I want to thank you for this video. Although I don't own a Ford product, I have watched this video more than 5 times because I own a Ram 1500 Hemi. I too, am blessed enough to be gifted with a P0300 Random/Intermittent misfire code. I do have a cheap, basic ODBII scanner, but was unsure of how to use some of the more in-depth features. I usually use this to read codes and that's about it... UNTIL this video. I'm sure we all can agree that your videos are great, easy to watch, and very insightful. But I have to tell you, that sometimes it's not what you show on the video, but what you say. Visually, you were looking at the data that I needed to see in order to efficiently diagnose my truck, (misfire info). This info would at least give me a direction to go rather than break out the parts cannon. After watching it the videos a few times, trying to figure out which scanner you are using so that I possibly buy the same one to see the same info, I happened to catch a few things I had not caught when watching the video previously. The lightbulb went off for me at about 17:10 in this video when you state that any generic ODB2 scanner would have Mode6 data. Although you claim you were "trying to find things to talk about," it's things like this that help viewers like myself. So thank you again. Now I can confidently scroll through mode 6 and figure some things out. For the record, your videos have help me with this same truck over the years. (diagnosing the 4WD and replacing all of the front axles being the most "memorable.") Hope you had a GREAT Christmas and keep up the good work!
Wow. You truly put every tech/mechanic I've come across to shame. I'm in the UK, but if I was anywhere near NY, you would be the only person to touch my cars. Respect for a true professional.
You make it all look so easy and straightforward. As I follow your diags I'm always like yep that's what I'd do and yep that line of thought is right on the money. But then when I'm stairing at my car with a little misfire I'm feeling like Josh was on that no crank job. Experience is gold.
From an Old, never retired,honest tired iron tech, admire your integrity, LOVE that little towns patriotism, I maybe coming back soon you Sir are A-OK #1 Ichibon
Good evening. I know this is an old video but it is still helping people. I had a issue with a rough running 2003 GMC Envoy 4.2L. It had cam, VVT and crank sensor codes but no misfire. I replaced the parts and it still ran rough. Three days later after replacing spark plugs it finally gave me a misfire. It was in sixn I moved to 2 for easier access and it traveled. I could have used the Mode 6 data to diagnose. Now I know and knowing is half the battle. Thank you for your continued teaching.
Thank you so much for this video. I’ve had my Subaru serviced at 4 different dealerships and nobody has been able to fix an intermittent misfire. I bought an OBD2 reader, a repair manual, watched excellent videos like yours and finally got it fixed. Thank you
What model and year do you have? I got a scanner and the tech basically said mode 6 isn’t accurate esp on a non subaru tool… I have this same issue. It’s at the shop now
Had the Misfire last year 2002 Town and Country eX, the dealer did a tune-up .it was fixed . $500 Nows happening again but I notice it did after a week of rain. The dealer said nothing wrong . I can feel the BUMP like you did.I will go back and show Him the video taken with the iPhone. Thank You, Sir. God Bless This Great Country. O one more thing NO misfire at Idol.
Your test is exactly what i do.spark plug manuals call it flash over .If the boot has no hole just sandpaper and lube the boot with petroleum gel or that other expensive stuff.however I do replace the spark plug.the burnt part on the ceramic will eventually ground the boot again.keep up the good videos.
I know this video is 6 years old but i believe the carbon track issue i have seen it and cured it with 33 electrical tape and a gap of .06 the electrical charge has to go someplace else and that would be the path of least resistance. Cracks in ceramic can be found with what is called Dye Penetrant in the Non Destructive Testing field i left to retire 5 years ago. And i have never fallen asleep during ANY of your videos. Good information!!
Eric, being fairly sure you weren't wrong doesn't make you sound like a jerk, it makes you sound confident. Having seen all of your videos, you have no reason to not be confident. Your diagnostic process and knowledge are seriously impressive. Thanks for another great vid.
There aren't many times it can be an advantage to work on your own car, but the intermittent problem is one of the best. We can drive a car for weeks with coils swapped, waiting for it to happen again. And we can go back, think about it, research the problem and look for things that we didn't think of. The pro has a huge disadvantage, he needs to be accurate and efficient with a brief look, no mistakes. I know it would have been time consuming to see the waveform but this one would have been fun. Brilliant video, Eric.
Recently replaced my spark plugs and boots in my 2008 Ford taurus after watching this video and seeing literally the same intermittent misfires and symptoms at the same speed(45-65 mph 6th gear slight throttle). Two weeks after replacing my car is running amazing and has not misfired since. I'm certain it was a bad spark plug. Thank you!!!! :)
This video , I subscribed, I'm a mechanic as well. I deal with these issues all the time. He found the problem. The gap of the plugs was the culprit. Large gap and the energy went elsewhere.
THANK YOU! My 2009 Merc Sable has the same exact problem, same cylinder. Local mechanic told me fuel filter as well.... had them try this and BOOM - cracked sparkplug.
I own a 1965 XLH1000 HD and it suffered with no spark when hot. Th cause was tracking on the coil. My Volvo V70 Mk2 had a similar issue to yours, that was a slight tracking on the coil pack 3. New coil pack fixed that issue. No or intermittent ABS on the V70 was dry joints in the ABS unit. Removed from car, re soldered and re fitted to the car in less than 30minutes. Yes I am an Engineer but still enjoy your videos. Keep it up 😎
I still love the intro. Eric O., in the know! A true American professional!! Honest!! And, I think this makes me realize I need to change the spark plugs on my '94 Ranger....
hehe, plugs don't last forever and the fancy rare metal electrodes is no excuse. I myself say 50K max on the best of plugs and I've seen the best of plugs that went 300K+ electrode burnt into the porcelain and the ground electrode burnt nearly off to the round shell. 2004 hyundai elantra, it went to the scrapper at 830K+, after it ended up sitting from 2014 to 2017 and no interest nor $$ to keeping it going, (battery, brakes bad and 3rd radiator cracked at top tank) I'm sure it would have broken the big Million mile mark
I wonder if when something hits 65536 and rolls back over to 0 if it knows to throw out the carry bit or if they didn't think it was possible and let it overflow to whatever is before it, in this case cylinder 3 misfire probably.
