420A 2gNT 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse Misfiring

[TheRock0720]

Well I started my car and it took a second to start (longer than usual) (and its about 19 degrees ouside, its winter). I let it warm up to running temperature and I drove down the road until I got till the end of my road and aproached the street, I stopped and as I pulled out my cars RPMs dropped and it ran like crap. Its the samething that happened before and we thought it was the Cat (which we just replaced the day before). But before the cars RPMs would only drop when we put it in gear (Drive), but reverse would be okay. Now, its running rough and what not in any gear (Park, Neutral, Drive, Second, First).

The car has no power what so ever, it can't handle any kind of load.

I had to get it back home, so I let it sit for a little so the car could cool (which I did before and that worked), but not this time. The car was smoking and smelt so bad (kind of like oil burning). I started it and it was running at 100 RPMs, and I would give it gas (almost all the way to the floor) and the car would only move like 2 inches. Also, when the car is running the Check Engine Light flashes (when the car is running like it was).

I noticed that it seems to misfiring very bad, the check engine light flashes when the car is running some of the time. Also, the tailpipe smells of strong gasoline.

I checked the plugs and wires and they are in perfect condition, but the plugs smell like strong Gasoline.

Here is a video that I recorded so you could get a taste of what its like.

1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse Misfiring

Things replaced:
Spark Plugs and Wires
Cat Converter (replaced with Walker Brand Direct Fit)
Air Filter
Oil (Mobil 1 Synthetic 5W20)
Lucas Fuel Injector Treatment (into gas tank)
Serpentine Belt

 

[Fotowntalon]

clean it off and try to look for where its leaking you may get lucky. When i first bought my car it had an oil clean, turned out just to be a worn VC gasket, you may get lucky. Hell even if its you oil pan gasket, just buy a crank scrapper and get a few ponies out of the deal

 

[TheRock0720]

Valve Cover Gasket has been replaced and its not the Oil Pan Gasket.

It seems to be coming from the back of the motor near Cylinder #4...

clean it off and try to look for where its leaking you may get lucky. When i first bought my car it had an oil clean, turned out just to be a worn VC gasket, you may get lucky. Hell even if its you oil pan gasket, just buy a crank scrapper and get a few ponies out of the deal

 

[bullettdsm]

Mine rarely but yes sometimes does it on startup.. only for a some seconds then it runs normal.

Initial thought on this is basic tune-up parts. Slightly longer start up/rough start up is oftentimes associated with spark plugs/wires/fuel filter/air filter etc. Check your basics on that.

MB

 

[bullettdsm]

Valve Cover Gasket has been replaced and its not the Oil Pan Gasket.

It seems to be coming from the back of the motor near Cylinder #4...

Few things for that; be absolutely sure that its not coming from the vc gasket on the back side. Often a place that people misidentify (I know you said you replaced it, but just double checking). Possibility of the cam sensor leaking and being thrown down that way. Of course on that same line is the 1/2 moon. Doesn't usually leak but it could be. Then you have the oil pressure sender on the backside of the motor. Another kinda common area of leakage.

And last oil situation back there is the yuckiest (yeah, technical term). There is a problem on some select engines, where the head bolt on the backside actually bottoms out in its tapped hole. Full verification on which engines (as in what years) has never been completed but it appears to be the earlier years on the composite gaskets. This bottoming out allows the engine to develop a leak at that point of the headgasket (leaking between the head and the block) on the number 4 cylinder.

I would look at the last choice as a last resort.

Plus, not that you don't know the difference between motor oil and tranny fluid and coolant, BUT be sure that it is oil and not tranny fluid or coolant. The heater hoses are notorious for leaking in that area and any leak of the tranny fluid generally finds itself down to that side.

MB

 

[crazyboy81]

Initial thought on this is basic tune-up parts. Slightly longer start up/rough start up is oftentimes associated with spark plugs/wires/fuel filter/air filter etc. Check your basics on that.

MB

plugs hae less then 1000 miles on them. Wires less than 5000. I'll try fuel filter, where's it at?

 

[Fotowntalon]

underneath the car, near the back passenger side wheel if i remember correctly (if I'm wrong then its on the other side, but pretty sure its the passenger side)

 

[TheRock0720]

I went to go get my car inspected and they failed it... They failed it for a couple reasons:

Excessive Oil leak onto Cat/Exhaust (fire hazard)
Front Rotors need to be replaced
OBD not ready for testing (engine hasn't been through enough cycles, probably because I removed the battery yesterday...)

I am starting to really think this car is a money pit... and it only has 75,000 miles on it!

 

[bullettdsm]

I went to go get my car inspected and they failed it... They failed it for a couple reasons:

Excessive Oil leak onto Cat/Exhaust (fire hazard)
Front Rotors need to be replaced
OBD not ready for testing (engine hasn't been through enough cycles, probably because I removed the battery yesterday...)

I am starting to really think this car is a money pit... and it only has 75,000 miles on it!

