Rough idle, acts like stalling

[JCJR]

I have been reading some threads so I am going to try to give a lot of detail so some one can isolate my issue.

I had a low coolant warning light so I decided to replace the coolant all together. I had the car for 6 months used so I do not know if the coolant has ever been flushed. I added water to fill the coolant temporarily until I had time to flush during the weekend. I flushed the coolant, filled with water then flushed again and added coolabt 50/50. I decided to change the oil and clean the engine. I used engine cleaner spray, I covered all the connectors I could find and hosed the engine. Started the car and no problem.

Next day, wife drove the car and complained about stalling. SES light came on and I read the codes 0301 and 0133. Bank 1 misfire and O2 sensor. The print out said it could be bad spark plugs, bad spark wire and the o2senser could be due to rich mixture.

Do I have bad spark wire. bad ECTS, bad spark plug?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

[RC1488]

Vitals?????

Replace your ECTS. I posted a video you can find using the search button. Replace the connector also if it has corrosion on it.

Make sure you have NGK copper plugs. Those are recommended. Just needs to be a copper plug.

301 = miss fire code. You have not posted your vitals on the car so a general response is bad ECTS.

0133 = Bad front 02 sensor. Again this can be from a bad ECTS sending to rich a mixture to the engine. Replace the ECTS first. Clear the codes and if this code come back then replace the front o2 sensor using a NON bosch universal. Ive found junkyard o2 works fine

[discnik]

P301:Misfire detected by the PCM cyclinder #1.

Testing: Be sure that spark output is over 35 kv and that no secondary ignition leaks are present when spark plug wires are wet.

P0133 : Oxygen sensor for fuel control (O2-11), has slow response to changes in fuel delivery.

Testing: Check for leaking injectors, leaking fuel pressure regulator diaphragm, or high fuel pressure. MAP sensor readings that indicate a lower than actual manifold vacuum can also set this code, ( a high mileage engine with low manifold vacuum can set this code ).

This is presuming that you have the 2.2 L. Since you said that you washed off the engine, pull your # 1 plug wire and see if you have water in the spark plug well. This will cause a misfire and also effect the fuel reading of the the O2 sensor. Also check your MAP sensor connector a make sure it is dry.

Hope this helps.

[RC1488]

Originally Posted by discnik

This is presuming that you have the 2.2 L. Since you said that you washed off the engine, pull your # 1 plug wire and see if you have water in the spark plug well. This will cause a misfire and also effect the fuel reading of the the O2 sensor. Also check your MAP sensor connector a make sure it is dry.

Hope this helps.

since this is the s-series forum, it can be assumed that it is not a 2.2L since the s-series are all 1.9L.

[RC1488]

Originally Posted by JCJR

hosed the engine.

Unlike the olden cars running on carburetors, there are alot of electronics in the engine bay. The third gen s-series actually has the PCM IN the engine bay.

You cant just hose your engine down anymore

[RC1488]

Originally Posted by JCJR

hosed the engine.

Unlike the olden cars running on carburetors, there are alot of electronics in the engine bay. The third gen s-series actually has the PCM IN the engine bay.

You cant just hose your engine down anymore

[ejazz]

I had a similiar situation after power washing the engine compartment. I had a misfire on the #4 plug after reading the codes. Turns out the hole for the sparkplug and plug wire through the valve cover was filled with water and the plug was trying to fire basically submerged in water. Pull the plug wires and blow out the hole with compressed air.

[JCJR]

Thanks for all the replies. I bought a new ECTS for $13+ at the Saturn dealership. Installed. Then I removed the ignition coil (?) Spark plug wire from Spark 1 and as EJazz stated, I had water in that well. I used a compressor with air nozzle and blew out all the water. I watched the video for cleaning the air throttle and completed that task.

Car does not stall but it is idleing very high at 2000rpms and then it comes down to 900 rpm when not in gear. The SES light went out by itself after driving the car around all morning and the ideling seems to be getting lower.

I am going to replace the spark plugs. I bought this car used about 4 months ago and do not know what maintenance was performed by the original owner.

The car has 65000 original miles (bought from a freind's relative).

Is there anything else I should replace or service?

[RC1488]

Make sure the connector for the ECTS is dry and corrosion free.