Car misfiring on cylinder three

ANSWER : Hello! We will be happy to assist. You have definitely been on the right path to finding the root of the misfire. However there are a few things left that I recommend checking. I suggest to check the spark at the spark plugs at each cylinder. There may be an issue with the coil pack causing the misfire. Also check the PCV valve because that is a known cause of a misfires on your particular vehicle. I suspect that the PCV valve and hose may be leaking and causing the misfire.

You may have the engine model which has the PCV valve located above the transmission next to the exhaust header. This engine model’s PCV valve is routinely looked over because most are unaware that there are two PCV valve systems and the first one is easily visible from the top. I also recommend checking the resistance and voltages at the coil packs with a multimeter. I have a friend whom worked as a technician at a Ford dealership once tell me of a problem with your generation of Focus in which the wiring to the coil packs were made too tight and the tension broke the wires overtime.

I would always recommend having a qualified mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, assist you in diagnosing your engine misfire and assisting you in repairs.

ANSWER : Coils and plugs are usually the starting point for a misfire code, but some basic diagnostic work might save you some money. Sometimes I like to try swapping components from cylinder to cylinder to see if the misfire moves before buying expensive parts. There are a few other problems that could lead to a P0303, like ignition primary problems, vacuum leaks, or bad injectors, but those things are usually accompanied by other codes. It’s clear that you have a dead miss. When the ECU sees a consistent misfire, it shuts off the fuel to that cylinder to prevent damage to the catalyst. The the CEL will start blinking to warn you that you may be doing damage by continuing to drive. You’re at a point where you need to have a professional do some diagnostic work. by contacting Your Mechanic, you can have a technician come to your home or office to check out your misfiring VW and recommend a fix.

ANSWER : Hello. It sounds like you may have the wrong parts installed on the car. Due to the fact that multiple people have worked on it you may have some parts that do not meet specifications. From what it sounds like to me though you either do not have an ECM in the vehicle with the correct programming or you have a connection issue. If all of the grounds are not clean and tight then that will cause this. if they are then the computer needs to be programmed to your vehicle at the dealer and that may take care of it.

ANSWER : Hi there. What had happened is the wrong key set the security to the vehicle. This is to prevent the vehicle from starting with the wrong keys. Try removing the battery cables (+) and (-) for 13 minutes. During that time, put the original key in the ignition and turn it on. Activate everything in the car even though there is no power. Then remove the key and hook up the battery cables. The computer should have reset and reset the security. If the security is still being tripped, then I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you

ANSWER : There are reports that the replacement alternators will not communicate with the engine computer and will not charge correctly. I recommend using only the manufacturer approved replacement part. It can be new or remanufactured but approved for use in the vehicle. Some lower cost alternators on the aftermarket will have charging problems since they will not communicate with the ECM on the vehicle and will stop charging.

ANSWER : Since you were first showing misfire on number 5 cylinder and now you are showing misfire on number 1 cylinder. I have to say you introduced a problem on number one cylinder. I suggest first removing and checking the spark plug and swap in a new one or swap with cylinder next to it. This way the misfire moves to other cylinder then you know it was plug and replace it. If misfire still on number one then check for spark and injector pulse and replace injector or coil as needed.

ANSWER : Hi there. If the engine has too many miles on a timing belt, then a timing belt is suggested for replacement. The misfire for cylinder 3 could be caused by a spark plug failure, fuel injector failure, or a problem with the cylinder.

First, check for the fuel injector. Start the engine and disconnect the harness to the fuel injector for cylinder 3. If the engine sounds different, then the fuel injector was working. If the engine has no difference in sound, then the injector was not working and needs to be checked.

Next, check the spark plug for a solid blue / orange spark. If the spark is weak, the plugs and wires need to be replaced as a set.

To check the cylinder if it is getting hot enough to burn fuel, put a compression tester on cylinder 3 and crank the engine over. There should be more than 130 psi.

If you need further assistance confirming the misfire diagnosis, then a certified technician from YourMechanic, can come to your car’s location for a second opinion on the car.

ANSWER : The issue you are having is probably due to an intermittent fault in the starter motor itself or a deficiency in the starter electrical circuit, for example a large voltage drop due to a poor ground or a high resistance connection. These issues can be readily diagnosed and resolved on a mobile basis if you request a hard starting diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic, the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. Based on Toyota’s Factory Service Manual, the battery should not be disconnected if the vehicle engine is running. The battery acts as a large resistive voltage sink and consequently taking the battery out of the circuit, while the alternator is still running, can create a voltage spike on the car’s electrical system which is not good for voltage sensitive components such as the engine computer. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.