First . Your videos are NEVER a flop!! I learn valuable information every single time. Like your humor and your sharp diagnostic skills, aka EXPERIENCE and honesty. California technicians seem to forget that part. Thanks for your time.
As always another great video . I am retired and as a DIYer or Hobby mechanic I love watching You Tube to catch up with the industry . I follow many sites , But I truly believe you are the BEST by far .Thanks for all your effort .
Finally found a video where someone is having the exact same symptoms. My 97 maxima is doing the exact same things as this car. Torque converter locks up and the hiccups start. No codes. I'm also getting very bad fuel economy. Hopefully it's all related. Thank you Eric for all the awesome videos!
@@jasonfromm5637 definitely the torque converter. Not worth the money and effort to replace it on a 25 year old car. Still driving it as is doesn't affect it That much. Spending a lot on gas is getting tiresome though
this is exactly why i really love your videos. you take nothing for granted and want to find a definitive cause and not just the effects. very cool video eric. that is one serious gap on those plugs!
Exactly.... Just calling a coil and full plugs would have fixed it, but you wouldn't get the experience of finding out WHY it happened, and it would have cost more. I For one love replacing only the bad part and love learning trying to track it down and knowing you got it. When people try to fix things like this by just tossing every replacement part possible on the car till they fix it you don't get experience, and it usually causes more issues down the road because most of the time good oem parts are swapped in necessarily with cheap aftermarket jobbies.
@@volvo09 don't know if you still there but this is one of the best comments ever, it's not about just to change whats broken but to know what caused it
as decades old mis-fire hunter-the best take away here is your driving technique to get a misfire. so many mechanics cannot duplicate a customer concern because they do not get how that rascally misfire is going to show itself. best advice in the video. most ive had to get involved with after the initial attempt at a repair were hammering it up a hill.
Eric - you are indeed one very knowledgeable automobile technician. I would absolutely enjoy working under your lead in your shop - would learn more in six months time than on my own in two years. 👍👍✌️✌️✌️✌️
Nothing beats good old know how the stuff we learned when cars had to be diagnosed not just some computer then when the computer comes it is just a easier test but the same old problems good job keep them coming I can see a spark in your attitude I’m glad your team is there
SMA is the best tutorial for Diagnostics that I've ever seen on RUclips! Hats off to Eric O and his crew. That being said I have a 2007 GMC Yukon Denali XL 6.2 L with OBD2 code P0 300. I have massive misfire at Pistons 1 and 3. At a rate of 48 and 30 respectively. Also the fuel trim for Bank One is 56 short-term zero long-term for Bank One and 14 short-term and 0 long term for bank 2. Also I smell an enormous amount of gas through the exhaust. All these symptoms lead me to think it's an ignition problem. The car idles. The engine revs but no power when you put it in drive and step on the gas it literally crawls. Any advice that you could give would be greatly appreciated. I was told to check the ground wire for the coils
Never a boring vid my brother - only way I'd fall asleep during one of your vids is after 3 or more, 16oz., 151 proof dark-n-stormies. I fall asleep standing up after a few of those ... 😁 I was laughing on the 2nd test drive - you sound just like me. "STUPID CARS!!" I get frustrated like that nearly every single time - I always seem to get the problem children that don't fit a specific failure mode. That was the main reason I gave up on modern junk and went to OPE many years back. Now I'm trying to transition out of OPE back to cars again, since I learned a thing or 2 from you, Paul D, Keith, & Ivan. 😎 Cars pay much better. Great lesson on Mode 6 - three years ago I didn't even know what that was. Now I use it quite a bit, especially on FoMoCo misfires. 2 thumbs up on this one. 👍 👍
I tried Pendleton Whiskey while watching SMA and after 3 hours I was done with the bottle. Had to rewatch the last few vids to refresh my memory. Don't go to eBay after drinking either.
Amazing diagnosis! Not only was it not the fuel system causing the problem but how many other mechanics would have found that tiny tiny break in the porcelain? 15% might have suspected the coil if they actually LOOKED at the mode 6 data. And those that did, would have blamed the coil when in reality it was a bad spark plug. Damn Eric O, you find the smallest most obscure problems that 99% overlook. No wonder why you have near ZERO comebacks! Awesome video.
man, I've been screaming "sparkplugs" as #1 item since the day they started the 100K mile change shartfest. why? because 9 of 10 times coil issues occur due to bad plug's and they still didn't get changed! of course they figure it out after the 2nd to 5th coil on that cylinder :))
Get yourself a couple of cheap eye loupes of EBay Eric, it is amazing what you can see with 10 or 15 times magnification when hunting small cracks. They also show you how your picks are really blunt.
this video you made was one of my particular favorite. I like the portion of the video where you mimic Homer Simpson when you said , stupid cars , I really like how you forge ahead and look for the not so obvious visual causes for the problem even after the problem seem to have gone away.
