HELP!!!!!!

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Nov 18, 2009 | 03:34 PM

nfrancis1

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HELP!!!!!!

So here's my issue. I began having drivability issues a couple of months ago. CEL came on showing knock detection and misfires in cylinder #1 and #8 (I think). after perusing this forum i determined that i probably should check the coils, so i changed the affected coils and put in all new spark plugs. a couple of weeks later, it started running rough at idle with loss of power and p0171 and p0174. once again, w/ help from forum, changed pcv lines and MAF sensor. now, im still idling rough under about 2k rpm and im getting cel for bank 2 lean. today, i smelled an acrid odor and looked under car to find cat glowing red hot. so, my question is, can just one side cat being clogged cause my rough idle and loss of power as well as the detected lean condition, or, do you guys think that im still having fuel issues causing it to burn in the cat causing the cat to glow. all help would be greatly appreciated.

Nov 18, 2009 | 06:07 PM

alloro

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Cats tend to glow red because they have unburnt fuel being dumped into them. That being said, I would look for a leaking injector, or possibly another bad coil. The coil being the more likely problem. You might want to start with just changing the rubber boot on the coil. For $3 it's less expensive than the entire coil.

Nov 18, 2009 | 06:36 PM

nfrancis1

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the thing is, when i was misfiring the computer was detecting that and giving me a CEL. now, im not getting one for a misfire. how do i test my coils? also, if it is only happening on driver's side, that is bank 2 correct? what could be the cause for the lean condition? and finally, how do i know if an injector is leaking? i have listened to them all with a steth and can hear them all ticking, so they are definately working.

Nov 18, 2009 | 07:46 PM

alloro

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Mild misfires do not set a code very easily in order to turn the CEL on, only moderate to sever misfires do that. A rich condition in bank 1 is causing the computer to lean out the mixture for the entire engine. Since bank 2 was operating correctly before, the new mixture ratio is causing a lean condition on that side.

I wouldn't worry about the injectors just yet. First work on looking for a misfire since it is more likely the problem.

Nov 18, 2009 | 08:07 PM

nfrancis1

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correct me if im wrong, but a misfire would cause the side to indicate lean wouldnt it? (fuel doesnt burn, therfore more air (oxygen) left over, therfore lean?) plus, the unburnt fuel would explain the glowing cat right? of course, this is assuming my assumption that bank 2 (lean CEL) is the driver's side of the engine (same side as glowing cat). either way, how do i tell if one of the coils are not firing?

Nov 18, 2009 | 11:03 PM

alloro

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Quote:

Originally Posted by nfrancis1

correct me if I'm wrong, but a misfire would cause the side to indicate lean wouldn't it? (fuel doesn't burn, therefore more air (oxygen) left over, therefore lean?)

Okay, if you say so...you're wrong.

The reason is because oxygen is a catalyst, it's not flammable, and it doesn't burn. So whether or not the cylinder fires, the cylinder expels the same amount of oxygen into the exhaust system. I suspect you're getting "misfire" confused with a "lean misfire" which occurs when the air/fuel mixture is too lean (not enough fuel in the mixture) to burn.

The only way to check the coils without all of that expensive equipment is to (one at a time) disconnect the 2-wire plug going to the coil and note any changes in engine RPM.

Nov 19, 2009 | 08:22 AM

nfrancis1

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ok, cool, sorry about the misunderstanding. so, pull the plugs one at a time on the COP, and in essence im looking for the one that doesn't affect the engine right? that would be the one not firing? also, ive been trying to research, how do i know if the boots need to be replaced? and lastly, does anyone know what symptoms would be had if only the one side cat was clogged, just in case the COP arent bad? thanks.