J-rod

So, here is the story. Ever since it's gotten really cold here in IL my car has been throwing a CEL saying that the cylinders are misfiring. But the car always ran fine, and sounded fine even when this CEL came up.

It would only come up after there had been 2-5 cold snowy days where I had not run my car. Then when I started it up again for the first time, it would turn over, run fine, but the CEL would be there.



Yesterday the car ran fine. Today, it was like -40 w/ the windchill, now the sun has been shining for about 2 hours, but it's only about -20 with the windchill and my car still won't turn over. The alternator, battery, ignition, etc are all fine. And every once in a while it sounds like one piston fires, but it's really loud and slow, and since I don't want to damage anything, I just stopped trying.


What do I do!! This is my only car!

ssms2k

Damn bro that sucks...wish i wasnt working so i could drive up and take a look at it...this deep freeze has been doing a number on cars lately...our old buick my sister drives has been on the fritz lately with the weather too!

jacqueshammer

i'm no mechanic, so i can really offer any insight, but i do know that my car has been having a real tough time starting up the past few mornings. also, driving with a frosted over shift knob sucks.

ruexp67

I've lived in the Chicago area my whole life, and this year I have been experiencing the same problem. This is the first time I have experienced this. This is my beater (but it only had 55k on it) so I stepped up the fuel I am running to mid-grade, and it seems to have helped. (though not solved the problem for me. )

I am hoping to make it to the spring when I will change the fuel filter and then test the coil packs.

Perhaps some octane booster could help you for the short-term.

marks_lude

this doesnt make sense for the misfire... i dont think... but potentially moisture in the gas tank or fuel lines/filter/injectors? that might be some of the reason for it not firing. again, this is just a guess, i really dont know.

the civic im driving currently has be making awful sounds for the first minute or so of start up. im thinkin its from under-lubrication due to the oil being at -20ish (before wind chill) here in minneapolis. its probably as thick as syrup.

i might have to get a block heater...

cash84

Starting fluid lol actually you may have to change your spark plugs. People that trys to start their engines in cold weather and keeps trying will foul them. They are junk. Get new ones and should be good to go. Don't forget use only ngk's. also if there's still gas in the cyl. unplug all the injector clips then run your engine w the new spark plugs to burn all whats left in there then engine will die off. Plug the injector clips back in and start it then should be good. Make sure your battery fully charged for this so it can have a strong spark. Hope this works out maybe lil too late to tell ya but I've dones this on alot of vehicles for people.

RowdyITR

my car some times throws a misfire CEL in the cold weather when i warm it up, it goes away after a few starts or driving on the highway, i only experienced it in the cold weather and only after the addition of my J's Intake...

but like i said, it goes away on its own

J-rod

today was quite a bit warmer . . . so when I got home from work, went to try and start the car up, and she started up just fine . . . stank a little bit cause I think there was a bit of extra fuel in there from my previous attempts over the past two days . . . I guess the S just doesn't like the bitter cold

jacqueshammer

you got that right. glad it's ok.