Just bought a BlueDriver scan tool, first time i used mode 6 it showed over 8500 misfires on cyl 3 on my 5.3 2011 Tahoe. Have checked it a couple more times and only having 3-7 per scan after 30 miles of driving or so. Rough running after cold start for 20 seconds maybe then runs ok. Did have 1 misfire on 5, hoping it’s due to what you explained here. Great video. Thanks 👍
Thanks for posting. I finally resolved a lean codes problem with my 2000 F-150. It still has the shudder like your vehicle in this video. The shop owner suggested that I change plugs before doing anything else. It ran with lean codes for 10,000 miles dumping an unnecessary 25% extra fuel. New plugs and coils 10K miles ago and it only happens the first 10-15 miles of operation and then goes away. The final culprit on the lean codes (there were several issues) was a MAF sensor that was sending bad data to the computer. Now, off to change plugs and see what happens.
During the middle nineties, when I was still working for ‘the man’, we saw very many complaints about light throttle ‘chuggles’ in GM vehicles with the LT-1 V-8s and their ‘Opti-Spark’ ignition systems. In the majority of cases, I would find the problem lied not in the secondary at all, but rather in a malfunctioning EGR valve and replacing that usually solved the drivabilty problem. Especially with the T-56 6spd cars (a result of the ‘Skip-Shift’ solenoid that forced you to go from 1st to 4th at low speed). Indeed, I still do. The problem now is, trying to find a replacement GM EGR valve for a 96 Camaro SS. Of course, GM solved this problem in 98 with the LS-1 as those came with a ‘Linear’ (PCM controlled) electronic EGR valve. A major improvement over the vacuum operated valves of yore.
Just watched this video after diagnosing the exact same symptoms on my 2008 Taurus X with the 3.5L V6: Engine bucks intermittently between 45 and 60 in 6th gear, no codes. It definitely feels like hitting one of those bumps where the pavement level changes. So I finally got Forscan running on my laptop, and mode 6 data showed misfires on cylinder 5 (which is fortunate: getting at the back cylinders 1-3 requires intake manifold removal). I went ahead and replaced the coil, and will probably replace the plug tomorrow even though I couldn't find any signs of a crack in the insulation. Also, I'm glad you talked about torque converter clutch failure, which was my initial concern since I had the transmission fluid replaced not that long ago.
Eric thanks for helping me decide about this flat earth vs. Globe stuff. The earth is flat!! Thanks brother. I was on the fence until I watched your test drive and mentioning everything is flat. Great tips on diagnosing as always. You're the man.
Absolutely, 100%, genuine, fascinating video! From the Mode 6 lesson to the detective work on the plug and coil. Not boring at all. I have started using Mode 6 myself. I had a 2005 Sienna in my shop with a P0430. 174K on the clock. The Toyota service info actually mentioned looking at Mode 6 data, and listed the TID info to some extent but wasn't real clear. So I decided to try my hand at decyphering it. My Autel DS708 does NOT convert it so I had to convert the hexidecimal numbers to something I could understand. After a few hours of research and study of my data and figuring out which TID's to look at, I found the switch counts exceeding the maximum by quite a bit on bank 2 (thus the P0430.) Thinking it probably needed a converter, but knowing there was no way I'd replace the converter without replacing both O2's, I decided to replace both O2's first. I took it for a test drive hoping to get the catalyst monitor to run but wasn't able to. However, when I went in and looked at my Mode 6 data again I found the same switch data WAY below the maximum so I was able to confirm my fix of a P0430 with new O2's--most likely the upstream A/F was the fix. Needless to say the customer was quite happy with me. It's been several months now and the P0430 hasn't returned. It takes a little practice but I'm a fan of Mode 6.
Those plugs are original (blue paint matching blue in the ribs) and the boot tube seal is available for the coil. Those plugs did well for the mileage (the gap is just as mine were at 85,000 mile on my 2009 Edge). This is just FYI. Diagnostic was well done!
Good video! Long time fan of the channel. To kill two birds with one stone, swap the coils of #4 and #6 and swap the plugs of #4 and #5. If the misfire moves to #6, most likely a bad coil. If the misfire moves to #5, most likely a bad spark plug. If the misfire stays at #4, perhaps low compression/stuck injector. Just a thought!
I love my Maximus 2.0 on Fords. I got the oscilloscope module that goes with it. I haven't used it in years because I also got a Verus. But if I ever need it I have it. I'll just need too remember how to set the thing back up lmao. Yes absolutely Mode 6 data is a time saver. And now I know where to look for test id definitions. Thanks !
Like your video with josh post his first diagnostic video post his first year of school is start at the end of the system. Many many people believe the hype that spark plugs last 100k miles. They are cheap in the grand scheme of things so never believe the mfg. and food for thought they say no need to check gap on plugs but there is a spec and as an ecoboost owner i always change plugs early and always check the gap and have never seen mfg plugs new within spec. I always check. I always change early. And I have factory coils on a 10 yr old 3.5 ecoboost and havr never had a coil fail. Great video!
Yet more proof that a cheap picture frame holding an expensive certificate is no indicator or guarantee of expertise. Mr. O, you are an Automotive Scientist. I'm one of many who wishes our proximities were closer so that you could be MY Automotive Scientist!
I didn't fall asleep, i was with you all the way to the end :-D Smashing diagnostic, that crack was very sneaky. You could drive a truck through that plug gap, that could have made the tracking worse. RUclips forgot notifications on everyone i sub to, that's why i'm a day late ::-(
Eric, that was an odd one. Thanks for taking the time to video that. I was expecting a crack when I saw the carbon trail on the boot but you said pinhole. Sounds like a faulty plug from the start and failed over time and especially with the boot that let moisture in. Thank you. Keep up the good work.
