Flashing check engine light...appreciate help

PlanNnWRX · 09-16-2009, 05:09 PM

Hey all, (yes I pulled the codes off the CEL)
I did a wide open throttle run on a country road the other day up to 60ish (so basically to the top of 2nd gear). As I came to a stop my car started vibrating harshly and then I got the dreaded Flashing CEL

I have a VF34, walbro, pinks, APS FMIC, protuned Cobb AP setup. I pulled the code and it was a p0300 and p0302; Which I looked up and translate to -random misfire and cylinder 2 misfire-.
Naturally the first thing I worried is that because this happened right after WOT, that I might have blown my engine. However, I am checking out my car right now and I will drive the car at very low rpm's and it will run perfectly fine and then with no change in driving it will suddenly start hesistating badly and the flashing CEL comes back. When the Flashing CEL comes on there is also a very strong smell almost like raw fuel? I cant tell if the smell comes from the tailpipe due to the engine misfiring and not burning fuel correctly, or if it is coming from the engine bay.
Right now I am swapping coilpacks to see if the misfire follows the coilpack. Any suggestions? Thank you so much for any your help
-Brian

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PlanNnWRX · 09-16-2009, 05:37 PM

Update:
Well thank god my engine definitely isnt blown. Something external to the longblock must have been knocked out of alignment when I pushed the engine like I did.
I just got done switching the passenger side coilpacks with each other. As soon as I started the car back up it idled for a good 10 minutes with occasional revving. Took it around the block never above 3k rpms and ran fine with no flashing CEL's

I highly doubt, though, that the coilpacks were the issue. Anyone still have any idea from my initial description for what might have happened. I suspect that this could come up again.
Brian

msesno · 09-16-2009, 06:16 PM

A fuel line came loose?

PlanNnWRX · 09-16-2009, 06:59 PM

well thats the thing....fuel smell went away when car shut off and cant see or smell anything in the engine bay....so I think it was just that the car was running so very poorly that the exhaust coming out of the tip just smelled more like unburnt fuel (running super rich)?

hoffmanEstates · 09-16-2009, 07:21 PM

i had a flashing CEL it was missfire

PlanNnWRX · 09-16-2009, 08:27 PM

Yah,
As I said above from reading the CEL code I know it's a missfire. Just trying to discover what caused it...and now seems to come and go randomly....the car's running fine now...going to take it on a trip to the gym and see how it does from there.....update later.

PlanNnWRX · 09-16-2009, 10:26 PM

To the gym my Subaru ran perfectly nothing wrong at all.
Coming back though just now it started doing it again. Flashing check engine light. When its doing this the car feels terrible as with the CEL code reading misfires the car feels like it's running on three cylinders....terrible vibrating.
This Has to be an injector or coilpack right? As either of these go bad wouldnt they be off and on for a while until they completely crap out?

XXXCOOPERXXX · 09-17-2009, 10:33 AM

Try the whole trial and error process, could be a plug, coil pack, or injector sounds like! If I was a netting man I would say injector is on its way out, swap with another cylinder 1 item at a time! Injector first, then plug, then coil pack! When ya get a code on a different cylinder after swapping ya got the problem figured! A similar thing happened to me, but one of my pink injectors came loose and cel was flashing, then I shut the car off and there was a fire under my hood. The fire melted a coolant line which put out the fire! Consider yourself lucky, lol! Keep us updated!

Haelan · 09-17-2009, 10:41 AM

It's most likely your sparkplug or coilpack. Last thread very similar to this one the guy found his plug had a cracked insulator...

karpieldisco · 09-24-2009, 08:01 PM

Any update?
I was on my way home today and the flashing CEL came on. Missfire cylinder 2. Cleared codes and it has not come back yet.

I was not at WOT- I was actually starting up at a stop sign.

As the car in going in for it's 90K I will let eveyone know what it was.

