How do you hear a misfire?

That's why it's so hard for me to explain...If you could imagine hearing a misfire, that's what the sound my car is making would sound like.

So don't ask me a question trying to imply what I'm saying is stupid.

Picture it like a neurotransmitter trying to send a signal that isn't quite getting through...So it startings firing more signals until it finally succeeds...Now translate that into a sound...There you go.


I'm pretty sure I know my car well enough to know when something isn't right.

:lol: Calm down. I'm not implying anything, but you need to approach this differently and think about it more. It is possible to have a misfire without a CEL. It is also possible to test the coils and have them fail the test even though they are fine. Have you had the coolant system pressure tested? Have you reset the sensor profiles? Cleaned your ESS?

There is more than one discussion taking place in this thread. You were aware of this, right .... apparently not!!!! :lol2:

The coolant pressure system brings me to another problem...My coolant keeps spraying out...It's been fine for the past couple of weeks, but every once in a while, it just gets all over the place and stains whatever it touches (like the new intake I just installed)...This has been going on since about June or July...I even replaced the overfill line and clogged the end with a vaccum cap as tightly as I could out of frustration, but it was no use...lol...womp, womp, womp...Blew the cap out and sprayed everything.

Sidenote: I'm not overfilling with coolant.

Sidenote # 2: I've also had the coolant problem checked twice...Once again, "there's nothing wrong".

To answer your question about resetting the sensor profiles and cleaning the ESS...No.

Worst case scenario, I replace a cooling system and engine...No big deal.

I'm gonna place my bet on a failing internal coolant seal. Have the cooling system pressure tested, if it is boiling over it is not fine. I would also get a compression test if you are still under warranty. I had similar symptoms and that is how my last Mazda reman died at 30,000 miles. Eventually the symptoms will get worse.

I did get a compression test actually...I mentioned it in one of my recent comments...I've actually had 2 done this year...Both came out great...My most recent compression test was done about a month ago.

I'm out of warranty...lol...Almost at 129k miles...My reman is just shy of 50k.

Hmmm, then I think you should send a sample of your oil for analysis (http://www.blackstone-labs.com/), that is one way I confirmed my internal coolant leak. When mine would warm up it would run fine. Mine was very hard to diagnose and the coolant didn't show up in my oil until my last used oil analysis. But like I said, as time went by my issues became more prevalent as I was getting random misfires (no CEL stored code but flashing CEL randomly) more often and at cold start up my car would sputter a bit and then idle normally.

I might just do that...Thanks!

No problem, this is where my mazda reman ended up :) I did not rebuild it though, I had an 08' motor with 5k on it rebuilt. Pineapple took my Mazda reman as a core and it was determined that it was in fact a faulty coolant seal and that also the housing that were reused by mazda should not have been reused.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9krpmrx8/6153673406/http://www.flickr.com/photos/9krpmrx8/6153125837/

one thing you can do also--9k gave very good advice----pull a sparkplug before starting it to see if any coolant is on it, and a little more easy one--after the car is fully warmed---wait a minute then very carefully and with a big towel on top--remove the radiator cap---then crank the car up--if you see any bubbles in the coolant being formed--then you probably have a bad seal. This doesnt mean an automatically needed engine. Sometimes alumaseal will fix it.
GL

^ Yep good advice also. My plugs were a little wet when cold, but what threw me off was no smoke from the burning coolant and the wetness on the plugs smelled like fuel, not coolant. According to Rob at Pineapple, just one trip above 220F can ruin factory coolant seals.

I should buy a coolant dye to make it more distinct.

round and round we go ...

She should have taken you up on your offer team :)

I didn't mean in reference to that. Honestly I'd rather not have any extra headaches so I was sort of glad to be off the hook.

:lol: Well it was nice of you to offer. I have sort of stopped offering to help people in person unless they are actively involved with our group because usually they just get your help and then bounce and you never hear from them again until they have another problem.

But the OP seems cool although I don't recall if we actually met at the Texas8 last year. But I think she would at least provide refreshments to anyone who assists.

she probably thought I was just some perv hitting up anyway, it's not like anyone in general would consider my persona here intimidating, let alone some nice professional lady ...

Yeah, if I was her I would have thought that :lol:

BTW, I disagree with you other comment. I help people just to help them, but more for myself than them. I don't need a thank you or anything else, but I hope that they might do the same for someone else down the road.

What the hell are you guys taking about?...A previous post about helping?

1.) No, I don't think you're a perv.

2.) Take the help and bounce?...ummm...I'm very active with the group.

I haven't scanned the first page since I made this thread.

Not to mention I do almost all work on my own...I'm stubborn, so I don't want help unless I know for a fact that I need it.

Apparently you don't know a fact when you see it, but good luck to you just the same. :)

Sweetheart...Don't you ever tell me I don't know something.