Great stuff. I have a similar situation. Unfortunately I only have the basic scan tool . It's a rebuilt engine but there are lot's of other things which can go wrong. And yes I did change the fuel filter - and no it didn't help. Should have watched this yesterday. I have new plugs, wires and coil pack on it -10,000 miles on them.
Dude. Good catch. Most woulda just thrown a coil at it.. and then it come back months later. Or just toss a tune up at it and not really know why it happened. I had a loose spark plug on one of these that made it run slightly rough. Again good job
Bring up the video, then hit 'like', then go full screen, then watch the video. You can always hit 'like' again to turn off the 'like' but I've never had a reason to do this with Eric's videos.
I have 3 spark plugs on my 99 silverado with visible shorts in the ceramic, you can see black lightning bolts developing. Pretty cool I think. Only one of them is misfiring, replacing them all when I have the cash.
Nice catch. I see mechanics and alot of DIY miss this exact thing. They dont take time to do a thorough investigation of the problem and look at everything. I know alot of people who would have seen that scrunched up coil and go yep coil. This is why we get paid the "big bucks", LOL
Great job finding that plug. most of the guys i know would have just thrown in a set of plugs or swapped all the coils out, while the parts cannon fixed the issue, there was no actual proof of what was wrong. i had one years ago where the inner ceramic cracked loose and slid down over the electrode blocking the spark, i actually still have that plug 25 years later. the "Tech" that worked for me didnt see it but when the plug was installed it slid down an blocked the spark gap.
If only I had a mechanic like him in San Diego! There’s tons of them here but can’t find one that can think past “there’s no check engine light” and “there’s no codes”. Great video! Thank you !
I would bet you could take that plug, set it up with a buzz coil and get the spark to jump out the side when the ground was brought close. Might be a good teaching tool to show why you do need to change plugs. Could also use a tester like that to show carbon tracking ...
Slowly wrapping my head around code six. Thank you, sir. Your ears should be burning as I cussed you out good watching you swap the coils around. You see I just got done replacing plugs and freshening up the coils on my 99 5.4 E150.....My fifty-year-old carpenters' hands hurt right now.
You da man Eric. .08 I think is to wide. Nr one plug on my Outback was .076 and it threw misfires so 4 new plugs. :-) No mo misfires :-) Happy June. Also I like the tours as it's the only way I'll get to see your part of NY.
Great catch on the possible crack in the plug. A lot of other tech's would have never caught that, and for the nominal cost of a spark plug the smart money is on changing it. Of course it did have some wear and I would recommend to the customer to change all 6 but that's just me. anyway, great video about Mode 6 data and using generic OBD 2 data. Thanks again..
I want to thank you for this video. Although I don't own a Ford product, I have watched this video more than 5 times because I own a Ram 1500 Hemi. I too, am blessed enough to be gifted with a P0300 Random/Intermittent misfire code. I do have a cheap, basic ODBII scanner, but was unsure of how to use some of the more in-depth features. I usually use this to read codes and that's about it... UNTIL this video. I'm sure we all can agree that your videos are great, easy to watch, and very insightful. But I have to tell you, that sometimes it's not what you show on the video, but what you say.
Visually, you were looking at the data that I needed to see in order to efficiently diagnose my truck, (misfire info). This info would at least give me a direction to go rather than break out the parts cannon. After watching it the videos a few times, trying to figure out which scanner you are using so that I possibly buy the same one to see the same info, I happened to catch a few things I had not caught when watching the video previously. The lightbulb went off for me at about 17:10 in this video when you state that any generic ODB2 scanner would have Mode6 data. Although you claim you were "trying to find things to talk about," it's things like this that help viewers like myself. So thank you again. Now I can confidently scroll through mode 6 and figure some things out. For the record, your videos have help me with this same truck over the years. (diagnosing the 4WD and replacing all of the front axles being the most "memorable.")
Hope you had a GREAT Christmas and keep up the good work!
Even though I don’t work in automotive industry anymore. Watching Eric O. channel brings back great memories!
Wow. You truly put every tech/mechanic I've come across to shame. I'm in the UK, but if I was anywhere near NY, you would be the only person to touch my cars. Respect for a true professional.
Misfire with no code. I found mode 6 data in the scanner and then discovered your video to confirm what I was thinking. Great video.
The thought process of diagnosing these problems is never boring .. nice catch
You make it all look so easy and straightforward. As I follow your diags I'm always like yep that's what I'd do and yep that line of thought is right on the money. But then when I'm stairing at my car with a little misfire I'm feeling like Josh was on that no crank job. Experience is gold.
I think it helps when its not your own car
From an Old, never retired,honest tired iron tech, admire your integrity, LOVE that little towns patriotism, I maybe coming back soon you Sir are A-OK #1 Ichibon
Good evening. I know this is an old video but it is still helping people.
I had a issue with a rough running 2003 GMC Envoy 4.2L. It had cam, VVT and crank sensor codes but no misfire. I replaced the parts and it still ran rough.
Three days later after replacing spark plugs it finally gave me a misfire. It was in sixn I moved to 2 for easier access and it traveled. I could have used the Mode 6 data to diagnose. Now I know and knowing is half the battle.
Thank you for your continued teaching.
Thank you so much for this video. I’ve had my Subaru serviced at 4 different dealerships and nobody has been able to fix an intermittent misfire. I bought an OBD2 reader, a repair manual, watched excellent videos like yours and finally got it fixed. Thank you
What model and year do you have? I got a scanner and the tech basically said mode 6 isn’t accurate esp on a non subaru tool… I have this same issue. It’s at the shop now
Had the Misfire last year 2002 Town and Country eX, the dealer did a tune-up .it was fixed . $500 Nows happening again but I notice it did after a week of rain. The dealer said nothing wrong . I can feel the BUMP like you did.I will go back and show Him the video taken with the iPhone. Thank You, Sir. God Bless This Great Country. O one more thing NO misfire at Idol.