Zach04wrx · 09-25-2009, 03:51 AM

Actually im having a similar problem...i have an 04 wrx with 70k miles on it and about 2 weeks ago my CEL popped my shop check it said it was an old misfire, in cylinder 1 he swapped the coils out with cylinder 3 and it ran fine until today the cel popped again. I wonder like the guy above said sort of trial and error process does this mean i prolly need a new coil?

p.s. my car doesnt do all the vibrating and horrible running, it still runs good just the cel pops. and mine stays on it doesnt flash

Thanks guys

Haelan · 09-25-2009, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zach04wrx

Actually im having a similar problem...i have an 04 wrx with 70k miles on it and about 2 weeks ago my CEL popped my shop check it said it was an old misfire, in cylinder 1 he swapped the coils out with cylinder 3 and it ran fine until today the cel popped again. I wonder like the guy above said sort of trial and error process does this mean i prolly need a new coil?

p.s. my car doesnt do all the vibrating and horrible running, it still runs good just the cel pops. and mine stays on it doesnt flash

Thanks guys

What cylinder did it misfire on this time; 1 or 3?

Zach04wrx · 09-26-2009, 03:16 AM

Funny thing is i went to drive it today and the cel light was off, then came back on, im assuming and hoping its a misfire and the coils because i have one of those mig warranties and its covered by it so no cost for me, im getting it checked tommorow

hoffmanEstates · 09-27-2009, 12:05 AM

replace your plugs with irdium and if need be step colder if you have coresponding mods

09-16-2009, 05:09 PM	#1
PlanNnWRX Scooby Newbie Member#: 42050 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: California Vehicle: 2002 WRX Platinum Silver	Flashing check engine light...appreciate help Hey all, (yes I pulled the codes off the CEL) I did a wide open throttle run on a country road the other day up to 60ish (so basically to the top of 2nd gear). As I came to a stop my car started vibrating harshly and then I got the dreaded Flashing CEL I have a VF34, walbro, pinks, APS FMIC, protuned Cobb AP setup. I pulled the code and it was a p0300 and p0302; Which I looked up and translate to -random misfire and cylinder 2 misfire-. Naturally the first thing I worried is that because this happened right after WOT, that I might have blown my engine. However, I am checking out my car right now and I will drive the car at very low rpm's and it will run perfectly fine and then with no change in driving it will suddenly start hesistating badly and the flashing CEL comes back. When the Flashing CEL comes on there is also a very strong smell almost like raw fuel? I cant tell if the smell comes from the tailpipe due to the engine misfiring and not burning fuel correctly, or if it is coming from the engine bay. Right now I am swapping coilpacks to see if the misfire follows the coilpack. Any suggestions? Thank you so much for any your help -Brian * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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09-16-2009, 05:37 PM	#2
PlanNnWRX Scooby Newbie Member#: 42050 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: California Vehicle: 2002 WRX Platinum Silver	Update: Well thank god my engine definitely isnt blown. Something external to the longblock must have been knocked out of alignment when I pushed the engine like I did. I just got done switching the passenger side coilpacks with each other. As soon as I started the car back up it idled for a good 10 minutes with occasional revving. Took it around the block never above 3k rpms and ran fine with no flashing CEL's I highly doubt, though, that the coilpacks were the issue. Anyone still have any idea from my initial description for what might have happened. I suspect that this could come up again. Brian

09-16-2009, 06:16 PM	#3
msesno Scooby Specialist Member#: 156723 Join Date: Aug 2007 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Philadelphia, PA Vehicle: 04 JBP WRX 5&1/3 Bug	A fuel line came loose?

09-16-2009, 06:59 PM	#4
PlanNnWRX Scooby Newbie Member#: 42050 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: California Vehicle: 2002 WRX Platinum Silver	well thats the thing....fuel smell went away when car shut off and cant see or smell anything in the engine bay....so I think it was just that the car was running so very poorly that the exhaust coming out of the tip just smelled more like unburnt fuel (running super rich)?

