Truck sputtering and misfiring

Well it's been a long time since I posted!!! So this is long!!!

About a week ago my truck started sputtering and acting like it was misfiring. It began this soon after I bought gas so I thought it was probably bad gas. So I added some Marvel Mystery Oil to my tank and that didn't change a thing. It never threw a code so I was pretty much left guessing. A coworker of mine whose damn near a mechanic came by and test drove it thinking it was possible that the tranny was to blame. After driving it for about 5 miles he said it's not the tranny. He asked had I changed the plugs since I had it? I purchased the truck used in October of 2018 with 94000 miles and I said no! He guessed that the previous owner probably never changed the plugs or coil which I've had to replace 2 the past 3 months.

I decided to just order the plugs(NGK) and coil pack kit....just replace all of it!!! Well as you can see from the pics these are probably the original plugs!!!! 18 years old and 138000 miles!!! At least the previous owner did the timing belt service, he had the receipt! I can't remember if I asked about the plugs...I guess I didn't!!!

 

Nice job on the fix!

Don't toss the the original coil packs. It's not unheard of for them to last 200k, 300k+ miles.

As long as you didn't buy your parts on scAmazon or fleaBay should be good for another 200k!

 

Sounds like fuel pump issue to me. Oddly enough, there doesn't seem to be a code for low fuel pressure.

 

Maybe I missed it somehow, but I don't see where he said it was fixed...just that he ordered new parts.

 

Uuuuuhhh I did buy the coils from Amazon! I replaced 2 coils in the past 3 months from Advanced Auto. I bought their "Premium" coils but it won't matter since I bought an eight pack from Amazon!

 

Parts will be here tomorrow. I decided to get a jump on things since all I was doing was watching Amazon Prime Movies

 

I'd return the scAmazon parts ASAP.

They've been a source for very well-made counterfeits for years and it's only gotten worse since late 2019. Especially with plugs. At least one member called NGK with the lot number on their scAmazon spark plugs, and NGK told them "We have no lot number matching that - please return to the seller". Member @FirstGenVol had one of his scAmazon spark plugs break off in his cylinder if memory serves correctly. I've personally gotten about a half dozen counterfeit appliance and small engine parts, a bogus tank pressure sensor for my previous truck. Wanna see how bad it is, it's just one Google search away.

Two rules of thumb for these trucks:

1. Never buy your parts on scAmazon, fleaBay, or WallyWurld, you *WILL* get counterfeits, potentially very authentic looking counterfeits, but there are so many documented cases of this on the internet it cannot be disputed they are a haven for counterfeiters. Use RockAuto, Summit Racing, or similar.
2. Always buy OEM for anything electronic or hard to get to *AND* always buy OEM lower ball joints (unless you like carnage). With 5 years of owning my truck and browsing this forum, including my time before/after signing up, I've seen too many times where aftermarket electrical parts caused an issue, or failed prematurely. Coil packs are high up the list. OEM parts lasted you this long - if you want to get another 15-20 years out of the next part, spend the extra coin on OEM, but from a reputable vendor.

Do yourself a favor. READ THIS THREAD.

@Aerindel you may be right, my reading skills seem to be off today.

 

I second this. Return and order from Rockauto @JQ3

 

Those plugs don't look original to me. They've been replaced at least once or twice. They'd be much worst at 138K miles.

Maybe it's just me but I've never heard of Marvel Mystery Oil being used for dry gas. I have better luck with a bottle of Heet from Wally World.

 

Definitely not twice. The truck only has 138K and had about 94K when I bought it. Marvel has been around for years although I've never used it. It says on the bottle that it'll work for water in gas. Funny I've never heard of Heet!

 

It's only 3 bucks. Pour it in next time you fill up on gas. I've fought with water in my gas for some years now and I use it all the time and keep a bottle handy for when I do.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/ISO-HEET...V4vbjBx0FBApnEAQYBCABEgJmD_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Corn fuel attracts water, so if your fuel or your truck sits for any appreciable period of time, that sort of additive makes sense.

 

I'll definitely have to give that a try!!! Thanks!

 

Why has it happened only over the last few years instead of all the years I've owned the truck though? I'll have to get the injectors cleaned at some time when the truck isn't being used for a week or maybe buy those 12 hole injectors to try them out. I sort of wonder if it's related to them leaking or not working well and the water condensation issue just exacerbates the problem.

