1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Misfire cylinder 1

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Clark Griswold, Mar 21, 2012.

  1. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I'm new to the forum. This is my first post. I bought an 07 gen 2 a couple weeks ago. A couple days after I got it home the check engine light came on. I did a scan, it came up, misfire on cyl 1. I installed new iridium plugs, switched the no. 1 igniter with no. 2... code came back misfire cyl 1 again. I then did an ohm check on the injectors which were all spot on, then ran the engine and listened with a stethoscope to number 1 injector and could hear it clicking. Next thing I threw a can of Seafoam into the gas, drove that tank out and then threw a can of injector cleaner into the next tank... I forget the brand.. it's that stuff they've been selling for a hundred years that has MEK in it. Anyway... I cleared the CEL and it's been a couple days and about 50 or 60 miles without a re-occurrence. I'm wondering if this is a common problem with prius's? (I know... but I refuse to use the word Prii... it just bothers me) Because the engine is always under such a light load, I'd think it would be prone to carboning up and such. Also... if this light comes back I'm thinking the next thing I'll do is switch number 1 and 2 injectors to see if the problem follows it. Is there anything I'm missing here that any of you can think of? Thanks in advance.
     
  2. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2010
    3,326
    1,512
    38
    Location:
    Santa Fe, NM
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Well, it is not a common problem, but there is a propensity for carboning on the cylinder tops and valves.
     
  3. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I guess I was mostly wondering if there was a common problem with these cars that caused a single cylinder to occasionally misfire.
     
  4. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    OK, the light came back on today... not sure what to do next.
     
  5. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2010
    3,326
    1,512
    38
    Location:
    Santa Fe, NM
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Hmm...Most often, it is the coil pack. People have reported replacing bad injectors. It is usually the last thing tried, because the other things are easier.
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Wow... just read through the service manual on changing a fuel injector. Is this as big a deal as it appears to be?
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
  8. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Odometer reading?

    For fun, you might try removing cyl 1 spark igniter and the spark plug, then insert the plug into the igniter, connect the wiring harness connector to the igniter, ground the spark plug shell and make sure you can see the plug sparking while you have a helper try to start the car. This will verify that the wiring harness connection to the igniter is good.

    Then, if you find nothing wrong with the igniter, it seems reasonable to replace the cyl 1 injector. Since you have to go through so much effort removing the valve cover for access to the fuel rail, you might want to just replace the cyl 1 injector vs. swapping it with cyl 2, so that you don't have to go through the process 2x.
     
  9. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I'll try that. I expect I'll get spark because this problem seems to be pretty intermittent, and when I changed plugs, the one in cyl 1 looked pretty much the same as the other 3 so I guess it's firing. I will definitely change the injector if I rip all that apart... I've seen remanufactured injectors for like 28 bucks on Amazon. Any problem with using reman'ed injectors? Thing about the injector... It passes an ohm test and I can hear it clicking when the engine is running. Could it still be bad in spite of this?
     
  10. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Well, it is possible that the injector is "working" but is marginal and not producing as much spray volume as it should, which would cause a misfire.

    I don't know what "remanufactured" means in this context. Could it mean a part from a salvage vehicle that was dipped into solvent for cosmetic purposes only?

    I personally would buy the correct new part.
     
    1 person likes this.
  11. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks Patrick.. and Seilerts. I'll let you know how things develop.
     
  12. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    OK.. well, I changed the injector...Marone! What a PIA. Went back together surprisingly well, except... after reconnecting the battery I've got a brake light and an ABS light, and the brakes are spongy as hell and barely stop the vehicle. Any ideas?
     
  13. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I don't understand why the brake system would be affected by the replacement of an injector, unless you did something to the brake actuator pump or the connecting tubing mounted on the firewall, while you were struggling to remove the valve cover...
     
  14. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2010
    3,326
    1,512
    38
    Location:
    Santa Fe, NM
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Jump pins 4 and 13 of the DLC to get the flash codes. Each warning light will flash out a 2 digit code. Post them here.

    After collecting the codes, and while 4 and 13 are still jumpered, you can try to reset the warnings lights by pumping the brake pedal 8 times in 5 seconds.
     

    Attached Files:

    • abs2.gif
      abs2.gif
      File size:
      6.4 KB
      Views:
      1,455
  15. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Will do Seilerts. I did a scan with my code reader last night by the way and no codes showed up.
     
  16. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I found this loose canon plug over on the left side next to the brake res. Not sure if it's for a component that my base doesn't have or if I forgot to plug it in. I can't see any place to plug it in to.

    <a href="http://claspics.com/19k9brl8/h0miw7r5/1333552837-140.JPG.php"><img src="http://img2.claspics.com/19k9brl8/h0miw7r5/1333552837-140.JPG_m.jpg" border="0" /></a>
     
  17. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
  18. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    OK... I found it. I had to pull the wiper assembly and tray off before I could see the female on the side of the brake res. So... out of the woods on that. Now I just have to drive around for a couple days and see if that misfire code comes back. But like it's been said by many on here... I'd rather have a check engine light than an ABS.
     
  19. Clark Griswold

    Clark Griswold New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2012
    29
    2
    0
    Location:
    Bolingbrook, il
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Check engine light came on again after about an hour's driving after I changed the injector. Did a scan... same thing: misfire cyl 1. To summarize, I've changed plugs, switched number 1 and 2 igniters and replaced the fuel injector for cyl 1. What's that leave... the wiring to the igniter? This is really frustrating.
     
  20. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    5,194
    1,910
    0
    Location:
    Herefordshire England
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Clark please do not shoot me down in flames just trying all the angles.

    I assume you are calling no1 cylinder the one at the water pump end of the engine and that is generally the rule, but is that the case in the Prius I cannot find any information on this I assume you have a workshop manual to confirm.

    Only checking this because you seem to be getting close to a dead end.

    John.
     
    1 person likes this.