3200 Coil Pack

[rotorheadcase]

Having used "ledlights" great DIY post to read the DTCs on my pre OBD car, it has found a P0353 Ignition Coil C Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction and a P0130 O2 Sensor Circuit Bank 1 Sensor 1 error.

I recently replaced both O2 (lambda) sensors so I am surprised to see this error. Is it possible the coil pack error is causing a problem with the air/fuel ratio in that bank and this is being read by the lambda sensor and throwing up an error code as well?

Does anyone know on which side coil pack number 3 located?

Regards and thanks,

Neil

 

[conaero]

Coil pack 3 is third back on the left if you stand infront of the engine.

Swap the coil with number 1, nearest to you on the left bank and clear the errors and see if it comes back. Also swap the spark plug to number 2.

If the error moves to number 1 then you have found your culprit, if it stays with number 3 then its more than likley wiring or something else as you have highlighted.

Its been a while since I have been under a 3200 but are there not 3 or 4 Lambdas?

Combination faults like this can come back to another item such as the MAF.

If it were me, I would simply clear the error codes and see if they come back, was you CEL on?

 

[rotorheadcase]

Thanks for that Matt. I cleared all the error codes then took it for a drive. CEL light came on after around 20 min. These were the codes showing when I re-scanned it afterwards.

Only two lambdas just upstream of the primary cats ( at least on Australian delivered cars) I'll have a go at further fault finding as you've suggested and see what happens.

Regards,

Neil

 

[conaero]

Are there not 4, 2 pre and 2 post cat, I might be thinking of the 4200, as I say, its been a while since I worked on one.

I was always told when you replace the lambdas to twist the wiring 7 times in the opposite way to the way it tightens up. This way you do not have twisted wires which is what can cause a majority of the lambda errors. Did you go OEM or aftermarket with your lambdas?

I used to get the occasional issue with the GS when I de catted it, after a long run upon slow down, it would throw up a CEL.

 

[rotorheadcase]

I think that the 4200 has 4 probes, two upstream and two downstream. 3200s only have two. I bought the OEM Bosch items, but that's interesting about the wire twists. I might have to get underneath and see if the wires are chafing or twisted up.

Neil

 

[conaero]

The alfas are the same, they have pre and post car sensors, it seems off the 32 does not, but nothing surprises me with the Italians.

If you have twisted up the wiring that could be the issue.

I just had a check and you are correct, 2 pre cat sensors [18] only, some have the post thermocouplings [2] but my UK model just had them blanked off [24&25].

What you also have to consider is that if coil pack 3 on the OS bank is not firing (you would notice this and assume you do not) it would cause neat fuel to fill the cat and contaminate the Lambda on that side, so I would start with the the OS drivers side sensor first and give it a clean with something made for the job, you cant use carb cleaner from memory as it will ruin the sensors coating.

Swap the lambdas over and and see it the fault follows the lambda or stays on that bank.

 

[rotorheadcase]

I guess my next question is, what side of the car is the number 1 lambda?? If it's the same side as the faulty coil pack, this would make sense.

BTW, the thermocouples are present in my car.


Neil

 

[conaero]

Hum, indeed, I thing due to the nature of two faults on one side I would assume so, but with the Italians, logic usually goes out the window.

I'll ask Mike Roberts for you, give me a couple of hours.

 

[ledlights]

After I changed both lambdas (2 upstream on early 3200s with 2 thermocouples downstream) I still had an occasional error light and an unsteady idle. I disconnected the battery to reset the ECU and this sorted it out.

It might be worth trying this with your car too. I agree with Matt's suggestion to go further....

Steve

 

[conaero]

Nothing from Mike as yet. You could have a failed cat, it's possible.

 

[conaero]

Just heard back from Mike and yes, no 3 coil and no 1 lambda are the same side, OS/drivers side.

 

[rotorheadcase]

Great, thanks so much for your help Matt, it will go a long way in my fault finding.

Regards,

Neil

 

[Undefined]

I have had the same error code.... same P0353 for the 3rd cylinder (weird!) .... Well.... believe that I am not a good technical person... so, I blew my ECU and the coil pack (on cylinder 3) when I was swapping the coil packs to find out whether it is the problem with the coil pack or other stuff.... From the test I got, even I swapped the coil pack and clear the code, the CEL came up with the same code pointing towards cylinder 3.... Then, I screwed the car up and I took my car to the garage to repair the ECU... still wondering how come this action could blew my ECU...

Anyways, the garage just helped me to fix the ECU, of course, at the first few days, everything is normal. However the CEL light comes up again and the error code is still P0353 although new coil pack had been put into the cylinder.... Well... so far, it doesn't really affect my driving and the engine runs fine.... so, I just use my car normally without any problem...

With the new coil pack and new ECU..... I suspect that it could be due to the wiring problem.... so, my next step is to see whether the mechanics could help change the cables to the coil packs.. but as far as I know, all cables come up as a loom and may need to change quite a lot of wires in the engine room together. My worry is when I change that, the P0353 could go off, but it may bring up other problems.....

Let's see whether we can fix this problem together...