# Multiple misfires, Please Help.



## PlatinumMKV (Sep 12, 2010)

My car's a 2005.5 Jetta with 52xxx miles on it. I recently was forced to fill up with 87 octane from a sketchy little gas station in a small town and halfway through the tank my car seemed to be hesitating noticeably, as if it had a misfire. I filled up the rest of the tank with 93 oct (I usually run 91 so I figured the increase in octane would help if I got bad gas at the station), and the car fell on it's face as soon as I started to drive off. The CEL flashed for maybe 2-3 seconds, I pulled over and it immediately went off. I shut the car off, checked the oil and then started her back up. There was no CEL and the car revved normally. Unfortunately I had a 300+ mile trip back to school and I had to drive my car before I could look into the problem further.

After the tank full of half sketchy gas and half 93 ran low I filled the car up with it's usual 91 octane. The next morning the car idled horribly after starting and a flashing CEL again came on again for a couple seconds. On the way home from school the CEL came on and stayed on, with no flash. I ran a scan with my VAG-COM I found codes for multiple misfires:

VCDS Version: Release 10.6.3
Data version: 20101206

Wednesday,06,April,2011,05:06:36:03949

Chassis Type: 1K0
Scan: 01 03 08 09 15 16 17 19 25 42 44 46 52 56 62 72

VIN: 3VWPF71K95M625343 Mileage: 84950km/52785miles

00-Steering Angle Sensor -- Status: OK 0000
01-Engine -- Status: Malfunction 0010
03-ABS Brakes -- Status: OK 0000
08-Auto HVAC -- Status: OK 0000
09-Cent. Elect. -- Status: OK 0000
15-Airbags -- Status: OK 0000
16-Steering wheel -- Status: OK 0000
17-Instruments -- Status: OK 0000
19-CAN Gateway -- Status: Malfunction 0010
25-Immobilizer -- Status: OK 0000
42-Door Elect, Driver -- Status: OK 0000
44-Steering Assist -- Status: OK 0000
46-Central Conv. -- Status: OK 0000
52-Door Elect, Pass. -- Status: Malfunction 0010
56-Radio -- Status: Cannot be reached 1100
62-Door, Rear Left -- Status: OK 0000
72-Door, Rear Right -- Status: OK 0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 01: Engine Labels: 06A-906-032-BGP.lbl
Part No SW: 06A 906 032 QF HW: Hardware No 
Component: 2.5l R5/4V G 6608 
Revision: 00000000 Serial number: VWZ7Z0E1719459
Coding: 0000001
Shop #: WSC 00066 000 00000
VCID: 72E1243A1429

4 Faults Found:
16684 - Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected 
P0300 - 001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent - MIL ON
16688 - Cylinder 4: Misfire Detected 
P0304 - 001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent
16685 - Cylinder 1: Misfire Detected 
P0301 - 001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent - MIL ON
16686 - Cylinder 2: Misfire Detected 
P0302 - 001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent - MIL ON
Readiness: 0000 0000

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Could bad gas be the culprit at this point?  Any help would be appreciated.


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

have you ever changed the plugs?"


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## PlatinumMKV (Sep 12, 2010)

Plugs were changed about a month ago.


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

in my car, before i was stage 2 unitronic, if i used 87oct fuel (regardless of the brand) i would experience multiple/random misfires.

so much that sometimes the car would stall, while vag com claimed :multiple misfires in all 5 cylinders.

after that i started using 93 oct and i never found the issue again ever since, and it has been +1.5 years.

again, since sparks are good, i'mm assuming a REAL bad batch of fuel...

use the best fuel available, and keep on logging to make sure that everything is ok.


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## PlatinumMKV (Sep 12, 2010)

Do you think any gas additives would help? Perhaps a water remover like Isoheet, or an octane booster? Thanks for the input btw


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

I have never been a fan, nor have I ever used aditives, I don't know about that


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## PlatinumMKV (Sep 12, 2010)

Well I added some dry gas(isoheet) and then cleared the codes. Seems to have taken care of the problem. Must have been some seriously bad gas. Guess I'll have to wait and see. Thanks for the input greyt.


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

PlatinumMKV said:


> Must have been some seriously bad gas.



thats my guess.
thats why i always try to use the best gas available


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## PlatinumMKV (Sep 12, 2010)

Yea, I do the same, I just ended up on E in the middle of nowhere and had to use a crappy station... Live and learn I guess.


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## kungfoojesus (Jan 10, 2005)

don't use 87 octane in this motor. it pulls so much timing above 3k it ain't even funny. i have no idea why VW decided to put that lil 87 octane sticker on the gas lid because its pure BS.


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

Its all about marketing.

87 is the absolute worst you can do.


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## rabbitransit (Feb 18, 2007)

water in gas...it will sit on the bottom of the tank until you add some alcohol (drygas) for it to bond too.


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## kungfoojesus (Jan 10, 2005)

rabbitransit said:


> water in gas...it will sit on the bottom of the tank until you add some alcohol (drygas) for it to bond too.


I prefer to use seafoam in my tank. Add about 1/3 the can to your gas tank when its at about the half way mark. It will clean up your injectors and clear all that water out of the gasoline. Also, sta-bil is another good product to use. That isoheet stuff drys out seals in the cylinder head and also messes with your catalytic converter in bad ways.

Just FYI advance auto has seafoam for $7 a can this month on sale, cheaper than walmart.


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## Unilateral Phase Detractor (Aug 23, 2005)

I would recommend you report your experience to whichever agency in your state deals with underground storage tanks (usually environmental, conservation, or fire marshall dept). If there is water in the gas, then the storage tanks could have a leak and be contaminating the groundwater with gasoline.


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## PlatinumMKV (Sep 12, 2010)

Well here's the thing, I was on E and didn't DECIDE to put 87 in, it was that or have it towed to a better station (this station only had 87, the other pumps were out of service). When I first got the car I ran 87 for a year with NO problems whatsoever. So yes, this was most likely water in the gas or otherwise contaminated. In all honesty I don't even know the name of the station as it was in the middle of nowhere, so I don't plan on reporting them. Either way I'm glad my car is running good so I'll be able to run it in the SCCA event tomorrow.


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## PlatinumMKV (Sep 12, 2010)

kungfoojesus said:


> I prefer to use seafoam in my tank. Add about 1/3 the can to your gas tank when its at about the half way mark. It will clean up your injectors and clear all that water out of the gasoline. Also, sta-bil is another good product to use. That isoheet stuff drys out seals in the cylinder head and also messes with your catalytic converter in bad ways.
> 
> Just FYI advance auto has seafoam for $7 a can this month on sale, cheaper than walmart.


Care to elaborate on how the isoheet stuff can damage a cat?


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