Your test is exactly what i do.spark plug manuals call it flash over .If the boot has no hole just sandpaper and lube the boot with petroleum gel or that other expensive stuff.however I do replace the spark plug.the burnt part on the ceramic will eventually ground the boot again.keep up the good videos.
You weren't wrong and you did find the misfires and you found the problem and although it didnt replicate you nailed it fella.
You know Eric O. That wide gap is everything to me. Cause and effect. No need to look at carbon tracks with a gap that wide problem solved, new plugs.
I know this video is 6 years old but i believe the carbon track issue i have seen it and cured it with 33 electrical tape and a gap of .06 the electrical charge has to go someplace else and that would be the path of least resistance. Cracks in ceramic can be found with what is called Dye Penetrant in the Non Destructive Testing field i left to retire 5 years ago. And i have never fallen asleep during ANY of your videos. Good information!!
Eric, being fairly sure you weren't wrong doesn't make you sound like a jerk, it makes you sound confident. Having seen all of your videos, you have no reason to not be confident. Your diagnostic process and knowledge are seriously impressive. Thanks for another great vid.
There aren't many times it can be an advantage to work on your own car, but the intermittent problem is one of the best. We can drive a car for weeks with coils swapped, waiting for it to happen again. And we can go back, think about it, research the problem and look for things that we didn't think of. The pro has a huge disadvantage, he needs to be accurate and efficient with a brief look, no mistakes. I know it would have been time consuming to see the waveform but this one would have been fun. Brilliant video, Eric.
spelunkerd man
Recently replaced my spark plugs and boots in my 2008 Ford taurus after watching this video and seeing literally the same intermittent misfires and symptoms at the same speed(45-65 mph 6th gear slight throttle). Two weeks after replacing my car is running amazing and has not misfired since. I'm certain it was a bad spark plug. Thank you!!!! :)
This video , I subscribed, I'm a mechanic as well. I deal with these issues all the time. He found the problem. The gap of the plugs was the culprit. Large gap and the energy went elsewhere.
THANK YOU! My 2009 Merc Sable has the same exact problem, same cylinder. Local mechanic told me fuel filter as well.... had them try this and BOOM - cracked sparkplug.
macboy19 would that then be a plumbers crack ?
I own a 1965 XLH1000 HD and it suffered with no spark when hot. Th cause was tracking on the coil. My Volvo V70 Mk2 had a similar issue to yours, that was a slight tracking on the coil pack 3. New coil pack fixed that issue. No or intermittent ABS on the V70 was dry joints in the ABS unit. Removed from car, re soldered and re fitted to the car in less than 30minutes. Yes I am an Engineer but still enjoy your videos. Keep it up 😎
Not too many videos on RUclips, an hour long can keep me watching but this one my friend did and I Learned a lot.
I still love the intro. Eric O., in the know! A true American professional!! Honest!! And, I think this makes me realize I need to change the spark plugs on my '94 Ranger....
hehe, plugs don't last forever and the fancy rare metal electrodes is no excuse. I myself say 50K max on the best of plugs and I've seen the best of plugs that went 300K+ electrode burnt into the porcelain and the ground electrode burnt nearly off to the round shell. 2004 hyundai elantra, it went to the scrapper at 830K+, after it ended up sitting from 2014 to 2017 and no interest nor $$ to keeping it going, (battery, brakes bad and 3rd radiator cracked at top tank) I'm sure it would have broken the big Million mile mark
Eric O, the reason the max for the mode 6 misfire counter is 65,535 is because that is the max value of an unsigned 16 bit integer.
Any numbers higher than that go into the bit bucket.
2 to the 16th
@Mr Hansen 😭😂😭🤣🤣
FFFF makes more sense :-) Conversion is very elementary in Assembly and C( or it's variants ). Maybe Eric can write his own scan tool? :-)
I wonder if when something hits 65536 and rolls back over to 0 if it knows to throw out the carry bit or if they didn't think it was possible and let it overflow to whatever is before it, in this case cylinder 3 misfire probably.
Not to get off topic, but that is one beautiful town, you have there. Very Americana.. 🤗
I turned off the sound and it was memorizing!
First . Your videos are NEVER a flop!! I learn valuable information every single time. Like your humor and your sharp diagnostic skills, aka EXPERIENCE and honesty. California technicians seem to forget that part. Thanks for your time.
As always another great video . I am retired and as a DIYer or Hobby mechanic I love watching You Tube to catch up with the industry . I follow many sites , But I truly believe you are the BEST by far .Thanks for all your effort .
Finally found a video where someone is having the exact same symptoms. My 97 maxima is doing the exact same things as this car. Torque converter locks up and the hiccups start. No codes. I'm also getting very bad fuel economy. Hopefully it's all related. Thank you Eric for all the awesome videos!
Did u ever figure out?
@@jasonfromm5637 definitely the torque converter. Not worth the money and effort to replace it on a 25 year old car. Still driving it as is doesn't affect it That much. Spending a lot on gas is getting tiresome though
this is exactly why i really love your videos. you take nothing for granted and want to find a definitive cause and not just the effects. very cool video eric. that is one serious gap on those plugs!
