Multiple misfire codes

[Valhalla]

So I leave south OC on my way to SOS to have some new springs installed. I've just bolted on my new wheels and tires and 200 miles into the trip the TCS lite comes on the CEL starts flashing. I'm looking at the gauges and everything is normal and the car is running fine. Weird.

So I stop for gas, pull the clock fuse to reset the ECU and the lights go off. "Sweet" I'm thinking. Except they come right back on again. So while I'm at SOS I ask them to take a look at it. They do but can't find what it could be. I gas up a couple more times and even without pulling the fuse the lights will stay off for a minute and then come back on.

So I drive home and place my scanner on it and the codes are 1301, 1302, 1303, 1300 and 1399. My thoughts are that it's either the TCS tripping out with the new tire size (went from stock rears to 265/35/18 or O2 sensors as they may be original and the car has 83xxx miles on it.

I'll take it to Ramon in the AM but does anyone have a thought what this could be? The car is running great so this is just baffling. Thanks.

 

[Valhalla]

I've been to a shop that said I needed to replace all my coil packs on the rear bank. I've had a respected Primer suggest I install a new ignitor. I thought the ignitor would make more sense to be replaced as the plug from it controls the rear bank. So that's what I did. Guess what? Nothing happened. I still have the CEL and TCS light on and the codes are exactly the same (1300, 1301, 1302, 1303 and 1399).

So I guess I need to replace the rear coil packs now or is there something else that makes more sense. I just can't wrap my head around three coil packs all going at the same moment in time.

 

[EdinKali]

Did you wash your car or get caught in a rainstorm just before this happened? If so, pull the coil packs and check for water in the spark plug galleys.

 

[Valhalla]

Water was not involved at all. Garage kept and washed weeks ago. This came out of the blue. Will pull coil packs tonight and see what's up. Thanks.!

 

[Valhalla]

Update time. I try clearing the codes and they still come back. I take it to a dealership and their head person says it could be a blown head gasket and engine coolant could be seeping into the cylinders when the engine is warm and causing the misfires. So I check the coolant and it's at the same exact level as when I bought the car. So that's not it.

I pull the coil packs again and swap them around. Everything looks great. No sign of water intrusion, rust, corrosion, nothing. Start the car and I get lights and codes. I pull the cover for the fuel rail and injectors and while the car is running, take a screwdriver and hammer and lightly tap on the injectors. Just in case one of them is clogged. No change. Still get lights and codes.

This morning I fire up the car to meet up with the SoCal contingent to drive up to Big Bear Lake. Lights come on right away. We meet up, do some spirited driving on some serious twisties and park to talk befor rolling into town. I climb back in the car to start it and the CEL comes on but the TCS light doesn't. I push the dash button and the TCS light does light up. Somehow the TCS circuit has mysteriously fixed itself. We roll through town and head down for our lunch spot. We stop and I attach the scanner. The TCS light is no longer on but the car is throwing the same exact codes. So I clear them and have lunch. After lunch I start the car and no lights. I drive a couple of miles and no lights. I drive all the way home (~100 miles) no lights. The car has magically fixed itself.

Final thoughts are it might have been some bad fuel that clogged an injector or two (or three) and until it got unplugged, the car misfired. I must say I felt no difference in the performance at any time but I hate looking at dash idiot lights all lit up. So if you get all of those codes in the future and car is running fine, try the cheapest and easiest fix. Go get a bunch of fuel system cleaner, some octane boost and then run the hell out of that tank of gas. Fixed.

 

[pgilliam1]

You said you bolted on 265 rear tires from stock setup. Did you change the front tire size from stock? If the tire sizes are not the same ratio as stock setup you will have TCS problems.

 

[Valhalla]

Nope. The fronts were almost identical in size and ratio. I had 215/45/16 and went to 215/40/17. The stagger was almost perfect and within the 5% difference so it should not have affected TCS. This was a misfire issue that triggered the TCS to kick off. And now I no longer have it. For what ever reason.....

 

[RYU]

265/35/18 & 215/40/17 is a pretty standard front/rear ratio. A lot of folks seem to run that setup here.

If you suspect clogged injectors I would recommend sending your injectors to RC Engineering to get flow tested and cleaned. $110 or so for all 6 and they're local in the Southbay. Good luck!

p.s. Sometimes... the NSX just needs to exercise its muscles and stretch its legs then all is better again

 

[Valhalla]

RYU, good suggestion and I will probably do that if I can bear being with my mistress for any amount of time! Got some nice drives coming up inclusive of your ACH and I want to be ready. But for now all is right with the world. Thanks.

