Pulled code P0306 (misfire) in this darn snow

Pulled code P0306 and if I am not mistaken it is misfire cylinder 6? If I am right I have to figure out what is causing it. Not gas or plugs. I am thinking wires as right now the previous owner had installed some cheap ass aftermarket wires that I have yet to get rid of.

I was driving my g/f to work in this crazy snow and all was good until I stopped by the local sunoco to talk to the owner for a bit. He asked me to move my car so the plow could do the parking lot. But when I tried to move the car it wouldnt move as if I was trying to drive over a curb. I had to hit it just to make it through a few inches of snow. After that the SEL came on and the engine was running rough. To make things worse the traction light came on by itself and I could not control it with the button. I drove down the street and it seemed like the brakes did not work at all, but it could just be that the ABS wasnt working and I was just sliding. But then after a little driving the car stoped missing and the engine wasnt being jerky and rough like it was. Then ABS and TCS came back.

Any other ideas on the code or loss of ABS/TCS? I am thinking that the snow may have messed with the sensor as it the snow is piled 2 feet in some places on the roads that I had to go through.

Check to make sure the sensors are all still plugged in. There is one sensor at each hub and the wires are not paticularily protected. Maybe some frozen slush pulled one out.

I bet it is the sensor or plug issue. When I drove the car today I showed no ABS or traction light but it didnt work. Then after driving around for a few minutes and the abs traction worked.

My roommate also had the same issues. His ABS light on his ZR2 turned on when he went through about 2 ft of snow.

well sorry but i HAD this exact same problem u have a heat protector for the 1, 3, 6 spark plugs (in the rear) try taking off the metal shields and then reinstalling the spark plug wire it workd for me but just a thought

I'll try that. I am going to put in new wires anyway so I'll check the sheilds too. Thanks

What else can cause a misfire? Can a bad cat cause this code? I have a feeling mine is going bad and I wonder if it could have anything to do with this problem besides the possiblity of the wires.

NO 4 EVR wrote:

What else can cause a misfire? Can a bad cat cause this code?

No, the cat should have no effect on the ignition system.

Were you able to check all the plug wires and the integrity of them?

I have not been able to yet. I will do this in the next day or two I hope. I am going to change the wires out and I'll check the plugs. They are probably a month or so old but since they are cooler plugs I run the risk of fouling. So if that is the case I have 605's to put in.

And I didnt think the cat would have anything to do with it. But I read online somewhere and the person on the site said they heard from someone that a cat has been linked to the issue, but I wasnt sure if that was valid or not.

go wot more to keep fouling down (but not until you find out if that is the problem)
i've never heard of a cloged cat causing a misfire.

I've never heard of anyone fouling a plug (in our engines). It's definately a possibility, but very uncommon. You'd be the first I've seen actually do it.

My guess is the wires before anything else. You can't always tell wires are bad from visual inspection. You have to replace the set to rule them out as the problem.

Replacing them today. I am 90 percent sure this will cure it. I really am at a loss of what else it could be if it is not wires.

But does anyone know why my traction/abs stops working when the engine starts to miss? The "traction off" light comes on and the functions stop working

If it's not the wires, could be the "missing" is a result of malfunctioning TC. Maybe it is in fact something with the sensors telling your PCM to pull timing, which you interpret as a miss.


Only way to find out is to replace/mess with stuff.

Ah, good. If wires don't cure could I pull the fuse for the TC and see if that affects it?

Might be worth a try. Do that before replacing the wires. How old are they again?

Well the wires are gone already. They were some cheap brand so I wanted some ac delcos regardless of the condition of the current wires.

But the wires were not the problem had to take it in because it was coil number 2 they said. Had to replace that and get an oil change because some gas got in the oil. Should be tip top in less than an hour now.

ouch! coils are $$. tell them to use the pf52 filter insted of the stock one

Coils weren't too bad. Just had to replace number 2, hope the other 2 are ok. But I forgot to tell them to use the bigger filter next time I will...