Exactly.... Just calling a coil and full plugs would have fixed it, but you wouldn't get the experience of finding out WHY it happened, and it would have cost more. I For one love replacing only the bad part and love learning trying to track it down and knowing you got it. When people try to fix things like this by just tossing every replacement part possible on the car till they fix it you don't get experience, and it usually causes more issues down the road because most of the time good oem parts are swapped in necessarily with cheap aftermarket jobbies.
@@volvo09 don't know if you still there but this is one of the best comments ever, it's not about just to change whats broken but to know what caused it
This is exactly what my 3.7L is experiencing. I will be checking this with my scan tool on my next day off. Thank you!
Electricity has eyes, and will always find the shortest path to ground. Not sure if they're blue or brown, but it has eyes...very good video. Thanks.
schwartzenheimer1 electric blue lol
This guy is great. He knows things. Thanks for the insight. Excited to change out the spark plugs.
as decades old mis-fire hunter-the best take away here is your driving technique to get a misfire. so many mechanics cannot duplicate a customer concern because they do not get how that rascally misfire is going to show itself. best advice in the video. most ive had to get involved with after the initial attempt at a repair were hammering it up a hill.
You do hunting and car repair two things close to my heart I enjoy both keep up the good work
Eric - you are indeed one very knowledgeable automobile technician. I would absolutely enjoy working under your lead in your shop - would learn more in six months time than on my own in two years. 👍👍✌️✌️✌️✌️
Nothing beats good old know how the stuff we learned when cars had to be diagnosed not just some computer then when the computer comes it is just a easier test but the same old problems good job keep them coming I can see a spark in your attitude I’m glad your team is there
SMA is the best tutorial for Diagnostics that I've ever seen on RUclips! Hats off to Eric O and his crew. That being said I have a 2007 GMC Yukon Denali XL 6.2 L with OBD2 code P0 300. I have massive misfire at Pistons 1 and 3. At a rate of 48 and 30 respectively. Also the fuel trim for Bank One is 56 short-term zero long-term for Bank One and 14 short-term and 0 long term for bank 2. Also I smell an enormous amount of gas through the exhaust. All these symptoms lead me to think it's an ignition problem. The car idles. The engine revs but no power when you put it in drive and step on the gas it literally crawls. Any advice that you could give would be greatly appreciated. I was told to check the ground wire for the coils
Inspector O ,finds the culprit again,bravo sir!
Interesting video was nice to wake up to coffee and an SMA video can't beat it
Tough one how many mechanic's would have found that one, good job Mr. O.
Honestly, quite a few I bet.
Great video. Thanks for helping me out with mode 6. I usually just look at fuel trim data. Keep up the great videos my friend....
Never a boring vid my brother - only way I'd fall asleep during one of your vids is after 3 or more, 16oz., 151 proof dark-n-stormies. I fall asleep standing up after a few of those ... 😁
I was laughing on the 2nd test drive - you sound just like me. "STUPID CARS!!" I get frustrated like that nearly every single time - I always seem to get the problem children that don't fit a specific failure mode. That was the main reason I gave up on modern junk and went to OPE many years back. Now I'm trying to transition out of OPE back to cars again, since I learned a thing or 2 from you, Paul D, Keith, & Ivan. 😎 Cars pay much better.
Great lesson on Mode 6 - three years ago I didn't even know what that was. Now I use it quite a bit, especially on FoMoCo misfires. 2 thumbs up on this one. 👍 👍
I've done that before, except far more at 80 octane level, sometimes I comment that way and look the next day like holy moly :)))
I've done that too. I try to stay off the computer in that condition - I get myself in trouble, lol. :D
no way, I'd never get in any troubles!!!
more like, when am I "not" in trouble =P
I tried Pendleton Whiskey while watching SMA and after 3 hours I was done with the bottle. Had to rewatch the last few vids to refresh my memory. Don't go to eBay after drinking either.
Amazing diagnosis! Not only was it not the fuel system causing the problem but how many other mechanics would have found that tiny tiny break in the porcelain? 15% might have suspected the coil if they actually LOOKED at the mode 6 data. And those that did, would have blamed the coil when in reality it was a bad spark plug. Damn Eric O, you find the smallest most obscure problems that 99% overlook. No wonder why you have near ZERO comebacks! Awesome video.
man, I've been screaming "sparkplugs" as #1 item since the day they started the 100K mile change shartfest.
why? because 9 of 10 times coil issues occur due to bad plug's and they still didn't get changed! of course they figure it out after the 2nd to 5th coil on that cylinder :))
Kenneth White You look like Scotty Kilmer
Get yourself a couple of cheap eye loupes of EBay Eric, it is amazing what you can see with 10 or 15 times magnification when hunting small cracks. They also show you how your picks are really blunt.
Thank you Eric! Good to know that we can see that in mode 6 when the scanner doesn't show any misfire! Great diagnosis!
this video you made was one of my particular favorite. I like the portion of the video where you mimic Homer Simpson when you said , stupid cars , I really like how you forge ahead and look for the not so obvious visual causes for the problem even after the problem seem to have gone away.
Just bought a BlueDriver scan tool, first time i used mode 6 it showed over 8500 misfires on cyl 3 on my 5.3 2011 Tahoe. Have checked it a couple more times and only having 3-7 per scan after 30 miles of driving or so. Rough running after cold start for 20 seconds maybe then runs ok. Did have 1 misfire on 5, hoping it’s due to what you explained here. Great video. Thanks 👍
Thanks for posting. I finally resolved a lean codes problem with my 2000 F-150. It still has the shudder like your vehicle in this video. The shop owner suggested that I change plugs before doing anything else. It ran with lean codes for 10,000 miles dumping an unnecessary 25% extra fuel. New plugs and coils 10K miles ago and it only happens the first 10-15 miles of operation and then goes away. The final culprit on the lean codes (there were several issues) was a MAF sensor that was sending bad data to the computer. Now, off to change plugs and see what happens.
