Misfire on 3rd cyclinder
#1
01-31-08, 09:19 AM
Misfire on 3rd cyclinder
I have a 2002 Mits Eclipse, V6 with 110,000 miles. I recently changed all spark plugs and wires, everything was fine. Now that winter is here, and it is cold, I am having a problem on starting. If the car has been sitting for more then 5 hours in the cold, upon ignation, the car will start fine, but then will lose RPM's and almost kill, this happens a couple of times, and then it seems like it "resets" itself. Check engine came on, said misfire on 3rd cyclinder. The wierd thing is this only happens on the start and only if it has been sitting in the cold for to long, like when I start for the first time in the morning. As the weather has warmed up somewhat, the problem does not happen, or if I am starting the car every 2 -4 hours when it has been very cold. After the car warms up, no problems and it runs great. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
#3
01-31-08, 03:55 PM
How cold is cold outside?
Just to give you an idea of if a misfire can make an engine not even start: I only have only a 4 cylinder. You lose one cylinder and you are out 25%. Due to the cold, my #1 cylinder rocker arm fell off. I was out in 12 below zero; minus 35 below windchill, working on the car! This was yesterday. I found 15-30 psi compression. Yet the car would start and run on the 3 cylinders! (Took me about 2 hours to remove stuff, run to auto parts store, get new gasket set, pop the roller rocker back under the cam lobe, and it I was back in business.)
My next door neighbor has the same car/same year as me. His would not start yesterday morning. Jumping and starter fluid did not even work at first (later though). I told him that I felt his spark or timing was likely weaker than my car for some reason. Timing even, possibly - because MY car can start, even when the engine can hardly rotate, and I have 100,000 more miles on mine than his!
Another problem you could have is that due to possibly some fault with what is determining your fuel mixture in this weather, maybe the fuel mixture is not quite right and the fact that #3 misses is simply because that cylinder is being picked on first, and all the other ones are marginal, but working. I remember from cars years ago, that this could happen simply due to the design of the intake manifold.
Have you pulled that plug out and carefully looked to make sure the electrode did not get crushed some or any cracks on the outide or inside ceramic insulator? You have to look very carefully. See how the color compares to the others also.
Just to give you an idea of if a misfire can make an engine not even start: I only have only a 4 cylinder. You lose one cylinder and you are out 25%. Due to the cold, my #1 cylinder rocker arm fell off. I was out in 12 below zero; minus 35 below windchill, working on the car! This was yesterday. I found 15-30 psi compression. Yet the car would start and run on the 3 cylinders! (Took me about 2 hours to remove stuff, run to auto parts store, get new gasket set, pop the roller rocker back under the cam lobe, and it I was back in business.)
My next door neighbor has the same car/same year as me. His would not start yesterday morning. Jumping and starter fluid did not even work at first (later though). I told him that I felt his spark or timing was likely weaker than my car for some reason. Timing even, possibly - because MY car can start, even when the engine can hardly rotate, and I have 100,000 more miles on mine than his!
Another problem you could have is that due to possibly some fault with what is determining your fuel mixture in this weather, maybe the fuel mixture is not quite right and the fact that #3 misses is simply because that cylinder is being picked on first, and all the other ones are marginal, but working. I remember from cars years ago, that this could happen simply due to the design of the intake manifold.
Have you pulled that plug out and carefully looked to make sure the electrode did not get crushed some or any cracks on the outide or inside ceramic insulator? You have to look very carefully. See how the color compares to the others also.
Last edited by ecman51; 01-31-08 at 04:09 PM. Reason: added more
