16ZC?