P0302 - So Stressed

B

Bravnik

Member
I was going to the park with the wife to take some pics. I was at a stop sign fixing to turn left when my car just started ideling like pure s*** and missfireing. I thought maybe I had a leak in the boost system so I limped into the park.

I got out and the first thing I smelt was electrical burning, then it went away. I used my DH to get the code (p0302) Cylinder 2 missfire. The car idles like s*** and is missing like crazy. No weird noises or anything, just a very bad idle and no power.

Seeing as I live like 3 blocks from the park, the wife and I walk back and I grab some tools and some extra plugs I had lying around. I go back and change my plugs and start the car. Same issue. This time when I shut off the car I hurried to the engine to see if I could smell the electrical burning. Yep and it was over the coil pack area.

So I did a simple test. I started the car and disconnected the Coil Clips one at at time to see if there was any change to the car. Coils 1 3 and 4 there was a change, but no change at all on number 2 (with one being far left).

So I assume by this test the coil is bad seeing as there was no juice being sent and I smelt the electrical smell from the area. My problem is I'm just a backyard mechanic so it really is just an assumption on my part. I would love some input on the symptoms if those more experienced can share. Could there be another issue that I'm not experienced enough to find?
 
Another easy test is swapping coils, say swap 1 and 2 and see if the misfire goes to cyl 1, then you can conclude that the coil is bad and not the wiring.
 
bombermanx said:
Another easy test is swapping coils, say swap 1 and 2 and see if the misfire goes to cyl 1, then you can conclude that the coil is bad and not the wiring.
Click to expand...

Thats a sure fine way to tell if its an ignition coil. It may take 2 or 3 engine cycles for a cel code to show again, but if the cel tells you it changed cylinders, then you've got a bad coil. I haven't looked at the MS3's yet, but they're probably as easy as pulling the coil off the spark plugs and disconnecting a wire harness, unless the coils are built into the wires.

good luck
 
Could also be the fuel pump issue many MS3 owners are having. Mazda replaced the plug, coil, injector of cylinder 4 and it was still tripping the CEL. After more testing it was determined that the faulty fuel pump was the issue.
 
I just pulled the coil to do the test suggested above. However on close inspection of the coil pack I noticed a burnt/bubble area on the coil itself. Looking at the other coils in the car there is no such bubble so I think its safe to assume the coil is fried.

Calling roadside assistance now as it might as well go to the shop as I would like them to check out the car to ensure there is no damage from running on 3 cylinders.

However, I feel much better about this now.
 
Last edited:
If you washed your car and the engine I bet you got water in the coil. We just fried cylinder #1 on are MS6 due to water.
 
I actually washed my car the day before so maybe, but I had driven the car numerous times after.

Looks like a fluke to me. Just FYI the part is $120 from Mazda and you can't get it at a local parts place :eek:

I'm going to see if they can do a compression check as well. I don't think it hurt anything but I just want to try to avoid further injury down the road. Better safe then sorry I say.
 
Bravnik said:
I actually washed my car the day before so maybe, but I had driven the car numerous times after.

Looks like a fluke to me. Just FYI the part is $120 from Mazda and you can't get it at a local parts place :eek:

I'm going to see if they can do a compression check as well. I don't think it hurt anything but I just want to try to avoid further injury down the road. Better safe then sorry I say.
Click to expand...

I just called and they told me $93.00 and you can get them online for like $72 but that is for a speed6.
 
Bravnik a bad coil pack is just going to keep the plug from firing. The most damage you could have would be a fouled plug. Change the pack and move on.

This really concerns me though. I have a friend that has a Mazda Millenia and he has gone through about 5 of the coil packs and the car is about 5 years old. Every six months or so he is going through a coil. If this is what we are going to be facing in our cars it will get expensive .....

I am hoping that once he has gone through the original six it will stabilize but not guarantees at this point.

Ed.
 
I have 97 protege with miss on cyl 2 changed plugs twice now and switched injector on cyl 1 with cyl 2 but the fuel pump thing if its faulty that can cause cyl 2 to miss?
 
wast does pick and pull have to do with it ? dont know why i am getting the miss. Still have to adjust timing first and see if that is why
 
ROFL - Wow blast from the past. Yes it is fixed. The Coil went and because the circuit from the coil to the fuse box was 30Amps, when the coil blew it fried the wiring harness (upper and lower) before popping the fuse. $3500 worth of warranty work later and problem solved.
 
Bravnik said:
ROFL - Wow blast from the past. Yes it is fixed. The Coil went and because the circuit from the coil to the fuse box was 30Amps, when the coil blew it fried the wiring harness (upper and lower) before popping the fuse. $3500 worth of warranty work later and problem solved.
Click to expand...

Bingo. Glad it was taken care of.
 
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