Money pit? Really? Well, I'll come up and take her off your hands, .

Let's see; excessive oil leak fire hazard? Douchebags So you just gotta find the leak.

Front rotors? Relatively easy maintenance item that's not that expensive and generally has to be done anyway (of course you will do the pads at the same time)

OBD not ready. I don't know about NH but in CT we get to have 2 "not ready's" and still pass on the 99. But, if not, you just need to drive it around a little to get her to cycle (highway and city max 100 miles).

MB

 

[TheRock0720]

Well this place (VIP Auto) is pretty good, I usually go here for all my inspections .

Well I bought some UV Dye and put it in the oil and VIP offered to take the car tomorrow and find out exactly where the oil is coming from. They looked today but it was everywhere, it look bad. But with this dye, it will help more to see where its coming from.

I just don't have the money to throw around to this car, and if it turns out to be big job and cost $$$ I might consider selling her (depending). But we'll see how tomorrow goes...

Also the check engine light just came on when I was on the high way. I found out the code (P0140) and its the rear O2 Sensor.

Money pit? Really? Well, I'll come up and take her off your hands, .

Let's see; excessive oil leak fire hazard? Douchebags So you just gotta find the leak.

Front rotors? Relatively easy maintenance item that's not that expensive and generally has to be done anyway (of course you will do the pads at the same time)

OBD not ready. I don't know about NH but in CT we get to have 2 "not ready's" and still pass on the 99. But, if not, you just need to drive it around a little to get her to cycle (highway and city max 100 miles).

MB

 

[raiders420a]

i had the same problem i changed the coil pack and the front 02 sensor

 

[TheRock0720]

Well I just got back from an inspection to see what was causing the oil leak...and I got the news.

I found out that its my rear main seal. My head gasket is also leaking a little, but not as bad as the rear main seal.

So I am debating whether or not I should swap out the engine with a more reliable one or just go ahead with replacing the rear main seal, front main seal, etc etc.

What are your thoughts?

 

[white92talontsi]

Well I just got back from an inspection to see what was causing the oil leak...and I got the news.

I found out that its my rear main seal. My head gasket is also leaking a little, but not as bad as the rear main seal.

So I am debating whether or not I should swap out the engine with a more reliable one or just go ahead with replacing the rear main seal, front main seal, etc etc.

What are your thoughts?

Rear main oil seal I dont really believe. Not a very common thing to go bad. Chances are its leaking from somewhere else and running down between the trans and the engine.
I know the cam sensor on these cars can leak and where the oil runs down it will look like a rear main seal is leaking.

 

[TheRock0720]

hmm I don't know, the guy seemed to know what he was talking about. He said a women came in the other day with the same 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS and it had the same issue as mine.

I don't know if I mentioned but he did a Dye test to see exactly where the oil was coming from and he said that it was coming out the rear main seal and it was getting whipped around and splattered all over the engine bay.

Rear main oil seal I dont really believe. Not a very common thing to go bad. Chances are its leaking from somewhere else and running down between the trans and the engine.
I know the cam sensor on these cars can leak and where the oil runs down it will look like a rear main seal is leaking.

 

[white92talontsi]

hmm I don't know, the guy seemed to know what he was talking about. He said a women came in the other day with the same 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS and it had the same issue as mine.

I don't know if I mentioned but he did a Dye test to see exactly where the oil was coming from and he said that it was coming out the rear main seal and it was getting whipped around and splattered all over the engine bay.

I call BS. If the rear main seal were leaking then while riding down the road it would be all under the body of the car behind the engine.
When your sitting still the rear main would just drip directly onto the ground.

It wont get "whipped" all around the engine bay.

 

[TheRock0720]

Sorry let me recorrect myself here,
I didn't mean to word it as to sound like it was getting whipped around while it was just sitting there, I meant as when Im driving it, etc.

I call BS. If the rear main seal were leaking then while riding down the road it would be all under the body of the car behind the engine.
When your sitting still the rear main would just drip directly onto the ground.

It wont get "whipped" all around the engine bay.

 

[TheRock0720]

I am back! and not in a good way either :/.

My car is misfiring once again! I already replaced the Coil Pack a few weeks back and she ran awesome for the time being. I went to go dig her out of the snow and when I put her in reverse and tried to go, the RPM's dropped and she was misfiring once again...

I checked the codes and this is what I got:

P0505 - IAC (Idle Air Control) Malfunction
P0351 - Ignition Coil #1 Primary Circuit - Peak primary circuit current not achieved with maximum dwell time
P0138 - O2 Oxygen Sensor Circuit High Voltage (Bank 1, Sensor 2)

Also, I am not getting a misfire code like I was before... why could that be? Could it not be a misfire? It sure feels like it...

What could cause this again?!?

Thanks in advance.

 

[95TalonOwner]

Bad idle air control valve, could be defective coil, and bad rear o2 sensor unless that code is in there from when you changed it last time. Reset the computer and see if they come back again.

