misfire cyl. #1-4

[kevbot]

Check engine light is on, and blinks at high speeds. I have checked the code many times, and it reads cylinder misfire codes 1-4. The car has run great since I got it and still runs great, seemingly. Can any one give me any helpful advice to resolve this problem?
Here's some more info, I'm running a weapon-r air intake (air filter replaced) Borla headers w/ bosal cats and modified (extended) Borla muffler/tailpipe. Since the misfire code I've replaced the spark plugs/wires and fuel filter, run some Lucas f/i cleaner and filled up with premium.
I don't know what else it could be, but if you have any ideas LET ME KNOW! I don't like the blinking even if the car seems to be FULL POWER.

THANKS
Kev-Bot

[1-3-2-4]

What did you replace the plugs with? (Please don't say Bosh platinum) And did you gap them?

the blinking Check engine light means that you currently have a misfire going on so don't romp on it

[kevbot]

I can't remember now. It was not bosh platinum, though. I grabbed the recommended plugs for 2.5 and gapped within range. That was the first thing that I did, then I replaced the air filter, fuel filter, plug wires. It all seems to be firing fine, and the misfire is in all four cylinders.

Bad coil?
Bad fuel injectors?

[ouch1011]

If you had a misfire bad enough to cause the CEL to flash on a 4cyl engine even if it were just 1 cyl misfiring, you would certainly feel a difference. Flashing CEL means the engine is misfiring badly enough to cause damage to the cat convertor. Usually, that means a cylinder isn't firing at all, which you would notice as a significant loss of power.

[kevbot]

Exactly, I've felt one firing only three and its UNDRIVABLE. Me I'm cruising on the highway and it blinks a little, feels great! Anyways, its in all four cylinders, and NO loss of power. I brought it back to the mechanic that I bought it from, and he suggested sea-foam and premium...


Thanks for checking...

[jey]

If you had a misfire bad enough to cause the CEL to flash on a 4cyl engine even if it were just 1 cyl misfiring, you would certainly feel a difference. Flashing CEL means the engine is misfiring badly enough to cause damage to the cat convertor. Usually, that means a cylinder isn't firing at all, which you would notice as a significant loss of power.

Wrong. If 1 cylinder was completely down you'd feel the difference, but all it takes is a number of misfire "events" within a time period and the CEL will flash, without you ever feeling a thing.

Have you checked for vaccuum leaks? I'd go after the coil pack next - I've had one go out and cause random misfires like that before.

[Legacy83]

I'd say its either the coil pack or the fuel pump. those are really the only things left that could cause random misfires like that

[Huffer]

Timing belt could be off by 1 tooth. Not enough to cause damage but enough for the ECU to flip an error.

[kevbot]

I think it's going to be me replacing the fuel pump and coil, checking for vacuum leaks and checking the timing. Can you tell if the timing is off, by just one tooth, if I use a timing light? I did just put new exhaust on it (including cats) and I would hate to damage it!

Thanks! I'll try all that and post results.

[Huffer]

Well my theory is that if youre getting misfires on every cylinder then something that controls all the spark has to be off. The firing sequence is tied into the crank turning, the faster that turns the higher the frequency your spark should be.
My theory anyway. ..

[kevbot]

Like I said it seems to run fine...wouldn't you feel it if it were the timing being off, and wouldn't it blink all the time? I'm leaning towards bad fuel pressure. It seems to blink most between 2250-2750 rpm. I can't find it any more, but I read about some sweet msd ignition mod, I was thinking about trying. I'm thinking fuel pump, I don't wanna burn $100 if its not the problem though. Might just do it anyway. Can you find out if the timing is off if I use a timing gun?

[Huffer]

A timing light should show if you're off. The msd mod is in the diy forum, and if you get a wrx or sti fuel pump w/ harness it'll be cheaper and work just as well. Look in the diy forum for this as well

[kevbot]

fixed it. fuel pump.

Thanks for your quick advice!

kev-bot

[Huffer]

I'd say its either the coil pack or the fuel pump. those are really the only things left that could cause random misfires like that

Give this man a high-five!

[massdrewski]

I wish I had a quick and simple answer for my Blinking cels of death

[Legacy83]

I'd say its either the coil pack or the fuel pump. those are really the only things left that could cause random misfires like that

Give this man a high-five!

