Spark plug problem?

[Martyn1989]

I have only had my Seat Ibiza 1.4 Chill (51) for a week, and the engine warning light appeared about 4 days ago.

I plugged my computer into the car, and apparently the engine had been misfiring on cylinders 1 and 3. I turned the light off, but today the light appeared again and the computer diagnosed it to be exactly the same problem (on cylinders 1 and 3). I then put the car in the garage after resetting the light, and the engine warning light came on straight away (flashing).

I'm no expert on cars, but I am willing to learn. Does it sound like I have a spark plug problem, or is it something more sinister?

Cheers lads.

 

[RUM4MO]

If I were you, I'd take the plugs out and have a look at them - these cars use the most expensive plugs that Halfords sell NGK ones. When my daughter got her 51 1.4 Chill the plugs were probably original (at about 3 years and 35,000 miles) and one or two were totally goosed - and reporting a single cylinder misfire (I think).

Only other thing, and I've forgotten this fact - check to see what "kind" of coil the car has - what I am getting at is, it might just be a dual double ended one which means that it works on the "wasted spark" principle - or so it was called, what this means is that the plugs get fired twice a complete cycle so the one that needs it - rising on its power stroke, maybe in this case "1" and its opposite number that is rising on the exhaust stoke in this case maybe "3". I'm fairly confidant that these cars have that system and just use a crankshaft positional sensor to work out when to fire.

Mind you, its good to see someone that has armed themselves with a code reader - not can make life a lot easier!

 

[Martyn1989]

Thanks for the reply mate.

How would I go about checking what 'kind' of coil my car has? It does sound like the more likely option to me, especially as the problem is happening on two of the cylinders (where if it was a spark plug, it would just be the one cylinder?).

 

[RUM4MO]

Follow the plug leads back and if they all go into a metal laminated "thing" that also has a low voltage cable going into it, then you have one of these "DIS" coil systems.

 

[Martyn1989]

They go into a grey thing?

I can't get the bloody engine cover off to inspect my spark plugs either. None of the socket wrench pieces I have fit the bolt (one is just too big, and one just too small), does anyone know what size piece I need?

 

[Martyn1989]

Does anyone know the socket size I need to remove my engine cover?

Cheers.