does anyone know why im having a misfire on a cold start? i had all the spark plugs and ignition coils changed last week and now that the temp dropped to 18F last night (19 right now) i am having another misfire![:@]the message shows "cruise not available" and the engine check light is blinking.. i have no way of reading the codes from where im at but it sounds like a misfire to me..

 

You really need to get the codes read. The 'cruise not available' is probably because the computer has put the car in restricted performance mode.

 

The flashing CEL means misfire is occuring at that time and is bad enough to cause catalyst damage and that's also the reason for the "cruise not available" message. The X-type has couple of common problems that can cause this. Check for vacuum leaks at the intake manifold tuning valve o-ring seals and the PCV hose for splits. The IMT seals are known to leak worse in cold weather due to shrinkage. Also dirty fuel injectors can cause this as well. If you can clean them with a professional style cleaner that requires the fuel pump to be disabled that is the best way to go. Of course all this is internet guessing without the codes being pulled but the vacuum leak check is easy. A lot of times you can hear them leaking and just putting your hand around the valve will change the sound.

 

ok here's the codes (thanks to AUTOZONE!!!)
P0300 (PCM has determined that multiple random misfires have occurred)
P0301 (PCM has determined that a misfire has occurred in cylinder #1)
P1000 (Check of all OBDII systems not complete)
P1313 ( Misfire rate catalyst damage fault- bank1)
P0305 (The PCM has determined that a misfire has occured in cylinder #5)
P0303 (The pcm has determined that a misfire has occurred in cylinder #3)

There goes a galore of codes Ive never had my entire driving life..

Please advise.. Thanks real_tech for the feedback and opinions.. hope these codes are all attached to one issue so I dont get to miss my baby so much if I leave her for a day at the shop.

 

The misfire codes you have are all bank 1 only, the rear bank. I would double check the IMT seals and then look for a vacuum leak specific to the rear bank if the seals are found good.

 

Thanks Real_tech, Im still trying to get an appointment with the mechanic, for some reasons the engine check light went away just minutes ago... is that normal? I wish to get an appointment soon.... if only I know how to check the IMT seals and vacuum leaks I would work on it this saturday...

 

The light could go away when the misfire stops, depends how bad it is. The IMT seals are easy to check. They seal the IMT valves to the intake. They are the 2 big plastic looking things with a single 2 wire electrical connector on each. One is on the lower set of intake manifold runners and 1 is on the upper set. They are on the passenger side just forward of the firewall and held to the manifold with 2, 8mm bolts. Just start the engine cold and listen for sucking noise near the valves. You can run your hand around the valves and see if the noise changes, be sure to reach underneath the upper 1, you can't really reach under the lower it is blocked by the valve cover on the rear head. If the sound changes when you put your hand around the valve to manifold line the o-ring is leaking. The upper is easy to change. Remove 2 8mm bolts and pull the valve out. If it's a leaker it should practically fall out when you take the bbolts out. The lower is a little more difficult. The valve wont come out due to the valve cover interference but you can slip the o-ring around the outside if you're careful not to tear it. The o-rings are about $4 each at the dealer

 

wow.. thanks.. i will check that tomorrow... if this is the problem then does that mean that the previous codes related to the oxygen sensors were due to the IMT seals? codes were P0420 and P1313.. the code description is somewhat off the code description i have mentioned about the misfires but im just making a guess..

 

real_tech, do you have any diagram or picture on where the IMT's are located? I went to the mechanic and they wanted me to leave the car so they can check it on cold start.. unfortunately I cant leave my car since they wont issue out a loaner car and I dont want to go through the expenses of renting a car.. I wanted to check and change the IMT seals myself but i want to know what Im checking based on the diagram or pic...

 

ok, i went to the dealership and got the IMT seals and the diagram, while changing them, i have noticed this grayish silicone rubber smudged on the flapper on the upper IMT, i removed it, replaced the seal then on the to lower one. Real_tech was right about the lower one, i had to remove and replace the seal slowly and I got it in smoothly.

Its not freezing cold outside as of this time but will check if the problem disappears tomorrow morning.

What I've greatly noticed is the increased power and a more silent drive after I replaced the seals. I dont know if the grayish rubbery smudge has been disabling the flapper which caused the difference in power.

More to come tomorrow as I start from cold. I hope this fixes it.

 

this morning i started my car and still doing the same thing... Ive replaced the IMT seals and is there anything more I need to check thats causing this?

