Misfire

2003 PONTIAC MONTANA
193,000 MILES • 3.4L • 6 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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1ERALBRIGHT
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Amateur mechanic (myself) replaced head gaskets on this engine after coolant had leaked into cylinder and burned. Repair went by the book. However, cylinder now one misfires and spark plug looks wet (clear) and sooty. All cylinders all have good and equal compression (145 p.s.i), new spark plugs and wires were installed, coil packs register equal ohms, intake manifold was removed and installed three times carefully, cleaned and tightened to spec, new gaskets installed. Misfires still in cylinder one. I disassembled the fuel rail and injectors, cleaning each one forward and back with a twelve volt battery and brake cleaner. Reinstalled injectors on rail in a different order before replacing in van. No change. No visible exhaust burning. Vacuum leak? Next steps? Possible solution?

May 5, 2017 at 5:52 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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Have you swapped the number one coil with a different cylinder to see if the miss fire moves?
May 8, 2017 at 11:03 AM
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STEVE W.
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Check the wire as well, have seen ones that were bad out of the box more than once. Same with plugs.
May 9, 2017 at 9:36 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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I see each coil has two cylinders make sure the one that misfired has spark on that coil post.I have seen coils ohm out good and be bad
May 9, 2017 at 10:10 AM
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1ERALBRIGHT
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Thanks a heap for the brilliant tips. I was beginning to think that the new parts may have been compromised, and should have gone back and tested the coil, wires and plugs after assuming they would function out of the box. Cylinder 1 was always the wet one, so that would seem to narrow the culprits down to the individual coil or wire which were not switched in the process (the plugs got moved around). My apprehension was that it would be a cracked piston or ring spitting fresh oil on the plug, but the exhaust was perfectly clear so that would indicate a lack of spark and combustion while running.

However, given my schedule and time constraints I had to throw in the towel on the family van and have the guys at the shop figure out what I missed. See what they find.
May 9, 2017 at 11:29 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Please let us know what they find I say probably a bad coil
May 9, 2017 at 12:18 PM
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1ERALBRIGHT
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Two bad coils and some mixed wires it turned out. High five!
May 30, 2017 at 5:46 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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Glad to hear you got it all figured thank you for using 2carpros and please tell all your friends about us.
May 30, 2017 at 8:01 PM
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