Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[terry paget]

2010 Astra H 1.6 petrol manual
engine light on code p0301-01 cylinder 1 misfire detected
Son Jonny popped home today, happened to mention engine light on, he assumed it was emissions. I plugged in diagnoser, up came the code P0301-01 cylinder 1 misfire detected. I could detect a misfire on pickup too.
I removed plug cover and ignition stick of 4 coils, and saw oil in cylinders 2 and 3, plugs barely visible. I sucked the oil out, then removed the coil assembly and all 4 plug. I washed them in petrol, plug gaps were all about 1mm, so I reduced them to 0.9mm, and reassembled. Misfire is still present, code soon reappears.
I presume I need to change the cam cover gasket and the plugs. I had hoped my cleaning of the plugs and coil sticks would have cured the misfire temporarily, but it has not.

Please advise.

[dave the builder]

If you've cleaned it all and swapped plugs and there is still a miss-fire on the same cylinder then suspect the coil pack
you have another 1.6 astra spares car ?
also there is a 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover
new covers with gaskets are cheap and available ,or you can replace just the pcv rubber valve
check if the dipstick sucks with the engine running , and if the oil filler cap sucks with the engine running
if it does,suspect the pcv in the rocker cover
worth checking before you replace the gasket
another issue ,the torx bolts above the manicat that hold the front of the rocker cover can seize in ,sheer off 
I know this from experience  had to drill and re-tap

[terry paget]

If you've cleaned it all and swapped plugs and there is still a miss-fire on the same cylinder then suspect the coil pack
you have another 1.6 astra spares car ?
also there is a 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover
new covers with gaskets are cheap and available ,or you can replace just the pcv rubber valve
check if the dipstick sucks with the engine running , and if the oil filler cap sucks with the engine running
if it does,suspect the pcv in the rocker cover
worth checking before you replace the gasket
another issue ,the torx bolts above the manicat that hold the front of the rocker cover can seize in ,sheer off 
I know this from experience  had to drill and re-tap

Thanks for dvice nd quick response, Dave. I did not replace the plugs, had no spares, just cleaned, regapped and replaced. I can buy new tomorrow, at Halfords, they might cure it. As you sasy, I hae a spare plug stick in my donor car.
Where is the 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover?
What is the manicat?

[dave the builder]

If you've cleaned it all and swapped plugs and there is still a miss-fire on the same cylinder then suspect the coil pack
you have another 1.6 astra spares car ?
also there is a 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover
new covers with gaskets are cheap and available ,or you can replace just the pcv rubber valve
check if the dipstick sucks with the engine running , and if the oil filler cap sucks with the engine running
if it does,suspect the pcv in the rocker cover
worth checking before you replace the gasket
another issue ,the torx bolts above the manicat that hold the front of the rocker cover can seize in ,sheer off 
I know this from experience  had to drill and re-tap

Thanks for dvice nd quick response, Dave. I did not replace the plugs, had no spares, just cleaned, regapped and replaced. I can buy new tomorrow, at Halfords, they might cure it. As you sasy, I hae a spare plug stick in my donor car.
Where is the 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover?
What is the manicat?

the PCV is built into the underside (inside) the rocker cover ,hence test before you just fit a gasket ,it may need a new rocker cover or valve 
manicat is the combined cat and exhaust manifold, bolted to the head at the front of the engine
Halfords is a terrible place to buy things like plugs , twice or three times the cost of a good factors ,whip a spare plug out the spares car, along with the coil pack for now  spend money when you need to

[terry paget]

If you've cleaned it all and swapped plugs and there is still a miss-fire on the same cylinder then suspect the coil pack
you have another 1.6 astra spares car ?
also there is a 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover
new covers with gaskets are cheap and available ,or you can replace just the pcv rubber valve
check if the dipstick sucks with the engine running , and if the oil filler cap sucks with the engine running
if it does,suspect the pcv in the rocker cover
worth checking before you replace the gasket
another issue ,the torx bolts above the manicat that hold the front of the rocker cover can seize in ,sheer off 
I know this from experience  had to drill and re-tap

Thanks for dvice nd quick response, Dave. I did not replace the plugs, had no spares, just cleaned, regapped and replaced. I can buy new tomorrow, at Halfords, they might cure it. As you sasy, I hae a spare plug stick in my donor car.
Where is the 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover?
What is the manicat?

the PCV is built into the underside (inside) the rocker cover ,hence test before you just fit a gasket ,it may need a new rocker cover or valve 
manicat is the combined cat and exhaust manifold, bolted to the head at the front of the engine
Halfords is a terrible place to buy things like plugs , twice or three times the cost of a good factors ,whip a spare plug out the spares car, along with the coil pack for now  spend money when you need to

