Fierotom

Hello friends,

today my Camaro starts to misfire under load.... if I cruise the car runs fine even at idle... but if I hit the pedal to WOT the engine has less power and I hear a popping sound from the exhaust.
I think it's misfire!
but why the hell have I no SES or Code?

First I checked the wires at the coilpacks and I saw that # 6 was bad corroded.... I cleaned the terminal at the coilpack, but it doesn't helped, still misfire and popping sound at hard acceleration or uphill

btw: its a 3,8L V6 A4 from 99 with 28k on the odo

best way is to replace the complete ignition crap like coils, wires and plugs, maybe the ICM......
But what is with the injectors?
Can a clogged injector produce a misfire under heavy load? I think not, right?

thanks!

PS: yes I have used the "SEARCH" button

valter

Misfire threshold in PCM is not reached to throw code. Plugs/wires are very common reason behind this. It's not always visually obvious, that wires are bad, sometimes they are arcing in the dark, sometimes - not. I'd say replace plugs with TR55-IX, wires with some Taylors and you good to go. Coilpack(s) can be the reason too. If you have access to scanner, try to figure out what cylinder is missing (even with no code), that wil save some money. Injectors are pretty much rare... It may be just a tank of bad gas though...

Fierotom

thanks for your opinion

I hooked up two different scanner, but still no code and the misfire history is okay (that says my autoenginuity tool)....
I bring the Camaro to a competent mechanic... I don't feel like doing the spark plug job myself

valter

It isn't that bad, pair of ramps and an hour of work, really. There only 6 of them anyway

Fierotom

mhhh... only 1h?
I had read some horror storys that some guys need a complete day or more to change the crap....

Yesterday I ask the mechanic and he want around 200 EUR ($250) labor and another $100 for the wires and the plugs... he means it takes 4 hour with a lift.... 2h for the plugs and 2h for the wires - i think it's a naive fallacy, because he can make both together.....

I try it myself

valter

Cool First time - take your time, don't rush, don't forget to gap plugs correctly, use some anti-seize on plugs threads. Dielectric grease on boots is optional, but a good idea to keep water out. Spark plug socket with some standart extensions is all that needed. Most of plugs are really easy to reach, couple of them looks like pain, but it's only psycological Pay attention, that new wires are not touching headers. And, I personally recommend Iridium plugs, they last for a much longer time. Good luck!

BandDirector Blk98ZM6

The 3.8 V6 factory plug wires actually had "issues" from the factory and GM extended the plug wire warranty on the '95 - '98 3.8 F-Bodies to 7 years/70K miles because of it. I had a '96 that developed the same problem you described, but GM hadn't acknowledged the problem yet. I had actually already sold my '96 V6 and bought my '98 Z28 when I got the letter. I still had the $300 bill from the dealer for new plugs and wires and GM reimbursed me for the plug wire portion of the bill.

Bottom line...if you only have 28K miles on the odo, I'm guessing you're still on the original plug wires. Change the wires 1st and see if that fixes it. I know yours is a '99, and I think the the early '99 3.8 V6's may have still had some of those same issues too, but I just don't remember if the '99's were covered under that extended warranty...even if they were, the 7 years is up.

Fierotom

thank you for your answer!
Do you ever seen the SES? This is my biggest problem - I don't understand it.... no P0300 or similar

and yes, I think so too...... I have still the factory wires!
But if I rember right, they was no GM/Delco/Delphi logo at the wires, they are a different brand but i forgotten the name...

A question to MSD wires:

on the pictures I can see that they are straight on the plug side and not 90° angled.
How did you guys have them routed? Still behind the manifold or on the shortest way upward??
I want to buy this MSD superconductor and the heat protection hose from summit.
Can I leave out the original heatshield from the spark plug boots?

thanks

BandDirector Blk98ZM6

My '96 didn't throw a code either to set the SES light. At idle, I didn't notice the problem either. It was mainly when I was cruising on the interstate. I would get to 65 MPH or so in 5th, try to accelerate and the car would "stumble" and sputter and was just not smooth in general. I wasn't sure what the problem was either because the SES light wasn't set, so I took it to my dealer. They diagnosed it as a miss and diagnosed it as plug wires...I just told them to go ahead and change the plugs while they were at it.

I don't think the stock wires said "GM" or "AC Delco"...I'm not sure what they did say, but I don't remember being able to identify them as a GM product.

I have a Z28 now, and since I had my dealer at the time replaced my stock wires on my '96, I don't have any knowledge of MSD V6 wires.

Keep us posted when you get it fixed. Good luck!