Misfiring 300E
 

Hello and happy New Year to all!

This morning at a red light, my 1991 (180K miles) which has been idling rough (but running great) for approx. 3 months suddenly started sounding and feeling like it's running on 5 cylinders.

I got it to my office across the street. I starts but, again, it sounds like it's misfiring.

Any ideas for a complete auto novice to get me through the weekend until I can bring it to someone?

Nick

Anyone?

Check the spark plugs....I had a couple fouled ones on my car that prevented them from sparking....hence the misfire. Another possibility is weak spark (coil/distributor cap/or rotor) or a loose/less than perfect wire.

Start with the basics, its either fuel or electrical.

Check spark plugs, ignition wire connections, etc.

Injectors could be dirty, try some Techron to the fuel.

Remove air cleaner and check vacuum lines for cracks or faulty connections.

Perform a comprehensive visual inspection of the engine bay.

Short distances like across the street are hell on spark plugs.

Also, 103s are hard on injectors, the pattern gets ugly pretty quickly (mine did on Mobil Premium by about 40,000miles). Techron in my experience did nothing except make the oil corrosive, buy RedLine SI1 and dump it in the tank to clean the injectors, and run a maintenance dose as often as practical.

The injector pattern is not your misfire problem though.

Where do you obtain Redline SI1?

I ordered it from Amazon this month. Pep Boys on Plainfield still carries it I'm told, our local Advance Auto and Autozone used to, ... larger ones might still (ours are small).

I found the Amazon source on the RedLineOil website.

Listen to 865sp300e.

Don't do what I did and throw parts at it. FIRST thing you need to do is check the spark plugs. Make sure there is no buildup of carbon and check the color of them. Next get a multimeter and test the resistance in your ignition wires and make sure all of them are close to each other in ohms (iirc).

I'm going to be doing this tomorrow too, the wires on my car are questionable....