 

Did you check the PCV hose for a split? It's the hose running from the inlet manifold to the PCV valve in the front valve cover.

 

i did but i think i have to remove it to have good visuals.... the pic shown on one of the threads here shows a smooth PCV hose.. mine is corrugated... do i need to put some lube or some material if i have to re-install it after inspecting for splits?

I also noticed that there's a small tube from the inlet manifold to the round hydraulic component (i dont know what its called) with a small disc shaped valve (or filter)... if I wrap my fingers around it I hear a hissing sound that disappears... will that amount to vacuum leakage too?

 

thats the brake line booster, the 3 most common vac leaks are IMT orings, pcv hose(yours being corrugated is updated, smooth is old style), and the vacuum line pipe to the brake booster. I replace all 3 things so theyre not another issue in the future. When you replace the plastic pipe, the end that goes into the intake manifold has a small black ring around the base, push this down to release the line and pull the pipe out, just push the new 1 in to reinstall. After youve done this, if you still have problems then we can move onto other issues that can also cause misifres on the back bank. But this may stop it for you. Any vacuum leaks on cold start would be like trying to start a carburated engine without a choke, leads to rough running when cold and misfires from being too lean

 

Ive managed to purchase a new brake booster vacuum hose today $98... that piece of plastic is expensive!! We'll see if it fixes the problem... i need to leave the car in the cold overnight and will start it in the morning (Oh God!!! I hope the misfire disappears!!!)

Here's what Ive noticed during removal and installation:
- the end of the vacuum hose that attaches to the intake manifold, how does this keep the vacuum and not allow leaks if there's no rubber seal or anything? should i put any silicone seal around it? does the black ring (the one you push down to remove) keep the integrity of the vacuum in the system? Do I have to change the black ring along with the vacuum hose?
- How do I know if the vacuum hose is faulty? I tried blowing on both ends and the air flow goes from the brake booster to the intake manifold (of which I thought it should be the other way around) anyway, I still dont know how to tell if its faulty or not.

All three main culprits were checked and replaced (i.e. the O rings for IMT, vacuum hose for brake booster and the PCV hose... if the same issue exists (i.e. misfires)... what should I check next?

 

This morning I started my car and SAME ISSUE OCCURRED[:@].... so its not the three mentioned here.. Any Ideas on what to check for next?

 

ive decided to not post a new thread since Im hoping someone would respond.

I changed the IMT valve tuning O-rings, checked the PCV hose for splits and changed the brake booster vacuum hose but the misfires still happens showing the same codes but now, instead of bank 1, bank 2 also joined the choir!

The ignition coils and spark plugs are all new, new oil change, new transmission oil (and new prop shaft)... should I change the intake manifold seal? Its very frustrating to wake up each morning worrying about the misfires during cold start and this time i cant wait till summer but its only avoiding the inevitable... Please, I do need your expert opinions on this one.

Thanks... Eddy

 

I am going to take a stab at this but it is a long shot. My son has a 1996 Oldsmobile that has major problems starting when cold. In his case the fuel pressure regulator would not work right when below 10. I replaced the regulator and the fuel filter. I discovered it by running a fuel pressure test when it wold not start. I had less than 10 pounds when it wold not work, but 40 when working correctly. It may be possible it is a fuel obstruction causing the lean / miss fire condition.

How many miles are on the car? When was the fuel filter changed? Have you tried gas line conditioner? Just throwing out a few other ideas. Let us know.

 

Have you had the fuel injectors professionally cleaned? What about fuel quality, have you taken a sample? How many miles/tanks of fuel has this been happening? Do you know if the ECM has the latest software level for your VIN? There are ECM updates that help this problem. We used to get a lot of cold start misfires a few years ago but fuel quality around here has improved. Testing the fuel is expensive but looking for water is cheap, do you always buy fuel at the same station?

This is my biggest complaint with internet diagnosis. I can tell you all the common problems involving cold start misfires in an X-type but an experienced head under the hood may be able to diagnose the exact problem in a matter of seconds.

 

i do buy gas from the same gas station.

No, I havent tested the fuel or have had my fuel injectors cleaned. I will do that.

I will take another shot with the mechanic by leaving my car to them for a more comprehensive check but they're always fishing, they're a general mechanic, not a jag mechanic but I will give it a try and will let you know what comes up.

thank you for always giving us your opinions as you are really the "real tech" ...