 

[TheRock0720]

Bad idle air control valve, could be defective coil, and bad rear o2 sensor unless that code is in there from when you changed it last time. Reset the computer and see if they come back again.

Well I took out the Coil, cleaned the area and the connectors and put it all back. Then I came across a bad wire for Cylinder #1, it doesn't snap in all the way and it seems to be corroded inside. After all this, I started the car and she ran smooth without any Misfire or rough running, etc. I let her warm up for about 20 mins and then I took her for a ride around the block a few times and she ran great (unlike before).

So I am not sure, I think my car's Bipolar

Also, I noticed that my lights seem to dim (inside the car I've noticed).

Could I have a bad ground? What would be the symptoms and most common bad grounds on this motor/car?

 

[95TalonOwner]

First thing I would look at with dim lights is the alternator. Then the battery.

 

[TheRock0720]

First thing I would look at with dim lights is the alternator. Then the battery.

How likely could the alternator be going? I only have 75,000 miles and I do have an after market sound system installed with an amp.

 

[95TalonOwner]

Doesn't really matter how many miles are on it. You need to test it to find out.

 

[bullettdsm]

My car is misfiring once again! I already replaced the Coil Pack a few weeks back and she ran awesome for the time being. I went to go dig her out of the snow and when I put her in reverse and tried to go, the RPM's dropped and she was misfiring once again...

I checked the codes and this is what I got:

P0505 - IAC (Idle Air Control) Malfunction
P0351 - Ignition Coil #1 Primary Circuit - Peak primary circuit current not achieved with maximum dwell time
P0138 - O2 Oxygen Sensor Circuit High Voltage (Bank 1, Sensor 2)

Well I took out the Coil, cleaned the area and the connectors and put it all back. Then I came across a bad wire for Cylinder #1, it doesn't snap in all the way and it seems to be corroded inside. After all this, I started the car and she ran smooth without any Misfire or rough running, etc. I let her warm up for about 20 mins and then I took her for a ride around the block a few times and she ran great (unlike before).

Now that doesn't guarantee that its your coil. It could also be somewhere in the wiring to your coil. But 99% of the time, its your coil (yeah I made up that percentage, . But most of the time....). Common for our cars because of the location of the coil (above the head in a location to accept a lot of heat - like some alternators are prone to go when they are located above a high heat source).

I'm a quoting maniac

Sounds like you got a short in a wire somewhere. The "usual" spot (with the codes and problems that you are having) is in the loom of wires that run near your egr pipe. Take a look at those wires and see if you see any that may be brittle or exposed from heat (they run right next to the EGR tube which has exhaust gases running through it. Therefore they can melt the wires).

It could also be in the plug at the coil. If there was a crossed wire there, it could easy generate multiple codes.

In addition, if you have questionable wires, by all means replace them. Poor wire connections/insulation can cause mulitple misfire codes as the wires arc out.

MB

 

[Shake_Zulla]

And last oil situation back there is the yuckiest (yeah, technical term). There is a problem on some select engines, where the head bolt on the backside actually bottoms out in its tapped hole. Full verification on which engines (as in what years) has never been completed but it appears to be the earlier years on the composite gaskets. This bottoming out allows the engine to develop a leak at that point of the headgasket (leaking between the head and the block) on the number 4 cylinder.

MB

^This. It could be those other things, however, my moneys on this. Chrysler didn't drill the hole deep enough on the backside of cylinder 4 cause they hate us. Has the head been off of this car that you know of? I would try cleaning up right were the head meets the block, then take it around the block and get on it some, then check the back and see if it's covered in oil again. I think (dangerous words) that some leaks wont happen at an idle with the head gasket because there is more force pushing the head away from the block at higher rpm's. Feel free to flame me guys if I'm speaking lies here.

EDIT!
Well guys I'm a retard didn't see this was a two pager... Im stupid sorry again

 

[TheRock0720]

^This. It could be those other things, however, my moneys on this. Chrysler didn't drill the hole deep enough on the backside of cylinder 4 cause they hate us. Has the head been off of this car that you know of? I would try cleaning up right were the head meets the block, then take it around the block and get on it some, then check the back and see if it's covered in oil again. I think (dangerous words) that some leaks wont happen at an idle with the head gasket because there is more force pushing the head away from the block at higher rpm's. Feel free to flame me guys if I'm speaking lies here.

EDIT!
Well guys I'm a retard didn't see this was a two pager... Im stupid sorry again

haha it is quite alright, your info still helps!

 

[TheRock0720]

Wake Up Guys, I'm Back!!!

Problem has come again...

this time it happened while I was a ways from home and I had to get a tow...

She is only misfiring on cylinders 1 and 4 (I'm getting code P0351 again). As you know, I have changed the coil (twice), plugs, and wires.

I honestly don't know what this could be... it's only happening after it gets up to running temperature, then it starts to misfire.

If I let it sit and cool off, it runs fine until it reaches running temperature.

Anyone have this problem and know a solution?