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Bank 2 misfires (all cyls 5-8), reduced power mode, no other codes (any more)

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    Bank 2 misfires (all cyls 5-8), reduced power mode, no other codes (any more)

    Cliff’s:

    - Had misfires on all bank 2 cylinders, rough running, reduced power mode.
    - Went away when codes were cleared and adaptations reset, then gradually came back over several startups.
    - At first the misfire codes came with precat O2 sensor and catalytic converter codes. Swapping in a different used precat O2 sensor solved the O2 & cat codes, but bank 2 misfires (all cylinders) and reduced power mode eventually came back.
    - Now running with a brand new O2 sensor. Idle often seems a hair rougher than I'm used to, but no other identifiable issues after ~500 miles (will update this number periodically).


    Questions:

    1. While the engine is running with no codes, what can I check to see if there's a subtle problem other than that O2 sensor, and how?
    2. If the engine continues to run with no misfires, how long can I wait until I assume the problem is resolved?




    Full story:

    Recently, with no warning I could discern, my car went into reduced power mode while in cruise on the highway. Fault codes per ProTool:

    2789 – Catalytic-converter conversion, bank 1
    278A – Catalytic-converter conversion, bank 2
    27E2 – Oxygen sensor behind catalytic converter, bank 2, signal
    2B39 – Misfire with cutoff, cyl. 5
    2B3A – Misfire with cutoff, cyl. 6
    2B3B – Misfire with cutoff, cyl. 7
    2B3C – Misfire with cutoff, cyl. 8
    2B41 – Misfire with cutout, several cylinders
    2B57 – [engine protection mode]
    2796 – [engine protection mode]
    2B5D – Cruise control, deactivation
    2729 – Oxygen sensor, coast-mode diagnosis before cat., bank 2

    Clearing the codes permitted a short time of decent running, but the codes and reduced power mode came back soon afterward. Ended up doing this a few times on the way home. Sometimes the codes included “misfire[s] affecting emissions”, again on cyls 5-8. Occasionally there was an unrelated code, like a cylinder 4 misfire or a code for the low pressure fuel sensor (recently replaced). But I always got 2B39 - 2B3C (misfires on cylinders 5-8) and 2729 (precat O2).

    For testing purposes, I swapped in an old precat O2 sensor, cleared the codes, and reset adaptations (hadn’t tried resetting adaptations until this point). It ran slightly rough on the first drive, but didn’t drop into reduced power mode. Misfire codes came back (2B39 - 2B3C) without throwing a CEL. There were no other codes. I cleared the codes for the drive home and everything seemed fine.

    Was going to address it further but the engine continued running well as far as I could tell. There was some slightly rough running, but not beyond what I’d expect from having just cleared adaptations and driving through wild ambient temp swings like we’ve had around here.

    After several days and 500+ miles, it again dropped into reduced power mode. Again, the only codes were for bank 2 misfires (2B39 - 2B3C). Cleared the codes and reset adaptations, and everything was fine for the rest of the day. The engine wasn’t quite as smooth as I’m used to at certain RPMs (mainly a weird vibration at ~half or more throttle around 2k RPM), but it didn’t throw any codes or do anything really stupid.

    I tried to feel for exhaust leaks between the header flange and the primary cat on bank 2, and didn’t find any. Then I replaced the precat O2 sensor with a brand new one. Cleared adaptations and hit the road. I’ve done a little more than 500 miles since then. So far, no codes or reduced power mode. The engine seems to idle a little rougher, but it's smooth and responsive everywhere else so I don’t know what to make of that. Maybe I’m just overly sensitive at this point.

    Any thoughts on what might have happened? Hope it was nothing beyond the O2 sensor, but I’ve never seen an O2 sensor fail like this…

    Are there any diagnostics I can do? Maybe DME parameters I could monitor that might point to a developing problem, like fuel trims or smooth running?
    Last edited by IamFODI; 03-06-2022, 12:54 PM.
    2008 M3 Sedan 6MT
    Slicktop, no iDrive | Öhlins by 3DM Motorsport | Autosolutions | SPL

    2012 Mazda5 6MT
    Koni Special Active, Volvo parts

    #2
    Maybe there is an issue with the cat on bank 2. Not sure how much you track your car, but this thread came to mind - https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1520978

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Slideways View Post
      Maybe there is an issue with the cat on bank 2. Not sure how much you track your car, but this thread came to mind - https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1520978
      Thanks. Melted/clogged cat did come to mind. I have tracked the car, though only 7 track days so far, and at a novice/intermediate pace.

      What's interesting to me is how consistent the pattern seems. Resetting fuel trims seemed to make the engine run fine, and then the problem crept back progressively. I've driven on a collapsed cat before (previous car) and the effect was really random, sometimes getting better and worse over the course of a single drive. Maybe one of my bank 2 cats is partially melted but not collapsed – but then wouldn't the problem persist regardless of whether I had just reset the fuel trims? IDK...

      Either way, I guess inspection is in order, as is mild driving until then.
      Last edited by IamFODI; 02-27-2022, 05:47 AM.
      2008 M3 Sedan 6MT
      Slicktop, no iDrive | Öhlins by 3DM Motorsport | Autosolutions | SPL

      2012 Mazda5 6MT
      Koni Special Active, Volvo parts

      Comment


        #4
        When it is a whole bank of cylinder misfires, things that come to mind to check on that bank are pre-cat 02, camshaft sensors, VANOS solenoid, damaged wiring harness, failed cat or DME issue. Do you have a set of test pipes you can try temporarily? Based on the codes, the only thing they point to after the O2 sensor is an issue with the cat (most likely the primary one).
        Last edited by Slideways; 02-27-2022, 06:46 AM.

        Comment


          #5
          No test pipes here unfortunately.

          Stock x-pipes with intact cats seem hard to come by, too...
          2008 M3 Sedan 6MT
          Slicktop, no iDrive | Öhlins by 3DM Motorsport | Autosolutions | SPL

          2012 Mazda5 6MT
          Koni Special Active, Volvo parts

          Comment


            #6
            Any recent work such as plugs, coils, injectors, valve covers that these issues started after?

            For example a bad ground would cause that whole bank to misfire.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by tdott View Post
              Any recent work such as plugs, coils, injectors, valve covers that these issues started after?

              For example a bad ground would cause that whole bank to misfire.
              All those items are at least 28k miles old, and the last time I touched anything related to them was 19k miles ago.

              Maybe that's the problem, TBH....

              I'll recheck the ground when I get a chance.

              Any ideas on what DME parameters I can monitor to see if there's still a subtle issue somewhere?
              Last edited by IamFODI; 02-27-2022, 07:01 PM.
              2008 M3 Sedan 6MT
              Slicktop, no iDrive | Öhlins by 3DM Motorsport | Autosolutions | SPL

              2012 Mazda5 6MT
              Koni Special Active, Volvo parts

              Comment


                #8
                If possible it would help if you could log parameters with for instance TestO from Pheno. The pre-cat lambda value(s) or voltages would help. Sometimes a sensor fails and causes a drift. lambda 1 is more 1.05 and causes issues. Run the engine in mid-high rpms and release throttle so fuel cut is present. Lambda values should rise as the voltage. If one doesn't do this it's likely a failing sensor. Other things that come up is fuel pressure/delivery but I would suspect codes for it as well. Other than that the catalyst which was already mentioned. A back pressure measurement would be helpful but not so easy.

                Maybe you can show the fuel trims and other adaptions from INPA.

                Comment

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