During the middle nineties, when I was still working for ‘the man’, we saw very many complaints about light throttle ‘chuggles’ in GM vehicles with the LT-1 V-8s and their ‘Opti-Spark’ ignition systems. In the majority of cases, I would find the problem lied not in the secondary at all, but rather in a malfunctioning EGR valve and replacing that usually solved the drivabilty problem. Especially with the T-56 6spd cars (a result of the ‘Skip-Shift’ solenoid that forced you to go from 1st to 4th at low speed). Indeed, I still do. The problem now is, trying to find a replacement GM EGR valve for a 96 Camaro SS.
Of course, GM solved this problem in 98 with the LS-1 as those came with a ‘Linear’ (PCM controlled) electronic EGR valve. A major improvement over the vacuum operated valves of yore.
Goes to show you like my dad used to say kiss it .. “keep it simple stupid “ look at the little things . Love learning this stuff from you ..
Love that scenic drive! Wish I lived in a city like that!!!
I am in awe at your diagnostic skills!
Eric, I get the feeling you just love to figure out what these issues are, good job man !
I have not found a boring video from you, always very informative.
Brother I've been binge watching for a while, you don't know what I'd do to learn just a fraction of what you've forgotten.
Seen that before on 6.8L V10 and 5.4L V8 engines in F350 and F250.
Great Diagnostic, will keep this for future reference.
Just watched this video after diagnosing the exact same symptoms on my 2008 Taurus X with the 3.5L V6: Engine bucks intermittently between 45 and 60 in 6th gear, no codes. It definitely feels like hitting one of those bumps where the pavement level changes. So I finally got Forscan running on my laptop, and mode 6 data showed misfires on cylinder 5 (which is fortunate: getting at the back cylinders 1-3 requires intake manifold removal). I went ahead and replaced the coil, and will probably replace the plug tomorrow even though I couldn't find any signs of a crack in the insulation. Also, I'm glad you talked about torque converter clutch failure, which was my initial concern since I had the transmission fluid replaced not that long ago.
Wow... needle in a haystack (but with a map). Carbon tracking, will need to remember this one! Thanks for another great video Eric O!
Eric thanks for helping me decide about this flat earth vs. Globe stuff. The earth is flat!! Thanks brother. I was on the fence until I watched your test drive and mentioning everything is flat. Great tips on diagnosing as always. You're the man.
Another excellent video! I never cease to be amazed by your knowledge and depth of experience. Thanks.
Good troubleshooting Eric, I do like to see you replace the bad parts to prove that you were in the right spot.
Absolutely, 100%, genuine, fascinating video! From the Mode 6 lesson to the detective work on the plug and coil. Not boring at all.
I have started using Mode 6 myself. I had a 2005 Sienna in my shop with a P0430. 174K on the clock. The Toyota service info actually mentioned looking at Mode 6 data, and listed the TID info to some extent but wasn't real clear. So I decided to try my hand at decyphering it. My Autel DS708 does NOT convert it so I had to convert the hexidecimal numbers to something I could understand. After a few hours of research and study of my data and figuring out which TID's to look at, I found the switch counts exceeding the maximum by quite a bit on bank 2 (thus the P0430.) Thinking it probably needed a converter, but knowing there was no way I'd replace the converter without replacing both O2's, I decided to replace both O2's first.
I took it for a test drive hoping to get the catalyst monitor to run but wasn't able to. However, when I went in and looked at my Mode 6 data again I found the same switch data WAY below the maximum so I was able to confirm my fix of a P0430 with new O2's--most likely the upstream A/F was the fix. Needless to say the customer was quite happy with me. It's been several months now and the P0430 hasn't returned. It takes a little practice but I'm a fan of Mode 6.
Those plugs are original (blue paint matching blue in the ribs) and the boot tube seal is available for the coil. Those plugs did well for the mileage (the gap is just as mine were at 85,000 mile on my 2009 Edge). This is just FYI. Diagnostic was well done!
Yes sir, mode 6 was helpful in finding which cylinders were misfiring on my truck. Nice find on that one.
Good video! Long time fan of the channel. To kill two birds with one stone, swap the coils of #4 and #6 and swap the plugs of #4 and #5. If the misfire moves to #6, most likely a bad coil. If the misfire moves to #5, most likely a bad spark plug. If the misfire stays at #4, perhaps low compression/stuck injector. Just a thought!
I love my Maximus 2.0 on Fords. I got the oscilloscope module that goes with it. I haven't used it in years because I also got a Verus. But if I ever need it I have it. I'll just need too remember how to set the thing back up lmao. Yes absolutely Mode 6 data is a time saver. And now I know where to look for test id definitions. Thanks !
Nailed it pal. I wish all mechs were like you.
Sweet vid Eric - love learning about the mode 6 data!
Like your video with josh post his first diagnostic video post his first year of school is start at the end of the system. Many many people believe the hype that spark plugs last 100k miles. They are cheap in the grand scheme of things so never believe the mfg. and food for thought they say no need to check gap on plugs but there is a spec and as an ecoboost owner i always change plugs early and always check the gap and have never seen mfg plugs new within spec. I always check. I always change early. And I have factory coils on a 10 yr old 3.5 ecoboost and havr never had a coil fail. Great video!
Yet more proof that a cheap picture frame holding an expensive certificate is no indicator or guarantee of expertise.
