2000 Malibu 3x00 Questions...

[ArtyG]

...greetings, all! I am the owner of a 2000 Malibu V6 with a few problems that I'm trying to pinpoint. All regular/routine maintenance has been done but I'm getting a CEL. The CEL I keep getting is P0306 (Cylinder 6 Misfire). Checked the resistance on the wires and checked the Spark Plug and all seemed in-spec. Going to try a new fuel filter tomorrow and see about getting the Fuel Injectors serviced.

Basically, I'm looking for any info or any other things I should take a look at. Took it to a local, well-respected shop and they said the misfire was due to a varying oil pressure, most common too low of an oil pressure during normal driving that caused the misfire.

You'll have to excuse the essay, but I'm a Chevy V6 n00b and am trying to figure this out. Thanks in advance!

[Guest]

Find a new shop. Misfire due to low oil pressure, WTD? (What The Duece).

If the ignition side checked out, including teh coil itself, then I would start looking at fuel, and more specifically the injector for that cylinder, it may be suck closed, have a blockage or partial blockage, poor connection or bad wiring, unfortunatly this can go as far back as teh PCM due to each injector having it's own trigger from the PCM.

Baring any of this, it may be an internal problem like a burnt valve, which can be determined by a compression test.

[ArtyG]

I didn't think the oil pressure had anything to do with a misfire as you stated above, but that's what the shop I took it to told me.

Stopped by Advance this morning and picked up a new fuel filter, and also some dielectric grease for the fuel injector plugs to eliminate any "fretting" problems that may exist. I'll keep y'all updated.

[ArtyG]

Update if anybody is wondering:

I changed out the fuel filter, and it seems the idle has smoothed out a bit. Going to pick up a new Oil Pressure Sensor and replacing that as well just to eliminate that since it doesn't seem to hard to replace. Also, going to be stopping by my buddy's shop and let him run a diagnostic on it.

[ArtyG]

More updates, just to log the progress:

Got the car scanned and checked out at another shop. The car was misfiring randomly at all the cylinders at idle, yet under load/WOT the car was fine. We heard a ticking/tapping near the 3 cylinders closest to the firewall. I didn't have the time to mess with it, so I took it to my buddy's shop and he's pulling the valve covers off for further inspection.

Damn 3100.

[El_Diablo]

yo, hate to recruist but you might wanna check out www.unitedmalibus.com and www.malibuclub.ca aswell, plenty more help over our way, this is the place to be for the 60 degree v6 though

[Carlspike]

Unless the noise sounds pretty bad I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just about all the 3100's make some amount of noise. How does the car run when you are driving it? does it have a noticable misfire? If it's a random misfire then check things that would affect all cylinders. However if you have pinpointed number 6 I'd focus on the injector and the circuit for it.

[ArtyG]

Well, it turns out the misfire is across all cylinders at idle, and there is what is becoming a noticeable tick in the engine bay near the cylinders closest to the firewall. After listening to what two separate techs from two separate shops from the one listed above, it is definitely something internal as removing the valve covers gave us no definitive answers to what it could be.

I think the decision has been made to just let this car ride out it's last days.

[Superdave]

normally i'd suggest to bang on the injectors with a screwdriver, that usually helps the Multech 2's out a little. but it sound slike you have other issues...

hows the oil look?