 

I agree, here were my original OEM I just changed the 1st time at 75k(ish) miles. I think yours are probably older than mine for sure, based on the dark brown scorch on the porcelain/ceramic. The OEM Iridium plugs are good for 100k, and the ones you pulled look like my new NGKs, but I never trust anything anyone else puts in my truck knowing how common counterfeit plugs are these days if you buy from certain vendors. I can't imagine when yours would've been replaced, but I'd reckon at something like 40k miles or something with how burnt they are ... or they weren't authentic and aged way-the-hell faster.

Here's an important note about a typo in the user manual regarding the correct p/n on replacement plugs btw.

I use Seafoam at least once every half-dozen tanks. usually wait til I get down to a 1/4 or 1/8 of a tank to add it, so it's more concentrated.

But MMO is another popular additive. Ever see lawn crews with translucent fuel tanks where the gas looks pinkish? A lot of guys I know run MMO in their small engine fuel, and it turns it pink in color like that.

 

Yeah, I just started using Seafoam in my gas to see if it has any impact. I haven't noticed much of a difference on the first tank. I'll put in another 20 oz bottle next week to see if it's any better. It's weird, this seem to be an issue only when idling at a light especially after I've driven 5-20 miles on the highway first where it'll reach the lowest RPM state during idle once it's warmed up.

 

Huh. Hopefully not a sign the fuel pump is getting ready to shit on itself. Or the fuel pump resistor. Just for S&G, did you check the crank position sensor harness to make sure it's not getting knicked?

 

Well the weird thing is that it doesn't happen everyday and just once in a while. Also, I wouldn't expect the dry gas to do anything if that was really the issue but it seems to solve the problem until the next time it randomly happens.

 

Finished putting the plugs and coils in! Runs like a bat outta Hell now!!!! No misfiring!!!! After I saw the plugs I was about 80% certain that was the problem.

Amazon did short me 4 plugs though but they rectified it by just refunding all the money and let me keep the 4 plugs they sent. I ran up to Advance Auto and bought the exact same ones, they looked identical. Only difference was there was a plastic piece protecting the tip vs a cardboard piece.

 

Super-stoked to hear you're back in business!

Counterfeits are absurdly accurate and it's often just the tiny differences that are the cues. The details you'd need to keep eyes out for are super-subtle which is why they're so effective.

For example: https://www.driven2automotive.com/b...-ix-spark-plugs-how-to-spot-them-august-2017/

And another from a couple years prior, to show evolution: https://www.driven2automotive.com/blog/how-to-spot-fake-denso-iridium-power-spark-plugs-2017/

Even Denso is aware and giving some tips to look for: https://www.denso-technic.com/fighting-the-fakes

Amazon is one of the most notorious sources for counterfeits, they have no skin in the game. They've surpassed fleaBay years ago on this one. WallyMart has recently become a popular source as well. Organized crime recognized the value of this more than a decade ago and has the model down pat.

The gist is this: Never buy parts from any website who cannot guarantee their supply chain. I can fire up a marketplace on scAmazon, fleaBay, WallyMart, AliBaba, Sears/K-Mart, and any number of other places to sell whatever grey market and/or counterfeit materials I want as though they're legitimate. And if someone reports it, and I get shut down, I can have multiple other stores on-hand waiting to activate to sell more.

I can't recommend enough to always buy from retailers with a verified supply chain. You can get some insane deals on parts using coupons at your local auto parts stores which have a verified supply chain. RetailMeNot's site often has 15%-25% off coupons for online pickup orders at Advance Auto and AutoZone, for example.

I dunno. I'm soapboxing at this point, so I'll shutup.

 

I’m willing to bet it was just the plugs and not the coils. Good that it got resolved. Now we’ll have to see if it reoccurs.

 

I hear ya about buying suspect parts but my truck is 18 years old! It's not my main means of transportation so for the most part I'll be buying the the "best" cheapest parts I can find!

 

hmmm...
Makes me wonder if I should get some plugs myself....I've never done the job, don't know when it was last done....my truck doesn't run like a bat out of hell.

 

The Denso plugs are only rated for 30k miles, but I’m guessing you know that. Might want to insure they aren’t seized in the block if they’ve been there for a 100k or so. I never run mine more than 50k miles even though I should change them more frequently.

 

I know mine have at least 30K on them for sure....

 

Check out these NGK V-cut with nickel electrodes I pulled out of my 2004 at 235K about a year after I purchased the truck. 7 out of 8 have practically no center electrode left and yet the engine ran great with no misfires. I replaced them with NGK iridium plugs.