PO300 Pd, PO301 Pd, PO304 Pd on a 1998 Toyota Corolla LE
in [Toyota]
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From: C Yohman on 14 Mar 2010 17:12 Problem: PO300 Pd: Random Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected, PO301 Pd: Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected, PO304 Pd Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected Background: On a 60 mile drive from Springvale, ME to Brunswick, ME involving state routes, highway, and city roads my car shuddered and shook intermittently. There were two instances where it did this for an extended period of time and the check engine light flashed, but did not stay on. Once was going up a hill and the other was accelerating to 65 MPH on the highway. Both times I tried to accelerate, but then took my foot off the gas to decelerate and the issue went away. I had the oil changed 2.5 weeks ago. The oil was changed on a Wednesday and I did notice a transient grinding sound (seemed to be coming from underneath the car) the Sunday preceding the oil change. Nothing since the incident. The oil looks plentiful and fine judging by the dipstick. It seems yearly I have a left front caliper issue too, but I don't suspect that because I don't smell anything when I stick my nose next to the wheel and it doesn't feel warm. I have noticed an infrequent burning smell, which could be related, but it's random and very infrequent. One idea my father and I bantered around was my use of overdrive. According to the Owner's Manual on page 88: "Always turn the overdrive switch on for better fuel economy and quieter driving. If the engine coolant temperature is low, the transmission will not shift into overdrive gear even with the overdrive switch on." Now it seems if the temperature is low, then overdrive won't work. From the description, it won't manifest itself. The engine temperature looks normal (a little below the midpoint). It's been cool (versus very cold) this winter in Maine and very rainy. I've always driven with the overdrive on for almost 5 years. On my Dad's old Corolla ('92?), he told me to only engage the overdrive when going over 45-55 MPH. Should I be doing this with my Corolla? I don't think so given the above. The car has shaken and shuddered very minorly for a little while now (1-2 months), but it has crescendoed to a dissonant symphony (read: it's frakking annoying!). These codes are pending, but personally I don't want to wait and see the final results as I drive a lot of rough, mountain roads. Nothing that requires high clearance. On another note, does the light not stay solid because the codes are pending? It seems I should be checking the OBCD II port weekly for pending codes. Conclusions: What could be causing this? Is it common? Am I to blame? I can accept that. Also, I need to know, so I can learn from my mistakes. Or, is it the trials and tribulations of a 12-13 year old car? My parents never owned a car more than 10 years. Could it be the oil? The gasoline I use? I fill up at random locations using everything from Shell to Exxon-Mobil to Citgo (today). Engine coolant? How much will it cost to fix? How expensive could it get? I think I can trade it in for $1,175. I think a cylinder misfire would effect the value of the car. If the repair goes over the value of my car, then I rather buy a new vehicle to me (read probably used). I'm inclined to purchase a truck. I'm willing to listen to people who think this is something that can be repaired relatively inexpensively and I'm also receptive to suggestions for a truck (I assume a Toyota bias and that's alright :] ). Thanks for reading and any suggestions. Cheers.
From: C Yohman on 14 Mar 2010 17:18 Mea culpa, I wrote OBCD II instead of OBD II. Sorry. :( :)
From: C Yohman on 14 Mar 2010 17:30 Additionally, the car seemed to ride smoother when I turned off over overdrive.
