Random misfire – 2004 Chevy Express 2500

ANSWER : There are at least two recalls of the 2003 Sentra involving engine management issues. Consequently, you should first check your VIN at the NHTSA website to see if your vehicle is affected by any recalls. Carefully check the EGR system. If EGR is stuck open you can get global misfiring. Check the integrity of the PCV system, too. The fuel system needs to be ruled out including the mundane, but real, possibility that you have a tankful of bad gasoline. The actual fuel system pressure should be tested and verified against factory specifications. Injector operation should be verified. PCM failures that can account for global misfiring are rare but they do happen. It will be helpful to look at the engine operation using a real time scanner and also download freeze frame data from the misfiring episodes. If you want these diagnostic steps performed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request a misfiring diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

ANSWER : Hi there. A random misfire is typically caused by a sensor or electrical connector that is faulty or the wiring harness is damaged; leading to the random supply of electricity. On a Sentra and other four-cylinder Nissan engines, it’s common for distributor caps to crack, especially after 100,000 miles. You might want to have a professional mobile mechanic complete an engine is running rough inspection, so they can determine the source of your problem and recommend the right repairs be completed.

ANSWER : Hello. Most of the time if you have a multiple cylinder misfire such as this, it is caused by a fuel system problem. If the fuel pressure is low, then this will occur. If the fuel pressure is fine, then I would also check the signal from the crank sensor as a failing crank sensor can cause this. If that is fine also then I would suspect that there is an electrical issue in the circuit on that one side of the engine. If you want to have this checked out, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can come to your home or office to diagnose the misfire and follow through with correct repairs.

ANSWER : Hi there – yes, that would be possible, although the cost effectiveness of adding this feature to your current vehicle may not make sense. Adding cruise control could be done by either finding another Express van in a recycling yard, and acquiring all the components involved, and transplanting them to your van. You could also purchase a new, but aftermarket cruise control kit, and have it installed. Unfortunately, this is not a service YourMechanic offers at this time. I would check with your local Chevy service centers and recyclers for cost estimates for each approach. Good luck!

ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. Without the codes that are present it is hard to narrow down the possibilities for you. Coil packs and fuel supply are going to be towards the top of the list. You should start by checking for recalls on the vehicle, as the coil packs on your vehicle may have been included in a factory recall. This means if they have not been replaced on the vehicle yet, and the coils are still factory, that the manufacturer will replace them for free. This can be done online with the VIN. Otherwise, electrical testing on the coils and fuel injectors needs to be done to verify if one of them is to blame. For more help with diagnostics or repair, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.

ANSWER : The first thing you’d want to check is the power steering. A lot of times, they groan on those. If it’s not the power steering, a lot of times it would be the transmission. If it’s coming from the transmission, you’d want to pin-point where the noise is coming from inside there.

If you don’t have the equipment, call on a professional technician, such as one from YourMechanic. Depending on the situation they may put various mics on parts of the car and put on headphones on to listen to it with a receiver to see where the noises are coming from. If it isn’t the transmission, it’s probably going to need a rebuild. But you could try adding one quart of Lucas transmission fluid. That can sometimes help for a while. However, you’ll want to have the noise diagnosed if you want to find a long-term repair and prevent any further troubles.

ANSWER : Hi there. Thanks for writing in to YourMechanic.com about your issues the Toyota is experiencing. It is possible that you have two, independent problems that are causing two unique symptoms; the random misfire and the fuel economy issue. Although faulty O2 sensors may impact the fuel efficiency of your vehicle, it is highly unlikely that it’s the source of the misfire. However, the P1349 OBD-II code on a Toyota is typically due to a oil control valve or VVT solenoid issue. This would cause the misfire and possibly the rattling on top of the motor. You should watch this video as it’s very well diagnosed and explained – perhaps this will resolve one of the problems.

ANSWER : Hello, thanks for reaching out to us about your Ford’s rough iding and misfiring. Typically, when your vehicle is running with these codes and symptoms, it’s due to faulty camshaft phasers that need replacing, or the timing chain is worn out.

Defective camshaft phasers are a common problem and will cause the variable valve timing to be off just enough to cause rough idling or misfiring. I would fix the camshaft phasers first, and if symptoms still occur, I’d recommend replacing the timing chain (you will need to remove the timing cover to do so).

If you’d like help with either of these tasks, consider YourMechanic and a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair these issues for you.