E320 bad gas causes miss on #6?
02-09-2013, 05:48 PM
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1998 E320 wagon
E320 bad gas causes miss on #6?
Hi folks - first let me say thanks to all that are reading this and those who've helped me in the past.
I have a 1998 E320 Wagon 130,000 miles. the car ran out of gas and a friend offers what he called "old" gas to get me to the station. I used it, the car spuddered and made it where I filled it up, 5 minutes away, left the station to drive out the "old gas." 10 minutes later it was still sputtering so I stopped at another gas station and added some gas/fuel injector cleaner. Drove home, another 10 minutes, and figured I'd tackle it in the morning. It started fine, but still missed some and my scanner showed P0306 code. Figured I fouled a plug and headed for the auto parts store. On the way it continued to loose power and the code showed misses on 4 and 5 cylinders + the misc cylinder miss code. I got to the auto parts store and there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. Open the hood and determined the source of the smoke was coming from the firewall, passenger side. Specifically from what looked like a connection at the firewall. I sprayed w/ fire extinguisher, powder kind, it smoldered for about an hour as I waited for a tow. My mechanic (generic service, not German specific) said the miss cause the catalytic converter to get super hot, 600 degrees, which burned a solenoid wire. He repaired that and ordered a coil pack b/c that is the problem. Great! I'm thinking. The next day he calls and says he swapped the coil pack and the miss was still there, that he had folks call in sick, he was swamped with work and that I should take the car to a German specific mechanic. I asked if he pulled the #6 and swapped plug and he said no. (btw, plugs were changed my me at approximately 100K miles) He says the car can be driven to the German shop, so I do, with #6 missing all the way, even stalling at a light.
The German mechanic says he's pulling the same codes and wants to change all the ignition wires ($500 p&L). If miss still remains, then he wants to change all the coil packs (1800 parts, labor is free). If miss still remains next change the ECU ($1800-p & $185 Labor).
My questions:
Can't we just swap wires between #6 (bad) and #2(good) cylinders and see if the "miss" moves? How likely is it that the ignition wires are the issue? the German Mechanic qualifies it by saying it should have been done @ 100K miles.
Can't we just swap coils between #6 (bad) and #2(good) cylinders and see if the "miss" moves? How likely is it that the coils are the issue? The German Mechanic qualifies it by saying we can't know until we swap the wires.
Can I purchase a used ECU and use it? According to the German mechanic it has to be re/programed anyway. He's insisting on a new one.
Finally, if it was bad gas that MAY have caused this, what about a plugged injector? Does that sound like a possibility?
TIA to all that read and comment!
Neil
I have a 1998 E320 Wagon 130,000 miles. the car ran out of gas and a friend offers what he called "old" gas to get me to the station. I used it, the car spuddered and made it where I filled it up, 5 minutes away, left the station to drive out the "old gas." 10 minutes later it was still sputtering so I stopped at another gas station and added some gas/fuel injector cleaner. Drove home, another 10 minutes, and figured I'd tackle it in the morning. It started fine, but still missed some and my scanner showed P0306 code. Figured I fouled a plug and headed for the auto parts store. On the way it continued to loose power and the code showed misses on 4 and 5 cylinders + the misc cylinder miss code. I got to the auto parts store and there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. Open the hood and determined the source of the smoke was coming from the firewall, passenger side. Specifically from what looked like a connection at the firewall. I sprayed w/ fire extinguisher, powder kind, it smoldered for about an hour as I waited for a tow. My mechanic (generic service, not German specific) said the miss cause the catalytic converter to get super hot, 600 degrees, which burned a solenoid wire. He repaired that and ordered a coil pack b/c that is the problem. Great! I'm thinking. The next day he calls and says he swapped the coil pack and the miss was still there, that he had folks call in sick, he was swamped with work and that I should take the car to a German specific mechanic. I asked if he pulled the #6 and swapped plug and he said no. (btw, plugs were changed my me at approximately 100K miles) He says the car can be driven to the German shop, so I do, with #6 missing all the way, even stalling at a light.
The German mechanic says he's pulling the same codes and wants to change all the ignition wires ($500 p&L). If miss still remains, then he wants to change all the coil packs (1800 parts, labor is free). If miss still remains next change the ECU ($1800-p & $185 Labor).
My questions:
Can't we just swap wires between #6 (bad) and #2(good) cylinders and see if the "miss" moves? How likely is it that the ignition wires are the issue? the German Mechanic qualifies it by saying it should have been done @ 100K miles.
Can't we just swap coils between #6 (bad) and #2(good) cylinders and see if the "miss" moves? How likely is it that the coils are the issue? The German Mechanic qualifies it by saying we can't know until we swap the wires.
Can I purchase a used ECU and use it? According to the German mechanic it has to be re/programed anyway. He's insisting on a new one.
Finally, if it was bad gas that MAY have caused this, what about a plugged injector? Does that sound like a possibility?
TIA to all that read and comment!
Neil
02-10-2013, 12:47 PM
#2
Out Of Control!!
I guess you logic sounds plausible, however didn't guy one and or guy two scan the car an look at the freeze frame data that caused the fault.
If not then you hunt and peck method seems applicable.
Regarding the ECU, I seriously doubt that is causing the miss. In any event the ECU is apart of the theft system and as long as the ECU has 40 ons it is married to the key and then you would have to virginize the ECU and then reflash or start fresh with new(a virgin) and reflash--------and I suspect that with your knowledge of automotive chips and programmers you could do the work yourself, however after I looked at what I typed----I doubt it---forget it, if you mentioned virginizing to guy one and two they will no doubt send you to the local porno shop----just forget the idea and concentrate on the wires, plugs and coils and or take the car on the interstate for an hour of 75-80 mph driving. Good Luck
If not then you hunt and peck method seems applicable.
Regarding the ECU, I seriously doubt that is causing the miss. In any event the ECU is apart of the theft system and as long as the ECU has 40 ons it is married to the key and then you would have to virginize the ECU and then reflash or start fresh with new(a virgin) and reflash--------and I suspect that with your knowledge of automotive chips and programmers you could do the work yourself, however after I looked at what I typed----I doubt it---forget it, if you mentioned virginizing to guy one and two they will no doubt send you to the local porno shop----just forget the idea and concentrate on the wires, plugs and coils and or take the car on the interstate for an hour of 75-80 mph driving. Good Luck
