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2002 Chevy Malibu Intermittent Misfires


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autonewb
New User

Dec 2, 2010, 11:40 AM

Post #1 of 4 (3921 views)
post icon 2002 Chevy Malibu Intermittent Misfires Sign In

 
2002 Chevy Malibu with 120,000 miles on it. I think it is a 5.7 liter engine (I know it is a 6 cylinder) but I am not positive.

At first I thought I had transmission trouble so I took it to an auto repair shop. They couldn't repeat the issue (it doesn't always happen) and found nothing with the transmission, but they said the computer was reporting cylinder misfires and that's probably what I was feeling. They replaced my spark plugs and wires, but the issue continues to happen intermittently. As I understand, I need to get this fixed ASAP before it ruins my catalytic converter.

How do I go about troubleshooting this issue properly? What are the next most likely possibilities after the plugs and wires? How much is this likely to cost me?

Thanks in advance for your help.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 2, 2010, 11:57 AM

Post #2 of 4 (3909 views)
Re: 2002 Chevy Malibu Intermittent Misfires Sign In

You don';t have a 5.7. That is a V8. You have a 3.1.

Your misfire could be ignition or fuel and it may be a little difficult to determine which without some expensive equipment. If it's ignition, it could be a bad coil. If it's fuel, then it's probably a fouled injector or two. If you had misfire data in the computer, then it should tell you which cylinder it is to help isolate the cause.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



autonewb
New User

Dec 2, 2010, 12:56 PM

Post #3 of 4 (3903 views)
Re: 2002 Chevy Malibu Intermittent Misfires Sign In

Thanks Hammer Time, I appreciate the response.

If I take it in, what do you think it will cost me to get this figured out and repaired? I have a pretty good and trustworthy mechanic, I just don't know how much I want to spend on fixing a Chevy with 120,000 miles on it.

Thanks again.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 2, 2010, 12:58 PM

Post #4 of 4 (3899 views)
Re: 2002 Chevy Malibu Intermittent Misfires Sign In

That car is still new at that mileage. Most shops charge about an hour diagnostic time. Either a coil or fuel injection cleaning should run in the $125 range.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







 
 
 






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