Random Misfires etc.

Here is my situation, I have a 1997 Chevy Cavalier Z24. It's a 4 cylinder, Automatic transmission and has about 155000 miles on it. It has been having issues. The check engine light has been coming on.It idles rough, and sometimes dies while I wait for a light to change green. Sometimes when I accelerate, I feel a backwards jerk, and then it goes. I have also noticed my needle on the RPM gauge likes to get bouncy when it idles rough. Some days it runs fine like their are no problems. I consider that my car faking it. I had it coded, and it came back random misfires. So I changed out the Spark plugs and boots, my car doesn't have wires. It was fine for a couple days then the same problems started again, and the check engine light came on. I had it coded again, and again it said random misfires. I checked the plugs and boots I had just installed, they were fine, so I changed out the ignition coils. It was fine for a couple days then the same problems all over again. I put some injector cleaner in when I last put gas in the tank and that seems to have had no effect. I am looking at getting an ingnition control module. Is this the right next step, or am I looking in the wrong direction to fix this thing?

I have also perfomed an oil and oil filter change, and changed the air filter, during the above repairs, but that was a maintenance thing and likely unrelated since doing the oil change and air filter change didn't stop the problem.

The ect is a problem I have that confuses even a friend of mine that used to work as a mechanic. When I hit over 62 mph, the ETS (Enhanced Traction System) OFF light and the ABS OFF lights come on, they stay on until I shut the car off and the system resets itself. Any ideas what could be causing that? It started after I had some repairs done at a body shop. I had accidentally run into a light post in a Walmart parking lot one night, at low speed, but enough that it did damage. I had them fix the mechanical stuff and ignore the dent to save money. Even after I had hit the pole it wasn't having those lights come on. Not until after I had the repairs done.

Any ideas? You stumped? Me too.

Well, removing the engine cover/coils/ign module seems to make it run good. Just for fun, disconnect and reinstall the electrical connector to the ign module. See if it runs better. There may be a bad wire to there (also wiggle harness with it running and see if it dies). Look at the MAP sensor hose, they tend to crack on the 2.4s. Are there any other codes or just P0300?

For the ABS light, make sure all your tires are the same size and properly inflated. Different wheel speeds will set a code if the RPMs of the wheels are too far apart. Could also be a sensor going bad or the air gap is getting too big (wheel rusting away). Take it somewhere that can read ABS codes, that will give you a starting point.

i have a similiar problem without all the lights. engine light stays on thou. very rough idle. i changed the plugs.. no fix. changed the coil pack. fixed for 4 months. now same problem again. could it be a coil pack again??? what causes coil packs to go and how do you know if it is gone? please help. have to get daughter to work in 1 hr. thank you.:banghead:

changed another coil pack. won't even run at all now! now i'm screwed. buses on strike.

My 2001 2.4 has the same issue. The check engine light and trac off lights periodically go on and off. I've changed the plugs and wires, changed the coil packs, gone through a dozen bottles of fuel injector cleaner and nothing seems to do the trick. Any suggestions?

What kind of plugs are you guys using? SOmetimes the +4 type take out the coil packs, so if you're using those switch back to the regular AC Delco platinum or irridium.

bad vacumm line to the map sensor caused all my problems. to bad it took a whole engine change to figure it out. using cheap good plugs now and all vacumm leaks are fixed. lots of power. the new cad makes it sound louder but i will get used to that.