Engine light fault. There was a bad spark plug and a failed ignition coil. Replaced both the coil pack or spark plug.

ANSWER : Hi there. If the light is coming on then shutting off and returning on, then if the issue is for the same coil, there could be an issue with the wiring on the coil plug. Check the wiring on the coil plug and see if the wires are split, broken, or burned. If there is nothing wrong with the plug, then the main engine harness has an issue / short and may need replaced. If you need further assistance with your ignition system, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

ANSWER : Hi There,
I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at the vehicle to first determine what the cause of the misfire is if this has not already been done. Engine misfires can be caused by many different problems and are generally caused by either a spark or fuel issue or in some cases, a combination of both. Spark related problems generally will result from things like ignition coils, crankshaft position sensor, spark plugs, spark plug wires or ignition modules not working properly. When the misfire results from a fuel related issue, this is commonly related to a lean fuel condition (lack of sufficient fuel supply to the motor). Fuel related misfires can be caused by many different things such as low fuel pressure, faulty or dirty fuel injectors, a faulty O2 sensor, a dirty or failing mass air-flow sensor, a faulty or dirty idle air control valve or a vacuum or intake leak. When the fuel supplied to the combustion chamber is insufficient, this results in an ignition (spark) that is igniting a less than balanced load of fuel and air. This results in a misfire or an explosion in the cylinder that is much less powerful than the other cylinders. This creates a loss of power that resonates throughout the motor additionally causing other problems with ignition and fuel timing. Due to the number of different things that may cause an engine misfire, the quickest and easiest way to diagnose this type of problem is to hook the vehicle up to a scanning tool which will download any potential fault codes that may have registered in the vehicle’s computer as a result of the poor running condition. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your misfiring problem.

ANSWER : You have a problem with the distributor assembly. I recommend replacing the distributor assembly. This will replace all the possible sensors and coil for the ignition and fix the problem you have.

ANSWER : Hello and thank you for your questions. If your engine was rebuilt about 10 months ago, the question is to determine if the management system has been installed as well. With the symptoms that you are having, it sounds like the coil packs are old and in need of replace. You replaced numbers 1 and 4 and now number 6 is not firing. I recommend replacing number 6, 2, 3, and 5. This will ensure that you have all 6 coil packs that are new.

Just because the coil packs are okay during a test doesn’t mean that they are functioning correctly. Coil packs on Buick vehicles from 1998 – 2005 last between 150,000 to 200,000 miles. I also recommend having your fuel injection system flushed. Unless you have new injectors, the old injectors could cause a cylinder to fail, even though it is working correctly. These symptoms can cause the engine to have a rough idle and rough running during conditions. If you need assistance troubleshooting the rough running condition, I recommend having a professional, like one from YourMechanic, inspect the car and move forward with repairs.

ANSWER : The P0304 code indicates a misfire has been detected on cylinder 4. The P0172 code indicates that the fuel mixture is richer than the mixture control can compensate for. It’s possible that they are related, but not necessarily. Rich mixture can be caused by excessive fuel pressure, or sometimes by leakage at a fuel injector. If your misfire is caused by leakage at injector number four, then it’s likely that the two codes have a common cause. It’s also possible that you have had a spark plug foul because of a rich mixture. Again, that would be a common cause. But it is also possible that you have a failure in the number four ignition coil, they are not uncommon. In that case, the P0172 would be a separate issue altogether. If I were working on the car, I would try to determine the cause of the over rich mixture and then work from there. In any case, you need to have a qualified technician check this thing out. Contact Your Mechanic and they can send a technician to your home or office to check out your car and tell you what needs to be done.

ANSWER : Hi there. Try using a pair of small needle nose pliers to pull off the rubber boots from the spark plugs. As you pull, twist the rubber boots to break them free. If you cannot get the rubber boots off, then try using some mineral oil on the boots to aid them off, then clean off the oil with soap and water with degreaser. If you need further assistance with removing the boots from the spark plugs, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

ANSWER : Hello there. Typically jump starting a vehicle doesn’t trigger an OBD-II error code. However, one of the most common misdiagnosis issues with the P-2270 is replacing the O2 sensor before diagnosing if there are any exhaust leaks. Obviously, you’ll want to check for the exhaust leaks first, repair the damaged component, and then clear the codes before scanning the vehicle again. Sometimes the electrical harness attached to the O2 sensor is damaged or dirty which will also trigger this error code. The noise and vibration may be an indicator of a loose exhaust pipe, which may be the source of the error code staying on. If you need any help, have a technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to diagnose your Check Engine Light and make the necessary repairs.

ANSWER : Changing spark plugs at 46000 isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but mostly I say that because it will keep them from seizing to the cylinder head. Most late model cars like yours can run a set of plugs for longer than that. As for the coils, If the car is not misfiring, I don’t see why you would want to change them and neither does the maxcare company. If the car IS misfiring, then the check engine light will come on and it will set misfire codes. So I don’t see why it would be necessary to do it just yet. If you want to get a third opinion on that, you can contact Your Mechanic to have a technician come out to your home or office to check out your BMW and tell you just what it needs.