Mr. O, you are an Automotive Scientist. I'm one of many who wishes our proximities were closer so that you could be MY Automotive Scientist!
You always prove it. I want to have that ability. Now I think I’m a little bit closer. Thank you.
Stopping in to say thank you for taking the time to create such great content, very useful information!
Great investigation work, always have to think outside the box . Nice one Eric O.
I didn't fall asleep, i was with you all the way to the end :-D
Smashing diagnostic, that crack was very sneaky.
You could drive a truck through that plug gap, that could have made the tracking worse.
RUclips forgot notifications on everyone i sub to, that's why i'm a day late ::-(
Eric, that was an odd one. Thanks for taking the time to video that. I was expecting a crack when I saw the carbon trail on the boot but you said pinhole. Sounds like a faulty plug from the start and failed over time and especially with the boot that let moisture in. Thank you. Keep up the good work.
There ain't no way I'm going to give this or any other of your videos a dislike. Please do not request that, regardless of my nap schedule. Thanks.
Great stuff. I have a similar situation. Unfortunately I only have the basic scan tool . It's a rebuilt engine but there are lot's of other things which can go wrong. And yes I did change the fuel filter - and no it didn't help. Should have watched this yesterday. I have new plugs, wires and coil pack on it -10,000 miles on them.
Dude. Good catch. Most woulda just thrown a coil at it.. and then it come back months later. Or just toss a tune up at it and not really know why it happened.
I had a loose spark plug on one of these that made it run slightly rough.
Again good job
This is why we test, not guess :)
Dont you hate it when you get so wrapped up in his videos that you forget to hit the like button and have to come back to hit it. That would be me.
Bring up the video, then hit 'like', then go full screen, then watch the video. You can always hit 'like' again to turn off the 'like' but I've never had a reason to do this with Eric's videos.
Thats what I generally do, but i forgot and got wrapped up n forgot, twas my bad. DOH!!! Have a good day Joe.
That was brilliance in action. You have a good brain on your shoulders man!
Common on Ford,I used that method before , and it works, ford have a high tolerance for misfire, great tips eric
You guys are all spot on. Good stuff. I love Eric. He reminds me of me. A logical mechanic. That's how we fix shit.
Impressive diagnosis! I've never seen a tiny crack like that, good eye!
I have 3 spark plugs on my 99 silverado with visible shorts in the ceramic, you can see black lightning bolts developing. Pretty cool I think. Only one of them is misfiring, replacing them all when I have the cash.
Nice catch. I see mechanics and alot of DIY miss this exact thing. They dont take time to do a thorough investigation of the problem and look at everything. I know alot of people who would have seen that scrunched up coil and go yep coil. This is why we get paid the "big bucks", LOL
Great job finding that plug. most of the guys i know would have just thrown in a set of plugs or swapped all the coils out, while the parts cannon fixed the issue, there was no actual proof of what was wrong. i had one years ago where the inner ceramic cracked loose and slid down over the electrode blocking the spark, i actually still have that plug 25 years later. the "Tech" that worked for me didnt see it but when the plug was installed it slid down an blocked the spark gap.
Nice find. Saved this guy some money. Nice job👍
Ive never thought of using mode 6!! Awesome video 😀😀
You are a Diagnostic Genius, I learn something new today, Thanks Teach.
NOT boring, good diagnosis Doctor O ......catching you up.....only six months behind now..... ;¬)
If only I had a mechanic like him in San Diego! There’s tons of them here but can’t find one that can think past “there’s no check engine light” and “there’s no codes”. Great video! Thank you !
Those are called parts chargers not mechanics
Accidentally left closed captions on ... best day of my life 😂
had to click it just to see, pretty darned funny! "ski chosen the doctor...." Eric's narrating is not very CC compatible.
Ha ha ha ha, Keith. I guess RUclips software can't understand New York hillbilly. Who knew?
spelunkerd hillbilly?? Lol Eric doesn’t sound like a hillbilly at all.
New Level Auto LMNOP lol
New Level Auto i
I would bet you could take that plug, set it up with a buzz coil and get the spark to jump out the side when the ground was brought close. Might be a good teaching tool to show why you do need to change plugs. Could also use a tester like that to show carbon tracking ...
I need to meet you some day Blazer. Your comments are always spot on sir.
Now THAT is a compliment Bazer! Outta screen-shot that, print it out, enlarge it, and put it in a frame on your shop wall. I know I would!
Thank all of you 👍🙂
Slowly wrapping my head around code six. Thank you, sir. Your ears should be burning as I cussed you out good watching you swap the coils around. You see I just got done replacing plugs and freshening up the coils on my 99 5.4 E150.....My fifty-year-old carpenters' hands hurt right now.
Nice investigative work. I guess see another spark plug to see if the gap is excessive and if so recommend spark plugs all around.
Mode 6 gets me out of trouble everytime , thank you Mr O
Great video about the mode 6 data, viewing all the way from Guyana South America
Hello Eric, great video. I seen that same issue working with GM with cracked porcelain on the plugs
You da man Eric. .08 I think is to wide. Nr one plug on my Outback was .076 and it threw misfires so 4 new plugs. :-) No mo misfires :-) Happy June. Also I like the tours as it's the only way I'll get to see your part of NY.
Super informative. Mode six for dummies of which I am foremost. But now I feel like Route 66 with mode 6
Great catch on the possible crack in the plug. A lot of other tech's would have never caught that, and for the nominal cost of a spark plug the smart money is on changing it. Of course it did have some wear and I would recommend to the customer to change all 6 but that's just me. anyway, great video about Mode 6 data and using generic OBD 2 data. Thanks again..