:smt006 thank you thank you. those seam to be the problem areas for these cars

[seattlelegacy2.2]

What did you replace the plugs with? (Please don't say Bosh platinum) And did you gap them?

the blinking Check engine light means that you currently have a misfire going on so don't romp on it

I did my recent tune up with bosch platinum 2 plugs, is there a problem with this?
thanks, Nate

oh ya, btw, I am having a weird problem with car. and recently I did lucas FI cleaner, plugs, air filter, fuel filter, oil/filter change. When I get on the freeway, after a short drive in town, the car seems to cut out and flutter for a couple seconds, maybe once or twice, then if fine. it accelerates all the way through rpm range no problem, drives around town no problem, runs fine on freeway 99 percent of time, but it does this weird cutting out thing, like the fuel supply is being temporarily blocked, any ideas?
thanks,
Nate

[1-3-2-4]

[quote="1-3-2-4":78vb08t7]What did you replace the plugs with? (Please don't say Bosh platinum) And did you gap them?

the blinking Check engine light means that you currently have a misfire going on so don't romp on it

I did my recent tune up with bosch platinum 2 plugs, is there a problem with this?
thanks, Nate

oh ya, btw, I am having a weird problem with car. and recently I did lucas FI cleaner, plugs, air filter, fuel filter, oil/filter change. When I get on the freeway, after a short drive in town, the car seems to cut out and flutter for a couple seconds, maybe once or twice, then if fine. it accelerates all the way through rpm range no problem, drives around town no problem, runs fine on freeway 99 percent of time, but it does this weird cutting out thing, like the fuel supply is being temporarily blocked, any ideas?
thanks,
Nate[/quote:78vb08t7]


Subaru's don't like Bosh Platinum.. and I think everyone can agree on this.. I made this mistake buying these plugs back in 2001.. not only did the car run stupid rough.. it would idle funny off and on like it was a misfire (it was) better off just using whats listed in the manual.. in my case I replaced them with denso's and it was all good.

[seattlelegacy2.2]

[quote="seattlelegacy2.2":1c2y3m0t][quote="1-3-2-4":1c2y3m0t]What did you replace the plugs with? (Please don't say Bosh platinum) And did you gap them?

the blinking Check engine light means that you currently have a misfire going on so don't romp on it

I did my recent tune up with bosch platinum 2 plugs, is there a problem with this?
thanks, Nate

oh ya, btw, I am having a weird problem with car. and recently I did lucas FI cleaner, plugs, air filter, fuel filter, oil/filter change. When I get on the freeway, after a short drive in town, the car seems to cut out and flutter for a couple seconds, maybe once or twice, then if fine. it accelerates all the way through rpm range no problem, drives around town no problem, runs fine on freeway 99 percent of time, but it does this weird cutting out thing, like the fuel supply is being temporarily blocked, any ideas?
thanks,
Nate[/quote:1c2y3m0t]


Subaru's don't like Bosh Platinum.. and I think everyone can agree on this.. I made this mistake buying these plugs back in 2001.. not only did the car run stupid rough.. it would idle funny off and on like it was a misfire (it was) better off just using whats listed in the manual.. in my case I replaced them with denso's and it was all good.[/quote:1c2y3m0t]

ok, good to know, thanks. denso's? is that a brand? just regular old plugs then? and gap em? nothing fancy?
thanks,
Nate

[1-3-2-4]

[quote="1-3-2-4":2h4lv1pg][quote="seattlelegacy2.2":2h4lv1pg][quote="1-3-2-4":2h4lv1pg]What did you replace the plugs with? (Please don't say Bosh platinum) And did you gap them?

the blinking Check engine light means that you currently have a misfire going on so don't romp on it

I did my recent tune up with bosch platinum 2 plugs, is there a problem with this?
thanks, Nate

oh ya, btw, I am having a weird problem with car. and recently I did lucas FI cleaner, plugs, air filter, fuel filter, oil/filter change. When I get on the freeway, after a short drive in town, the car seems to cut out and flutter for a couple seconds, maybe once or twice, then if fine. it accelerates all the way through rpm range no problem, drives around town no problem, runs fine on freeway 99 percent of time, but it does this weird cutting out thing, like the fuel supply is being temporarily blocked, any ideas?
thanks,
Nate[/quote:2h4lv1pg]


Subaru's don't like Bosh Platinum.. and I think everyone can agree on this.. I made this mistake buying these plugs back in 2001.. not only did the car run stupid rough.. it would idle funny off and on like it was a misfire (it was) better off just using whats listed in the manual.. in my case I replaced them with denso's and it was all good.[/quote:2h4lv1pg]

ok, good to know, thanks. denso's? is that a brand? just regular old plugs then? and gap em? nothing fancy?
thanks,
Nate[/quote:2h4lv1pg]


Denso and NGK are both japanese brand copper plugs I picked Denso's at the time because they were cheaper and Auto zone had them in stock.

also you should gap your plugs before you put them in (people sometimes forget this)

[kevbot]

Well after weeks with out a blinking CEL...IT'S BACK! The only thing that changed was an oil/filter change and $10 in %10 ethanol 87 octane, and of course it came on while my girlfriend was driving it. Any ideas?

