1999 Pontiac Firebird cuts out

AMBERH

MEMBER
1999 PONTIAC FIREBIRD

Other Category problem
1999 Pontiac Firebird 6 cyl Wheel Drive Type unknown Automatic 170000 miles

My car will drive fine, then I go up an incline, no matter how small, and it starts cutting out. Sometimes pretty bad. Almost sounds and feels like I am running out of gas. The code reader said 0300, & that there was a misfire. The spark plugs have all been changed but 2, new fuel filter, and coil pack has been switched around to see if that was the problem. None of these things have worked. Sometimes it seems like its running fine, then all of a sudden, it cuts out. PLEASE help me figure out what is going on here! Thank you so much!

1 Reply

JSKELLY4693

MEMBER
22 POSTS

Wow, sounds familiar. Do this, start the car at night (make sure it's dark out), and check by the back of the engine on the passenger and drivers sides.

Look for blue "sparks" back there. You may need to mist the area with a water bottle.

I had this happen A LOT on my 1998 Firebird, with the 3800 V6. I ended up replacing the drivers side rear spark plug wire 3 times over the course of 2 years, because the wire ran so close to the exhaust that it actually melted the plastic around the wire.
And when that started happening, the check engine light would blink very fast, and give the same code reading.

Or, try pulling the drivers side rear (while standing in front of the car, the farthest plug from you on the driver side) spark plug wire out during the day time (make sure the car has been off for a while, because you will be sticking your hand right next to the exhaust, and if it's hot, you'll burn the hell out of your hand!

Check that wire for any burn / melted marks.