 

[Valhalla]

It's back!

Right after I get the EPS bug fixed, this happens again. Start the motor and the TPS comes on immediately. 10 - 15 seconds later the CEL starts flashing. Car runs great, no issues. Cylinders 1, 2 & 3 with 2 more codes for random misfires. This is just cruel.....

Any thoughts out there? I've replaced the ignitor (man that was pricey) had the injectors cleaned and flow tested by RC, triple checked all the connections inclusive of the O2 sensors post cats and this comes up again.

I would really like to clean this up before I bolt on some FI. Any more suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[ediddynsx]

Maybe check your speed sensor I had one that went bad on me. The tcs and abs light came on for me when the sensor failed....but I did not get the misfire codes so nevermind.

 

[Valhalla]

Thanks for the thought. Already did that once with a known good sensor and no changes. Not saying I'm not willing to do it again....

Anyone else....Bueller?... Bueller?... Bueller?

 

[angus]

This is a classic igniter issue, I usually replace the coils and plugs at the same time.

They are cheap for your year.

 

[Valhalla]

So after replacing the ignitor now replace three coil packs and three plugs all on the same bank for cylinders 1-3?

 

[SOURCE 1]

Honda had issues with coil packs from 97=99. I had this issue in my yellow 99 and replaced all 6 coil packs and plugs. Never had another problem. You can buy them CHEAP on ebay. There was actually an emissions warranty extension to 100k on these cars. One dealer has a TON of them in stock.

Here is where I bought them.. And this has worked on several NSX's we have had the same problem with .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1995-2005-A...ries&vxp=mtr&hash=item3cba224cb9#ht_517wt_905

 

[Valhalla]

Thanks for the info and lead. I'll just replace all of them at the same time. Really odd how it just affects one bank of cylinders.

 

[SOURCE 1]

No problem, Keep us updated!

 

[Valhalla]

Just placed an order for those coil packs. Just hard to believe that three would go down all on the same cylinder bank. Oh well....

 

[Valhalla]

OK, so I replaced all of the coil packs and fired her back up after clearing the codes. You know what happened? Nothing. I got all of the codes back again. Cylinders 1, 2 & 3 with multiple misfires codes. Five codes. So I've replaced the ignitor and all coil packs and I'm no further along and much poorer.

Only things I can think are O2 sensors and/or ECU. Anyone else?

 

[SOURCE 1]

Wow Sorry man, Figured that would have cured it... Did you do plugs and coils or just coils?

 

[angus]

Although it is possible that your car has some other underlying issue, I should mention that when fixing this problem, I change the igniter, coils and plugs at once, since a bad coil once caused the igniter to repeatedly fail on a car once and it sent me on a similar goose chase.

 

[Valhalla]

I did not change out the plugs as they have less than 5k miles on them. But so far I've replaced the ignitor, coil packs, had the injectors cleaned and new fuel filter. Still the same codes for cylinders 1-3 and multiple misfires.

I clear the codes and restart the car. Sometimes the TCS and CEL come on immediately. And other times they won't come on for 5-10 minutes. So it doesn't seem to matter if the engine is warm or in closed loop. Could it be the O2 sensors front or back?

 

[EdinKali]

If it were me I would pull the plugs on those 3 cylinders and look at the condition. The porcelain should be a light tan color. If the plugs look good I would try replacing the o2 sensors for that bank. You can get the denso brand sensors on amazon cheap.

If the plugs are bright white ie. too lean, you may have a headgasket isssue.

 

[Valhalla]

I'll have time tomorrow so I'll do just that, pull the plugs and see what I have. It's just so baffling the way it comes and goes but mostly stays. I did get a new set of regular NGK's with the coil packs but I have Iridium's that are less than 5k miles old so i figured that couldn't be it. I keep coming back to something general that affects that entire bank.

It probably does run a little leaner because of the Comptech headers and Teitec GTLW exhaust but it shouldn't affect it that badly. I also recently did a VVIS delete (SOS) because I'm going FI. But this issue was happening before that. It's just reappeared since I got my EPS fixed.

Is there any way to check an O2 sensor other than just replacing them? I getting tired, and broke, by just replacing stuff only to find it didn't need replacing.

Oh and that fact that the entire motor was rebuilt be Shad at DA 9 months ago (top and bottom end) doesn't lead me toward a blown head gasket. If it does.....

 

[BTL3.0]

Are there anyone close to you with same year as your car whos willing to lend their O2 sensor for you to swap out and try?? This will save you money so u wont have to buy new sensor.