[ubaru98]

this i kind of costly but my 98 outback was having those problems i did a grounding kit, the msd coil pack, msd super conductor wires making those were fun ...not, and iridium plugs nkg now i get 34 hwy miles per gal out of it . you can try or just take the thing to the dealer you will miss your arm and leg for awhile or you can just drive with the light on

[seattlelegacy2.2]

this i kind of costly but my 98 outback was having those problems i did a grounding kit, the msd coil pack, msd super conductor wires making those were fun ...not, and iridium plugs nkg now i get 34 hwy miles per gal out of it . you can try or just take the thing to the dealer you will miss your arm and leg for awhile or you can just drive with the light on

hmm, interested. did you get much power boost from that mod?

why did you have to make the super conductor wires? where did you order all those parts?
thanks, Nate

[kevbot]

Yeah that all sounds pretty good, how much did you spend on all that??

[rudgers73]

I have recently started having the same problem. With my car, though, it only happens when my car has been sitting for a while (few days) and especially if it has been sitting in the rain. I start it up, drive, and everything is fine, but if I don't drive it easy for 5 minutes or so it doesn't like acceleration. If I start my car up and get right on the highway on ramp it will rev up to about 2500 rpms then start coughing and sputtering and the CEL will come on. If I don't let up (if I can't) it will blink at me for all of the misfires. It doesn't really feel like a misfire though because it doesn't shake and/or lunge. Instead it just feels like as though I am going 20 mph, putting it in fifth, and stomping the gas to the floor. Underpowered, bogging... Once I get to speed and ease off of the gas to just maintain speed it will be fine and will continue to be fine under any condition I throw at it. It's like something is wet, or corroded and after it is driven for a bit it dries off or cleans up whatever is bothering it. I recently changed the coil to the MSD but it has done it with my old coil in the exact same manner. Didn't do wires, but plugs were done a good year ago when troubleshooting a bad knock sensor and I have never had trouble until now. I also replaced the fuel filter at that time.

The last two times I was at the dealer they added to my "inspection notes" that the alternator had diodes going bad. Could this be the issue? I don't ever see dimming lights or slower fan speed when it's coughing which makes me think not...

[seattlelegacy2.2]

I have recently started having the same problem. With my car, though, it only happens when my car has been sitting for a while (few days) and especially if it has been sitting in the rain. I start it up, drive, and everything is fine, but if I don't drive it easy for 5 minutes or so it doesn't like acceleration. If I start my car up and get right on the highway on ramp it will rev up to about 2500 rpms then start coughing and sputtering and the CEL will come on. If I don't let up (if I can't) it will blink at me for all of the misfires. It doesn't really feel like a misfire though because it doesn't shake and/or lunge. Instead it just feels like as though I am going 20 mph, putting it in fifth, and stomping the gas to the floor. Underpowered, bogging... Once I get to speed and ease off of the gas to just maintain speed it will be fine and will continue to be fine under any condition I throw at it. It's like something is wet, or corroded and after it is driven for a bit it dries off or cleans up whatever is bothering it. I recently changed the coil to the MSD but it has done it with my old coil in the exact same manner. Didn't do wires, but plugs were done a good year ago when troubleshooting a bad knock sensor and I have never had trouble until now. I also replaced the fuel filter at that time.

The last two times I was at the dealer they added to my "inspection notes" that the alternator had diodes going bad. Could this be the issue? I don't ever see dimming lights or slower fan speed when it's coughing which makes me think not...

bad plug wires act up more when it is wet out, yours does it more if it has been raining and you say you didn't do the wires, that would be my first try on fixing that,

[seattlelegacy2.2]

say, when I first got car and went to adjust idle, I messed with the two big bolts on front of throttle thing, and moved them both out to raise idle. they seem to move independent of each other (the throttle linkage arm things), so I did both of them. later I realized that there is a tiny little idle screw on back of the whole deal, but I didn't put back the two big bolt things in front of deal. could this be giving me any problems? I don't know exactly where they were set at, but it seemed that there was a little slack in the throttle cables until I adjusted them and made them tight so they would raise the idle. hope this made sense
thanks,
Nate

[kevbot]

Well, After charging the battery and running about 4 tanks of %100 91 octane gasoline CEL stopped blinking again, YAY!

[Okin DaVanh]

Hate to scare ya again, but you might want to be on the look out for your Knock Sensors.

[rudgers73]

I replaced my knock sensor last year. My issue doesn't feel anything like when the knock sensor went bad. It was never intermittent when that was the issue, it just started running goofy one day and didn't stop until I stuck a new one on. It wasn't very scary tho, it was a $60 part that bolted on and plugged in. Easy as pie... Maybe kevbot should try that tho.


:smt023

[seattlelegacy2.2]

say, when I first got car and went to adjust idle, I messed with the two big bolts on front of throttle thing, and moved them both out to raise idle. they seem to move independent of each other (the throttle linkage arm things), so I did both of them. later I realized that there is a tiny little idle screw on back of the whole deal, but I didn't put back the two big bolt things in front of deal. could this be giving me any problems? I don't know exactly where they were set at, but it seemed that there was a little slack in the throttle cables until I adjusted them and made them tight so they would raise the idle. hope this made sense
thanks,
Nate

anyone know this? thanks, Nate