Car is a 2004, 65k miles, dino oil changed every 3k miles. Latest PCM flash, upgraded starter, battery, alternator, and 4 sets of new plugs/coils since inception. Recall performed.

Sunday evening driving car and under WOT 6.5k rpm, engine is misfiring and does not sound right, CEL blinking. Had a similar issue before, so I thought it was the ignition system. Went home and got my dealer paperwork )for parts warranty as I had coils, plugs, and wires changed again 5/2009) then limped her to dealership. Noticed something as I was idleing the car, smoke coming out the exhaust that looks like burning oil. This did not happen previous time. The car's been in the shop since they looked at it Monday morning.

Got a call from dealership and said they did compression tests and vacuum test and a road test (I'm not sure if they went through the entire lack of power TSB) and are going to change out the following tomorrow morning:

1.Cat
2.Coils
3.Sparkplugs
4.O2 Sensor (only one not under warranty)

They said they would test drive her again after this has been done.

Should they change out all the above then do the full TSB test again? Seems like if the above 4 issues are not the problems, they will just ruin another cat? I read the "New Engine Club" thread and am I being paranoid because my car fits 90% of the description of 2004's that need new engines. The dealer said that car fits description as though car was flooded as they had a hard time cranking her up on Monday morning, but the symptoms started when I was driving her, so it can't be flooded... or can it? Any tips on what I should say to the dealer to get this right and save some time?

My worst fear is I will drive it home with a band-aid fix and I'll get stranded and do this whole waiting game again. Also, am I responsible for the 02 Sensor or is that something that conked out due to the CAT, etc other failure? Seems like they are taking so long on this sort of simple fix (3 hours?).

TIA

 

What were the readings on the compression test? If you've read the "new engine club" thread then you have plenty of data in your pocket about the dealer giving you that data and what good/bad readings look like.

 

Word, you're right. There is a lot of ammo on that thread but at the time of my post and talking with the dealer, I only had access to the website through my phone which is not the fastest.

But turns out I am getting a new engine anyway, so my guess was right. Oh well. Now I'm torn about what to do after I get the car back.

 

o2 sensor is part of the emissions 80k mile warranty.

beers

 

Hey man, on my phone browser again, any reference u can direct me? I thought 02 was covered 8 years only in CA.
TIA