If you've cleaned it all and swapped plugs and there is still a miss-fire on the same cylinder then suspect the coil pack
you have another 1.6 astra spares car ?
also there is a 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover
new covers with gaskets are cheap and available ,or you can replace just the pcv rubber valve
check if the dipstick sucks with the engine running , and if the oil filler cap sucks with the engine running
if it does,suspect the pcv in the rocker cover
worth checking before you replace the gasket
another issue ,the torx bolts above the manicat that hold the front of the rocker cover can seize in ,sheer off 
I know this from experience  had to drill and re-tap

Thanks for dvice nd quick response, Dave. I did not replace the plugs, had no spares, just cleaned, regapped and replaced. I can buy new tomorrow, at Halfords, they might cure it. As you sasy, I hae a spare plug stick in my donor car.
Where is the 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover?
What is the manicat?

the PCV is built into the underside (inside) the rocker cover ,hence test before you just fit a gasket ,it may need a new rocker cover or valve 
manicat is the combined cat and exhaust manifold, bolted to the head at the front of the engine
Halfords is a terrible place to buy things like plugs , twice or three times the cost of a good factors ,whip a spare plug out the spares car, along with the coil pack for now  spend money when you need to

Thanks again. I will investigate the valve tomorrow, it's a bit late now.
I agree Halfords are very dear. I will plunder the donor car for plugs, and check out plug stick. I have suffered before struggling to remove exhaust manifolds, so hope that does not prove necessary.

[Shackeng]

If you've cleaned it all and swapped plugs and there is still a miss-fire on the same cylinder then suspect the coil pack
you have another 1.6 astra spares car ?
also there is a 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover
new covers with gaskets are cheap and available ,or you can replace just the pcv rubber valve
check if the dipstick sucks with the engine running , and if the oil filler cap sucks with the engine running
if it does,suspect the pcv in the rocker cover
worth checking before you replace the gasket
another issue ,the torx bolts above the manicat that hold the front of the rocker cover can seize in ,sheer off 
I know this from experience  had to drill and re-tap

Thanks for dvice nd quick response, Dave. I did not replace the plugs, had no spares, just cleaned, regapped and replaced. I can buy new tomorrow, at Halfords, they might cure it. As you sasy, I hae a spare plug stick in my donor car.
Where is the 1 way pcv valve built into the rocker cover?
What is the manicat?

the PCV is built into the underside (inside) the rocker cover ,hence test before you just fit a gasket ,it may need a new rocker cover or valve 
manicat is the combined cat and exhaust manifold, bolted to the head at the front of the engine
Halfords is a terrible place to buy things like plugs , twice or three times the cost of a good factors ,whip a spare plug out the spares car, along with the coil pack for now  spend money when you need to

With a trade card they are very competitive, sometimes even cheaper than Eurocraparts

[TheBoy]

Yes, Halfords Trade bring them into just that "a bit expensive, but acceptable and convenient" bracket, in the same way an ECP 50% off does.

[dave the builder]

 I have suffered before struggling to remove exhaust manifolds, so hope that does not prove necessary.

It isn't necessary to remove the manifold,manicat , you've misunderstood .
the bolts that hold down the plastic rocker cover at the front (directly above the manifold ) are the bolts that seize 

a complete rocker cover ,with built in PCV valve  and the gasket ,and all new bolts where less than £30 off ebay with UK stock . the last 2 i did 

[Andy B]

WTF is a plug stick?.

[dave the builder]

WTF is a plug stick?.

it's Bristol speak for coil pack 

[Andy B]

WTF is a plug stick?.

it's Bristol speak for coil pack 

Ah! It's puzzled me since the thread started. 
Why doesn't Tel call it a coil pack then ..... 

[dave the builder]

WTF is a plug stick?.

it's Bristol speak for coil pack 

Ah! It's puzzled me since the thread started. 
Why doesn't Tel call it a coil pack then ..... 

it's short for ....

magic sparky lightning maker plug box that sticks to the top of the engine   

[Andy B]

....
it's short for ....

magic sparky lightning maker plug box that sticks to the top of the engine   

[terry paget]

 I have suffered before struggling to remove exhaust manifolds, so hope that does not prove necessary.

It isn't necessary to remove the manifold,manicat , you've misunderstood .
the bolts that hold down the plastic rocker cover at the front (directly above the manifold ) are the bolts that seize 

a complete rocker cover ,with built in PCV valve  and the gasket ,and all new bolts where less than £30 off ebay with UK stock . the last 2 i did 

Really? I was about to pay more than that for a gasket. Please send me a reference.
Cam belt is due a change (5 years and 80000 miles old), and I thought I would do it at the same time. I have no record of a water pump change, that could be due (175,000 miles) too.
I shall call it a coil pack henceforth.

[Andy B]

....
I shall call it a coil pack henceforth.