From: Jeff Strickland on 14 Mar 2010 17:34 "C Yohman" <chance.yohman(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:878458d1-6479-4e43-93f3-a912b13b2b69(a)g19g2000yqe.googlegroups.com... > Problem: PO300 Pd: Random Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected, PO301 > Pd: Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected, PO304 Pd Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected > > Background: On a 60 mile drive from Springvale, ME to Brunswick, ME > involving state routes, highway, and city roads my car shuddered and > shook intermittently. There were two instances where it did this for > an extended period of time and the check engine light flashed, but did > not stay on. Once was going up a hill and the other was accelerating > to 65 MPH on the highway. Both times I tried to accelerate, but then > took my foot off the gas to decelerate and the issue went away. > > I had the oil changed 2.5 weeks ago. The oil was changed on a > Wednesday and I did notice a transient grinding sound (seemed to be > coming from underneath the car) the Sunday preceding the oil change. > Nothing since the incident. The oil looks plentiful and fine judging > by the dipstick. It seems yearly I have a left front caliper issue > too, but I don't suspect that because I don't smell anything when I > stick my nose next to the wheel and it doesn't feel warm. I have > noticed an infrequent burning smell, which could be related, but it's > random and very infrequent. One idea my father and I bantered around > was my use of overdrive. According to the Owner's Manual on page 88: > > "Always turn the overdrive switch on for better fuel economy and > quieter driving. If the engine coolant temperature is low, the > transmission will not shift into overdrive gear even with the > overdrive switch on." > > Now it seems if the temperature is low, then overdrive won't work. > From the description, it won't manifest itself. The engine temperature > looks normal (a little below the midpoint). It's been cool (versus > very cold) this winter in Maine and very rainy. I've always driven > with the overdrive on for almost 5 years. On my Dad's old Corolla > ('92?), he told me to only engage the overdrive when going over 45-55 > MPH. Should I be doing this with my Corolla? I don't think so given > the above. The car has shaken and shuddered very minorly for a little > while now (1-2 months), but it has crescendoed to a dissonant symphony > (read: it's frakking annoying!). These codes are pending, but > personally I don't want to wait and see the final results as I drive a > lot of rough, mountain roads. Nothing that requires high clearance. On > another note, does the light not stay solid because the codes are > pending? It seems I should be checking the OBCD II port weekly for > pending codes. > > Conclusions: What could be causing this? Is it common? Am I to blame? > I can accept that. Also, I need to know, so I can learn from my > mistakes. Or, is it the trials and tribulations of a 12-13 year old > car? My parents never owned a car more than 10 years. Could it be the > oil? The gasoline I use? I fill up at random locations using > everything from Shell to Exxon-Mobil to Citgo (today). Engine coolant? > > How much will it cost to fix? How expensive could it get? I think I > can trade it in for $1,175. I think a cylinder misfire would effect > the value of the car. If the repair goes over the value of my car, > then I rather buy a new vehicle to me (read probably used). I'm > inclined to purchase a truck. I'm willing to listen to people who > think this is something that can be repaired relatively inexpensively > and I'm also receptive to suggestions for a truck (I assume a Toyota > bias and that's alright :] ). > > Thanks for reading and any suggestions. Cheers. > > > You have a few unrelated issues. The Subject Line deals with spark plugs, plug wires, coil, those sorts of things. The shaking, as you call it, would be expected if two plugs were misfiring on a 4-cylinder motor. The only relationship between the misfire and the oil change would be if the oil change technician damaged the plug wires, but this is not likely because I don't think he sells plugs and wires so he would not have a profit motive to do anything to your car. I'm inclined to think you just have worn plugs, broken or porrly connected wires, or a combination of the two. Plugs cost in the neighborhood of $3.00 each, the wires should run to $25-ish. I haven't bought wires in a while, but I wouldn't be surprised at a price range like that, and if the price turns out to be $12.50, then the pleasant surprise would be, well, pleasant. Then, you have a distributor cap and a rotor. Seems to me you could clean this up for less than fifty bucks if you know how to put spark plugs in. IF YOU TRY THIS YOURSELF Be sure to put the plug wires in the right places else all Hell will break loose. I suggest drawing a diagram that shows where the wires go. The "front" of the engine is the end with the belts and pulleys on it, the "back" of the engine has the transmission bolted to it. Front and Back do not refer the grille and the firewall. The front of the engine has Cylinder 1, the back has Cylinder 4. Sketch the distributor -- the plug wires connect to the spark plug at one end and the distributor at the other -- noting the location of the wire that connects to Cylinder 1. Just my guess, but the firing order should be 1 - 3 - 4 - 2, but could be 1 - 4 - 2- 3. Whatever it is, you MUST put the new wires into the same places as the old wires.
From: Jeff Strickland on 14 Mar 2010 20:31
"C Yohman" <chance.yohman(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:e6bc1cc2-aa67-4c83-a945-cb859e0a414e(a)19g2000yqu.googlegroups.com... > Mea culpa, I wrote OBCD II instead of OBD II. Sorry. :( :) You were right the first time, it's On Board Diagnostics, Level 2, or OBD II. Turning off O/D forces a shift to a lower gear where the engine spins faster, the harmonics at play at the faster engine speed can make it feel smoother. |