09-16-2009, 07:21 PM	#5
hoffmanEstates Scooby Specialist Member#: 122043 Join Date: Aug 2006 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Vehicle: 04 wagon stage 2 psm	i had a flashing CEL it was missfire

09-16-2009, 08:27 PM	#6
PlanNnWRX Scooby Newbie Member#: 42050 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: California Vehicle: 2002 WRX Platinum Silver	Yah, As I said above from reading the CEL code I know it's a missfire. Just trying to discover what caused it...and now seems to come and go randomly....the car's running fine now...going to take it on a trip to the gym and see how it does from there.....update later.

09-16-2009, 10:26 PM	#7
PlanNnWRX Scooby Newbie Member#: 42050 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: California Vehicle: 2002 WRX Platinum Silver	To the gym my Subaru ran perfectly nothing wrong at all. Coming back though just now it started doing it again. Flashing check engine light. When its doing this the car feels terrible as with the CEL code reading misfires the car feels like it's running on three cylinders....terrible vibrating. This Has to be an injector or coilpack right? As either of these go bad wouldnt they be off and on for a while until they completely crap out?

09-17-2009, 10:33 AM	#8
XXXCOOPERXXX Scooby Newbie Member#: 205745 Join Date: Mar 2009 Chapter/Region: W. Canada Location: canada Vehicle: 2002 WRX VF39'd platinum silver	Try the whole trial and error process, could be a plug, coil pack, or injector sounds like! If I was a netting man I would say injector is on its way out, swap with another cylinder 1 item at a time! Injector first, then plug, then coil pack! When ya get a code on a different cylinder after swapping ya got the problem figured! A similar thing happened to me, but one of my pink injectors came loose and cel was flashing, then I shut the car off and there was a fire under my hood. The fire melted a coolant line which put out the fire! Consider yourself lucky, lol! Keep us updated!

09-17-2009, 10:41 AM	#9
Haelan Scooby Specialist Member#: 151045 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NW Indiana Vehicle: 2004 JBP WRX Stage II - Monster TD04	It's most likely your sparkplug or coilpack. Last thread very similar to this one the guy found his plug had a cracked insulator...

09-24-2009, 08:01 PM	#10
karpieldisco Scooby Newbie Member#: 95127 Join Date: Sep 2005 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Abingdon, MD Vehicle: 2005 WRX Wagon WR Blue	Any update? I was on my way home today and the flashing CEL came on. Missfire cylinder 2. Cleared codes and it has not come back yet. I was not at WOT- I was actually starting up at a stop sign. As the car in going in for it's 90K I will let eveyone know what it was.

09-25-2009, 03:51 AM	#11
Zach04wrx Scooby Newbie Member#: 222790 Join Date: Sep 2009 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Redlands, CA Vehicle: 2004 Wrx Java Black Pearl	Actually im having a similar problem...i have an 04 wrx with 70k miles on it and about 2 weeks ago my CEL popped my shop check it said it was an old misfire, in cylinder 1 he swapped the coils out with cylinder 3 and it ran fine until today the cel popped again. I wonder like the guy above said sort of trial and error process does this mean i prolly need a new coil? p.s. my car doesnt do all the vibrating and horrible running, it still runs good just the cel pops. and mine stays on it doesnt flash Thanks guys

09-26-2009, 03:16 AM	#13
Zach04wrx Scooby Newbie Member#: 222790 Join Date: Sep 2009 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Redlands, CA Vehicle: 2004 Wrx Java Black Pearl	Funny thing is i went to drive it today and the cel light was off, then came back on, im assuming and hoping its a misfire and the coils because i have one of those mig warranties and its covered by it so no cost for me, im getting it checked tommorow

09-27-2009, 12:05 AM	#14
hoffmanEstates Scooby Specialist Member#: 122043 Join Date: Aug 2006 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Vehicle: 04 wagon stage 2 psm	replace your plugs with irdium and if need be step colder if you have coresponding mods