cylinder misfire

[jcman7286]

my check engine light came on and i used my programmer to find out what was wrong and it said that cylinder 8 is misfiring. does that mean that it isn't firing or that the timing is off?

 

[section525]

Means.. your plug, wire, or coil pack is not firing. Pull the plug and check it. If it looks good.. swap out a wire. Cylinder 8 is the one closest to the gas pedal (if you didn't know ).

Or if you have 50k on the plugs and wires I'd go ahead and put new ones in/on.

 

[jcman7286]

if i just clear the service code to turn off the light will it come back on if the problem is still there?

 

[rookieshooter]

Lets say it is the plug/plugs, here's a quick fix. Take the plug out, wire brush the electrode. Take a small file, they even make a spark plug file, or you can use a manacure file and file the part that bends over the electrode on all four sides and then square off the end. Sparks like to have a sharp edge to jump from. File the electrode flat also. Most likly the gap has increased, close it up a little, check the gap to a service manual go get one if you don't have one. Be a good idea to get a set of plugs also, but anyway reinstall plug. You'll be amazed how much better it will run. Now if you have some of the newer plugs that have all those electrods, I have never done one of those. Those are for people that are in a higher tax bracket then me and can afford to take to the dealer HA HA

This is not what I would call a proper post for 911, new member forum would be better, but any way welcome

 

[jcman7286]

how do i tell if the wires have gone bad? I have never changed the wires. also, there are some particles on one side of the spark plug that looks like dirt or something. could that have been the cause of the misfire?

 

[rookieshooter]

how do i tell if the wires have gone bad? I have never changed the wires. also, there are some particles on one side of the spark plug that looks like dirt or something. could that have been the cause of the misfire?

You need to get a voltmeter and measure the resistance in each wire. Get youself something like a Haynes manual or similar. It will explain how to do this, very simple. It may even have different readings due to the length of the wires, but again a manual will tell you this. If you don't have a multivoltmeter get one. Sears sells a good one and not much $. You can learn so much by using this thing. Yes if it shorted out the gap it the plug. some fouling is allright. The color and the presence of black sooty type stuff gives you an indication of what's going on inside the chamber. Again a good manual will show you color pics of plugs and what to look for. Too rich too lean, oil leak into combustion chamber and so on.

 

[jcman7286]

i replaced all the spark plug wires but that didnt work. any more ideas as to whats wrong?

 

[marragtop]

Did you also replace the plugs? If so, reset the computer and pull the codes again.

 

[jcman7286]

i replaced the spark plugs about 15 to 20k miles ago.