Need4Camaro

Hey all. Today something pretty unexpected happened to my 98 V6 Camaro. The car was running just fine for half the day. I backed into someones driveway which was a steep uphill driveway and applied the parking brake. I came back and took the parking brake off and ever since whenever I accellerate, it rattles a bit, slugs around and gets close to no accelleration, the rear wheels feel like they're getting close to no power. I gave it some gas when I got to an open area and it only got worse, the rattling and bumping and chugging. Finally the SES flashes on and when we come to a hault it feels like it's ready to just stall out. I took it to AutoZone and had them check the PCM, they said the 5th Cylendar is misfiring so I'm running on 5 Cylendar's instead of 6 (Atleast I'm probably getting better gas milage) and with it only have 87K miles on it, it probably never had a tune up.

I'm asking for all suggestions and perhaps theory's to this, and if there's anything else I should be looking out for beside a tune up? I at first thought an O2 sensor went out.

Thanks all for your help.

99blackSS

Hope this helps.

Bolognium

My wife's 99 did the same thing last week. Read that post above. It will help you BIG TIME. Be sure to spend the extra $$ and get the boot protectors or else you may be doing plugs and wires again in a couple of months. (like I did) I now have the wires protected and have no fear of them burning up again.

96 camaro 4 life

I was having a misfire problem for the last few years. Changed the plugs and wires three times! The last time it happened i went and got it tested and they said it was the 5th cylinder (i think it was the 5th). But I took it to another mechanic and they discovered that i needed new coil packs. At least one of them got corroded and had quit working properly. Apperently you can't clean them, so i just spent the money on new ones. Also i got a new ignition module because it was recommended to change that with the coil packs. This was wat supposedly caused my previous misfire problems. I haven't had any problems so far, but its only been 2 mos, so we'l see wat happens!!

Need4Camaro

A Mechanic is ganna change the plugs and wires on Thursday... wish me luck. Also the car runs perfectly fine when cool and gradually gets worse and worse as it warms, any symptoms here?
I'm also ganna try and get boot protectors installed. Also is it okay to drive the car when I'm only running on 5 cylendar's? If so is freeway driving still okay?

Lets review my problems from greatest to least in ascending order.

#1 - 5th Cylendar Misfiring
#2 - Turn Signals won't flash (can't find flasher and Hazards work fine))
#3 - Windshield Wipers probably need new motor, when off, they rest in their upmost position.
#4 - Tire Lugnut Key's missing, I can't change a flat without this.
#5 - Cracked Dashboard.

Well in the mourning when she's got all power to the wheels, it's still a sweetass ride and a sharp car.

thanks all for your help...

Bolognium

Just curious, What are they charging to change plugs and wires. I was quoted $548.00. Had to laugh when I was told that.

deadmeat2004

mine seems to misfire in the morning when its semi cold and cold out. IT starts pretty good idles fine for a sec, then statrs to mis fire a bit. If you try to leave when it is doing that it u better have ur seat belt on because that baby is rockin!!

Need4Camaro

Yeah, Sorta like mine Deadmeat, only mine is fine when it's still cool and just gradually gets worse and worse till it's basicly a stalling rocking chair.

Several mechanics quoted me an estimate of $300.00 although one was letting me get away easy with $75.00 if I just had the plugs changed. Most mechanics have to check the SES light which is like $75.00 while I can instead have it checked at Advanced Auto for free... thats how I know its the 5th cylendar mis firing. I think the wires is the big coster on this job. Sad part is, there's still no gauruntee this'll fix my problem, although I'm confident it will.

Need4Camaro

Okay, I got a tuneup on Friday, here's the deal... The wires wern't the problem, they were changed and came with bootprotectors as well. Car still misfired. They looked into a coil and replaced it aswell. Still no change and car continues to misfire. Our final guess is the 5th sparkplug is misfiring. (the sparkplugs wern't replaced because they looked at one plug and it was basicly in "like new" shape, they figured the rest were all fine.)

Any more clues, ideas, or suggestions as to why It's still misfiring?

thanks all and hope you all had a good valentines.

deadmeat2004

sorry to hear that didnt fix it. Tell me what you find out. I need to go get my coil checked also. how much does this cost?

MikeB927

Just spent 700 on plugs wires coill pack(2/5 ) an new ignition module. To loss the number 5 miss fire. Mine ran great when cold but once it got warm would misfire. Did tune up plugs wires 150 miles later misfire came back. Read out coil pack 2/5 5 side was shot. replaced that as soon as car was warm misfire was back changed ignition module no more problem.

If i remember right from all data the flasher is under dash near center consloe.

Need4Camaro

Thanks mike for the Flasher location infor, and I just had a simular problem. Okay I spent $200 on replacing the plugs, which the Mechanics said were in okay shape. After the plugs were replaced the car still misfired. Turns out, coil #1 was shot, replaced it, no more misfires.

So to conclude, I could have saved $300.00 if I had JUST replaced coil #1 which is located on the driversside of the engine... It costed merely 50 bucks to have that out and replaced. Oh well, I'm on new wires, new plugs, and I got a free oil change to... so yea she's running great although I'm STILL getting that ticking sound.

Car runs fine now, clean all around acceleration, needs new serpentine belt though, it's getting ugly.

deadmeat2004

what did the flasher do? and what does it do?

Need4Camaro

The turn signals on the car never flashed since I got it, The Hazard lights flash just fine. I don't really even know where the flasher is and IF its even at fault because the Hazard lights flash just fine. But now, when I turn the turn signals on, all I get is a solid (left/right) arrow, meaning they don't blink on and off like they should, they just stay on, even on the outside so I have to manually blink them with the ****-switch.