Searched the forum, can't find anything.
'98 2.4L z24

Engine is missing pretty bad. Code P0302 comes up - cylinder 2 misfire. OK

-Replaced all plugs
-Hooked up spark plug wires in place of those boot things to check if those boot things are ok.
-Swapped around plugs

-All cylinders have good spark

-Took off fuel rail, all injectors are good.

-Compression is good


Cylinder 2 is still dead. WTF is going on?

Any ideas?

Additional info,
260,000kms on engine and ran PERFECT until all of a sudden this happens.

Oil changed every 5,000km (with synthetic + oil stabilizer) since I bought it 2 years ago. Fuel injector cleaner every 5,000 or 10,000km.

Contemplating just ditching this car for another.

Prolly a quad driver issue. ITs not just the boots that go out on those motors, its ALOT of times the actual quad driver inside the IDI cover. Try getting a spare cover and swapping it in and I bet that will fix your problem.

Just a tip, dont use oil stabilizer. Anyone who's been inside a motor that regularly gets a treatment of it knows why. Oil does just fine on its own especially if its high quality and changed at regular intervals. You dont need anything diluting it. If it claims to keep parts clean, well typically that means its got way too many detergents in it and you lose precious lubrication. If it claims to help lubrication its going to change the viscosity and otherwise alter the way it "sticks" which is almost always a bad thing and can lead to glazing of the rings and other bad juju.

Just change the oil, maybe use a higher viscosity just since its obviously an old motor (try 10w30 in the summer, stick with 5w in the winter) But otherwise all an additive is ever going to do is put money in someone elses pocket, thats all they are ever designed to do. If any car manufacturers needed it, they would have told you to use it.



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards

Quad driver?

Shouldn't that bring up a CEL and give me a code if it fails.

Everything works, I'm thinking a valve is bent or stuck or something. Maybe one of my cams is worn down.
I put the stabilizer in to get rid of the clack clack valvetrain noise I've had for 2 years since I bought it. Maybe my valvetrain is finally dead.

I guess firing could be off..

I'm going to try and get a complete one of those plastic tree things that goes under the "2.4 TWIN CAM" cover from a wrecker and see if that does anything.

By "IDI cover", you mean the "2.4 TWIN CAM" engine cover thing?
and the "quad driver" is that ignition module/unit?

I'll throw some parts at it to avoid taking the valve train (ergo everything ) apart ! Nice design though on the top end of this engine, this was the easiest ignition and fuel injector removal I've ever done.

Thanks for the help.

had same problem but didnt code, its always almost the same dang thing with everyone.


The "plastic WHITE Tree" with metal ends coming out of it as you call it is most likely the soruce of the problem.
There is actaully a real easy way of telling. pop your hood, turn on the car and turn on a/c. now go look under the hood if you hear like a werid ticking from the IDI cover (the idi is the one that says 2.4l twin cam etc) then its 99% your Coil Mount Bracket, which is the "white tree"
dont waste time trying to see if its damage you cant really tell by looking at it, or checking the springs(inside the mount bracket there is the coils themselves, which connect to the plastic though a spring connection)

anyway its a easy job, if that dont fix it buy the two coils too.

OK, it's not the Coil mount, ignition module or coil packs. I got a complete set of everything today and tried it. Cylinder 2 is still dead, and the only one that is dead.

Time to take out the cams I guess, ugh.

Any more ideas?

sticky lifters?

bent valve?

Sure its not your injectors or injector driver?

Throw a noid light on #2, see if its firing.



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards