Hey guys i recently got some new plugs installed on my car. I got the NGK's from PG and had my dealer install and gap them. Recently after i got them installed when ever i get into boost my car like miss fires and jumps for a second and then it stops but my car feels like its just not running as best as it can. I talked to my dealer about it and they said its not the plugs or that gap and that its the primary o2 censor messing up and i need to change it but im not convinced thats the problem, has anyone else had this problem with the o2 censor?
sputtering and missfireing....
- Thread starter 07speed3
- Start date
Plugs should be gapped .030 inches (.028-032). You should be running one step colder plugs - heat range 7 with your mods.
VTA is not good for a MAF engine. Run it recirc. Engine runs much smoother, safer and gets all of the metered oxygen to the engine where it belongs.
I'm also wondering if the dealer did not get the coil connectors properly reseated on top of each plug before the intercooler went back on.
VTA is not good for a MAF engine. Run it recirc. Engine runs much smoother, safer and gets all of the metered oxygen to the engine where it belongs.
I'm also wondering if the dealer did not get the coil connectors properly reseated on top of each plug before the intercooler went back on.
Last edited:
Knocking on hard accel?
Today I heard a sound under hard accel in 2nd gear (above 3k RPM) that can best be described as an electrical arcing sound (obviously it was mechanical, but that's what it sounded like). I've had this happen on a number of occasions, always under hard accel in 2nd gear. Is this a misfire, detonation, knock retard, or what? I never get a CEL. I've already had my engine replaced, so things like this scare the crap out of me.
Today I heard a sound under hard accel in 2nd gear (above 3k RPM) that can best be described as an electrical arcing sound (obviously it was mechanical, but that's what it sounded like). I've had this happen on a number of occasions, always under hard accel in 2nd gear. Is this a misfire, detonation, knock retard, or what? I never get a CEL. I've already had my engine replaced, so things like this scare the crap out of me.
so im gathering that everyone is saying that this problem is my plugs? and yes i heard what you said about running VTA but with 70k miles on my car and running VTA for 50k of them i dont think that is the immediate problem. So no one has heard of the o2 censor being the problem?
Do you have a dashawk or something to monitor engine vitals. sounds like detonation but it would be in all gears, not just 2nd. how loud was the sound? if it was knock or detonation the car would pull tons of timing and you would feel it as a big drop in power for a split second. how does the car behave? mods? need more info...
OS Sensor - A guy had a long post here recently about the O2. One symptom of it going bad will be your AFR's going crazy and bouncing all over the place. If you have a DashHawk or know someone who does, then you can rule that out quickly. I believe it's your plugs and them not being installed right or broken ends.
I agree with Bravnik that the dealer messed up the plug install in one way or another. Either they damaged the tip of one or more when gapping, or they messed up a coil or failed to seat one or more of them properly, or something along those lines.
Take it to AutoZone or another parts store with engine code reader (you do have a check engine light on with this malfunction), and see what the code is.
See if it is one of these:
P0300 -general random cylinder misfire)
P0301 - cylinder 1 misfire
P0302 - cylinder 2 misfire
P0303 - cylinder 3 misfire
P0304 - cylinder 4 misfire
If it's an O2 sensor, the code will be somewhere betweein P0132 and P0140, I think, depending on which one it is and what the problem with the sensor turns out to be.
Do you have a check engine light on? Get it read and post # please.
Take it to AutoZone or another parts store with engine code reader (you do have a check engine light on with this malfunction), and see what the code is.
See if it is one of these:
P0300 -general random cylinder misfire)
P0301 - cylinder 1 misfire
P0302 - cylinder 2 misfire
P0303 - cylinder 3 misfire
P0304 - cylinder 4 misfire
If it's an O2 sensor, the code will be somewhere betweein P0132 and P0140, I think, depending on which one it is and what the problem with the sensor turns out to be.
Do you have a check engine light on? Get it read and post # please.
If you're comfortable pulling them out and checking them, you should have just installed them yourself in the first place. It's a 15 minute job, and you'd know it was done right. For all you know, they gapped the plugs for a 3 instead of the MS3. Seems too coincidental that you had the problem after the plug change. I would doubt the O2 sensor as the problem, especially if you haven't thrown a code. Make sure you report back if they messed up on the install. Also, if you remove them, you'll probably want to put some anti-seize on the threads before you reinstall. The breakaway coating on the new plugs will be hosed (see attachment).
I think I had detonation on my last engine - would totally jerk the car sometimes. This is different - it's non-violent, and it's pretty muted unless the windows are open. The car normally drives just fine - I punch it in the same spot (busy access road to on-ramp) every day, but this only happens occasionally. I do have Forge and Cobb SRI. As soon as I hear it, I always let off the gas for a sec, so it's hard to tell if it will keep happening at higher revs. Unfortunately I don't have a dashhawk.
I would get a dashawk or AP if i were you. Obviously it would be less noticable if the windows were closed
. The AP would come in handy as you get deeper into modding as well.
