Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Ultimate Subaru Message Board

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Mystery...No-Spark on 3 and 4 - Second time !

Featured Replies

A few months ago I had a problem with a 98 OBW I bought.....no spark on the 3 and 4 cyls.

 

Swapped ignitor, coil, checked wiring continuity between them...and to the ECU...all good.

 

Finally swapped in a another ECU (used)....Voila! ...Problem solved.. (for a while at least).

 

Two months later....same problem.

 

Check engine light on...but generic FLAPS OBD-II reader doesn't tell me anything but "Misfire on cyl 3" and "Misfire on cyl 4"

 

Now what! Need some tips to diagnose this persistant problem.

 

Fun stick shift car....especially when all 4 cyls are firing.

 

Warren C.

Because the two cylinders are tied together, (wasted spark) a loose wire or bad plug would effect both, can't rule out the basics, and their cheaper anyway.

  • Author
Because the two cylinders are tied together, (wasted spark) a loose wire or bad plug would effect both, can't rule out the basics, and their cheaper anyway.

 

Tx....good point....I'll check

 

WC.

Just had something similar on a 96 Caravan. After trying many parts, the PCM (Mopars ECU) was the fix. 2 weeks later problem reoccurred. A mopar mechanic I see in my son's scout troop told me the COIL was blowing the PCM. It's resistance was lowered (possibly a few wires internally shorted making the resistance lower and drawing more current from the PCM and eventually overheating and blowing the driver transistor in the PCM). He said it was a common problem and when they replace the PCM, they also do the coil at the same time.

 

I did put the original coil back in. SOO it was off for another PCM and this time a coil......$$$$ later, Caravan still running.

 

Point of story, did you put the original coil back in as I did on that Caravan? Maybe you have a similar problem.

 

End of my experiences and $.02

Just wondering, could it be a ground problem? You mentioned that you replaced all the wires--I am wondering if perhaps somewhere in the system the ground wires are losing good contact with the chassis and engine.

 

mikkl

  • Author
Just wondering, could it be a ground problem? You mentioned that you replaced all the wires--I am wondering if perhaps somewhere in the system the ground wires are losing good contact with the chassis and engine.

 

mikkl

 

 

But would a bad ground specifically..knock out cyls 3 and 4??

 

Warren

  • Author
Just had something similar on a 96 Caravan. After trying many parts, the PCM (Mopars ECU) was the fix. 2 weeks later problem reoccurred. A mopar mechanic I see in my son's scout troop told me the COIL was blowing the PCM. It's resistance was lowered (possibly a few wires internally shorted making the resistance lower and drawing more current from the PCM and eventually overheating and blowing the driver transistor in the PCM). He said it was a common problem and when they replace the PCM, they also do the coil at the same time.

 

I did put the original coil back in. SOO it was off for another PCM and this time a coil......$$$$ later, Caravan still running.

 

Point of story, did you put the original coil back in as I did on that Caravan? Maybe you have a similar problem.

 

End of my experiences and $.02

 

We swapped in another used coil....so it's a different unit.

 

Warren C

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in

Sign In Now

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.