98 Legacy misfires and lacks power

1998 Legacy L, 2.2L auto, 150K miles

Symptoms:

1. When cold, almost doesn't move at all, like it wants to die. Press
the gas pedal, it barely moves 2mph.

2. When warms up, starts moving and even then lack of power and
acceleration is obvious, really have to punch it to move.

3. Terrible MPG, about 15 MPG.

4. The exhaust smells like it's running rich, confirming the above.

5. Above all, constantly get codes P301, P302, P303, P304 - misfire on
all cylinders. CEL is flashing, meaning it's happening in real time.


What has been done:

Replaced: Spark plugs, plug wires (OEM), fuel filter, Coolant
Temperature Sensor and the O2 sensor.

Checked the Fuel Pressure Regulator -- pulled the vacuum hose leading
to it, no gas came out of it. Can I assume it's good?

Replaced the coil once, got a coil from a junk car, could this be the
cause? I am going to try a new coil this time, maybe it will fix it.
But the coil doesn't explain why it runs better when it warms up.

On Oct 29, 11:58*pm, SQ > wrote:
> 1998 Legacy L, 2.2L auto, 150K miles
>
> Symptoms:
>
> 1. *When cold, almost doesn't move at all, like it wants to die. Press
> the gas pedal, it barely moves 2mph.
>
> 2. *When warms up, starts moving and even then lack of power and
> acceleration is obvious, really have to punch it to move.
>
> 3. Terrible MPG, about 15 MPG.
>
> 4. The exhaust smells like it's running rich, confirming the above.
>
> 5. Above all, constantly get codes P301, P302, P303, P304 - misfire on
> all cylinders. CEL is flashing, meaning it's happening in real time.
>
> What has been done:
>
> Replaced: Spark plugs, plug wires (OEM), fuel filter, *Coolant
> Temperature Sensor and the O2 sensor.
>
> Checked the Fuel Pressure Regulator -- pulled the vacuum hose leading
> to it, no gas came out of it. Can I assume it's good?
>
> Replaced the coil once, got a coil from a junk car, could this be the
> cause? I am going to try a new coil this time, maybe it will fix it.
> But the coil doesn't explain why it runs better when it warms up.

clogged converter?

SQ > wrote in news:24bd5b4e-f1f3-4e7e-9fdd-
:

> 1998 Legacy L, 2.2L auto, 150K miles
>
> Symptoms:
>
> 1. When cold, almost doesn't move at all, like it wants to die. Press
> the gas pedal, it barely moves 2mph.
>
> 2. When warms up, starts moving and even then lack of power and
> acceleration is obvious, really have to punch it to move.
>
> 3. Terrible MPG, about 15 MPG.
>
> 4. The exhaust smells like it's running rich, confirming the above.
>
> 5. Above all, constantly get codes P301, P302, P303, P304 - misfire on
> all cylinders. CEL is flashing, meaning it's happening in real time.



The flashing MIL means the misfire is bad enough that catalytic converter
damage is likely.

I've seen very similar symptoms in a Pontiac Sunfire. The cause there was
an ignition control module that was going bad.



--
Tegger

SQ > wrote:
>What has been done:
>
>Replaced: Spark plugs, plug wires (OEM), fuel filter, Coolant
>Temperature Sensor and the O2 sensor.
>
>Checked the Fuel Pressure Regulator -- pulled the vacuum hose leading
>to it, no gas came out of it. Can I assume it's good?
>
>Replaced the coil once, got a coil from a junk car, could this be the
>cause? I am going to try a new coil this time, maybe it will fix it.
>But the coil doesn't explain why it runs better when it warms up.

Did you look for vacuum leaks? That's the first thing I would have done,
in spite of the ignition errors.

Coils don't fail much. It happens sometimes, but people swap coils out
way more often than coils really fail.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Oct 30, 10:15*am, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
> Did you look for vacuum leaks? *That's the first thing I would have done,
> in spite of the ignition errors. *

I didn't see anything obvious disconnected. I need to check this
again.

In article >,
SQ > wrote:
>On Oct 30, 10:15=A0am, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>> Did you look for vacuum leaks? =A0That's the first thing I would have don=
>e,
>> in spite of the ignition errors. =A0
>
>I didn't see anything obvious disconnected. I need to check this
>again.

That's not what I said. At least get a propane source or a can of WD-40
and do a basic test for vacuum leaks.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Oct 29, 11:58*pm, SQ > wrote:
> 1998 Legacy L, 2.2L auto, 150K miles
>
> Symptoms:
>
> 1. *When cold, almost doesn't move at all, like it wants to die. Press
> the gas pedal, it barely moves 2mph.
>
> 2. *When warms up, starts moving and even then lack of power and
> acceleration is obvious, really have to punch it to move.
>
> 3. Terrible MPG, about 15 MPG.
>
> 4. The exhaust smells like it's running rich, confirming the above.
>
> 5. Above all, constantly get codes P301, P302, P303, P304 - misfire on
> all cylinders. CEL is flashing, meaning it's happening in real time.
>
> What has been done:
>
> Replaced: Spark plugs, plug wires (OEM), fuel filter, *Coolant
> Temperature Sensor and the O2 sensor.
>
> Checked the Fuel Pressure Regulator -- pulled the vacuum hose leading
> to it, no gas came out of it. Can I assume it's good?
>
> Replaced the coil once, got a coil from a junk car, could this be the
> cause? I am going to try a new coil this time, maybe it will fix it.
> But the coil doesn't explain why it runs better when it warms up.

A bad Mass Air Flow Sensor can also cause this IIRC.

On Oct 30, 2:47*pm, m6onz5a > wrote:
> On Oct 29, 11:58*pm, SQ > wrote:
>
>
>
> > 1998 Legacy L, 2.2L auto, 150K miles
>
> > Symptoms:
>
> > 1. *When cold, almost doesn't move at all, like it wants to die. Press
> > the gas pedal, it barely moves 2mph.
>
> > 2. *When warms up, starts moving and even then lack of power and
> > acceleration is obvious, really have to punch it to move.
>
> > 3. Terrible MPG, about 15 MPG.
>
> > 4. The exhaust smells like it's running rich, confirming the above.
>
> > 5. Above all, constantly get codes P301, P302, P303, P304 - misfire on
> > all cylinders. CEL is flashing, meaning it's happening in real time.
>
> > What has been done:
>
> > Replaced: Spark plugs, plug wires (OEM), fuel filter, *Coolant
> > Temperature Sensor and the O2 sensor.
>
> > Checked the Fuel Pressure Regulator -- pulled the vacuum hose leading
> > to it, no gas came out of it. Can I assume it's good?
>
> > Replaced the coil once, got a coil from a junk car, could this be the
> > cause? I am going to try a new coil this time, maybe it will fix it.
> > But the coil doesn't explain why it runs better when it warms up.
>
> A bad Mass Air Flow Sensor can also cause this IIRC.

Is there exhaust coming out of the tailpipe?