yasuro

so i start up my car to take it to the u-wash. idle seemed a bit off, kind of rough.

i put it in gear and, holy sh*t! , a steady CEL. idle is rougher. i turn off the car, wait a minute, and start it up again. now it's a flashing CEL! *fargin-a!*

of course, i immediately check the garage floor. some water from the weather, but no oil.

i call over to my trusty indy and he can take my car. i start it up again and it's a solid CEL. idle is rough. i limp it over to the shop. it is the longest 6 miles i've ever driven. car is obviously misfiring.

get over to the shop and code reader shows:

P0300, P0306, P0301, P0305. basically misfires on cylinders 1, 5, and 6. cat damage warning.

my mechanic checks for loose vacuum lines prior to putting it on the code reader, there are none that are obvious.

he's thinking cracked coil packs or bad plugs (i haven't gotten new plugs yet for my 60k service). but it doesn't seem to be anything major *cross fingers*.

he'll call later this afternoon or tomorrow morning when he get's a chance to pull the plugs on the misfiring cylinders.

now all i can do is wait, but i'm optimistic.

gota911

That must have been agonizing! Hope it is only the coil packs.

himself

When did you last put gas in? I had the same symptoms (misfires and flashing CEL) and it turned out to be bad gas. Not Taco Bell either. Turns out that when the big tankers fill the underground tanks they can stir up crap, water, etc in the tanks. This can get into YOUR gas tank and cause minor heart burn until you run the tank empty and put fresh petrol in.

-td

yasuro

hmm. last weekend at a mobile station and my tank is still at least 3/4 full. i guess i'll find out when the mechanic gets to look at the plugs and coil pack.

DFC

Hopefully it won't be anything major, the waiting is the hardest part (thanks Tom Petty), keep us posted.

Marc Gelefsky

I just helped a freind here at work drop her A4 off at Audi with the EXACT same symptoms!

I bet coil packs

redridge

imagine it happened after the car wash.... another "Got a cel after a car wash" thread

htny

90% it's the Coil packs, same with mine last year. Might as well do plugs while you're there

Technically it's a DIY if you have skinny fingers and/or nice angled tools, I'm pretty sure there's one on Loren's site

pl

coil pack cracked, the water got in when washing it.
nothing to worry about.

DFC

+1

It can be a DIY, takes a bit of "feel" and a couple special tools.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=7059

yasuro

verdict is in. the culprit was bad spark plugs. coil packs look okay. he's checking each coil pack as he replaces the plugs.

DFC

Very good news!

BBHelms

Had a similiar experience Monday...turned out to be MAF which wasn't too bad

zroadhouse

I'm just waiting for my MAF to go. The techs at the indy think that the EVO CAI on the car is a recipe for a very short-lived MAF. So far though, it seems to have survived a few thousand miles without getting sick.

Hopefully the shop will take car of the OP's problem with no problems.

gota911

Why wouldn't you remove the EVO CAI if your indy makes that statement?

I have yet to understand why anyone would put an oiled air filter in a Porsche in spite of the numerous comments about the oil killing MAF sensor. Makes no sense to me to risk that damage to get some additional intake sound and a handful (if any) HP gain.