Hello all, I'm at a loss and could really use some advice please. I recently swapped my motor due to my timing belt tensioner failing while driving. The motor swap went smooth but once I fired up the new engine I get a misfire code for cylinder #3...P0303. I did all the normal diagnostics such as swapping a plug, coil, and injector from another cylinder but the misfire remains on cylinder 3. I did a compression test and get 180 on all cylinders except for #3 which has 160. I put some oil in the cylinder and it seemed to help build up the pressure closer to 180 but the misfire is still there. The misfire seems to be at low idle and is also evident under load. I'm not really sure what to do at this point. Could the timing be off and causing this? I did put a new timing belt on it, could I have not set the timing correctly? If so, why would it only affect one cylinder? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also the motor sat for about a year prior to being installed. I also put some Sea foam in the oil and did an "Italian tune up" in case it had a stuck lifter or valve...no help, same issue.

 

I tried several coils, a new spark plug.... the problem must be in the "distributor"..... but of course there is none... so what plays its role.... according to the rather puny chilton book the fuel and the ignition are controlled by the same gizmo.... WHAT AND WHERE IS IT.... agood clue would be the colors of the wires.... in two hours I will be at a you-pull-it junkyard... good luck to me, us

 

If when you moved the coils around but the misfire didnt change that could mean it is not spark related.You say the engine was not running for a year I suggest to clean all the injectors or simply replace them from the blown engine..On the other hand I did find that the codes marking the misfire cylinders are not correct.I had a code for cylinder 4 but it was the 3rd which misfired.

 

Every time mine misfired it was the coils including a time when I did not secure the connector onto the coil. Maybe even spring for all new ignition parts to make absolutely sure your new engine runs as it should.