Is it time to sell?
Just replaced the O2 sensors.Disco ran well after but check engine light kept flashing. I drove about 10 miles and then disconnected the battery to clear the codes. I will drive it tomorrow and have the codes checked. Would it take anytime for the engine computer to correct for the new sensors or should their affect be immediate?
No specific code. Forum members and others have advised that bad O2 sensors can cause multiple misfires. As they have 180K miles on them I figured they should be replaced and might make a difference. I plan to have the code re-read tomorrow. Right after replacing the sensors I got the flowing codes. As I understand more useful information can be gleaned from a new reading.
P0308 Cylinder 8 Misfire Detected
P0300 Random Misfire Detected
P1300 Catalyst damaging misfire multiple cylinders C:Signal out of range -above maximum
P0305 Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected
P0307 Cylinder 7 Misfire Detected
P166E
The next step I think is to put in new plugs. These plugs, wires and coils are 20K mile old.
P0308 Cylinder 8 Misfire Detected
P0300 Random Misfire Detected
P1300 Catalyst damaging misfire multiple cylinders C:Signal out of range -above maximum
P0305 Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected
P0307 Cylinder 7 Misfire Detected
P166E
The next step I think is to put in new plugs. These plugs, wires and coils are 20K mile old.
I have not pulled any plugs. I will try to do that to tomorrow if the snow is not too bad. What should I be looking for exactly?
The plugs next to the firewall, furthest rear, will show if the HG is leaking coolant. Good to check.
As long as you are doing wires/plugs, change your coil pack.
I think I used Standard Motor products coils, Eastborne wires, NGK plugs. I have used both aftermarket and Bosch parts, I’d probably do Bosch if I did it again. To be fair, this is just a feeling. I have noticed a Bosch Throttle Position Sensor seems to make the engine happier.
if you are feeling frisky, you could also do the seals on the Injectors or put in rebuilt injectors.
I would recommend taking off the upper manifold. This job can be done in a day, easy.
As long as you are doing wires/plugs, change your coil pack.
I think I used Standard Motor products coils, Eastborne wires, NGK plugs. I have used both aftermarket and Bosch parts, I’d probably do Bosch if I did it again. To be fair, this is just a feeling. I have noticed a Bosch Throttle Position Sensor seems to make the engine happier.
if you are feeling frisky, you could also do the seals on the Injectors or put in rebuilt injectors.
I would recommend taking off the upper manifold. This job can be done in a day, easy.
Last edited by CollieRover; Jan 19, 2019 at 07:07 AM.
The plugs next to the firewall, furthest rear, will show if the HG is leaking coolant. Good to check.
As long as you are doing wires/plugs, change your coil pack.
I think I used Standard Motor products coils, Eastborne wires, NGK plugs. I have used both aftermarket and Bosch parts, I’d probably do Bosch if I did it again. To be fair, this is just a feeling. I have noticed a Bosch Throttle Position Sensor seems to make the engine happier.
if you are feeling frisky, you could also do the seals on the Injectors or put in rebuilt injectors.
I would recommend taking off the upper manifold. This job can be done in a day, easy.
As long as you are doing wires/plugs, change your coil pack.
I think I used Standard Motor products coils, Eastborne wires, NGK plugs. I have used both aftermarket and Bosch parts, I’d probably do Bosch if I did it again. To be fair, this is just a feeling. I have noticed a Bosch Throttle Position Sensor seems to make the engine happier.
if you are feeling frisky, you could also do the seals on the Injectors or put in rebuilt injectors.
I would recommend taking off the upper manifold. This job can be done in a day, easy.
[b=left]P0308 [/b]Cylinder 8 Misfire Detected=left
[b=left]P0300 [/b]Random Misfire Detected=left
[b=left]P1300 [/b]Catalyst damaging misfire multiple cylinders C:Signal out of range -above maximum=left
[b=left]P0305 [/b]Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected=left
The Check Engine Light is flashing and I am hesitant to drive the vehicle. If I can determine there is coolant on the rearmost plugs does that necessitate a new head gasket? Would I be wasting my time replacing the plugs first?
Hi Eric. I’ve been watching this thread but haven’t had a chance to reply until now. You’ve gotten a lot of ideas and advice from a lot of experienced and well-intentioned forum members, but please don’t be scared off.
First, DO NOT DRIVE THE TRUCK if the Service Engine Soon light is flashing. A flashing SES light indicates catalyst-damaging misfires.
That said, the likelihood that the truck needs an engine rebuild is very, very, very, very small. Take a deep breath. Don’t panic.
Forum members have told you it could be this and it could be that causing the misfires. It could be any of those things, but before leaping to a worst-case scenario conclusion I recommend you start with a more careful diagnosis. The probability that multiple misfires are caused by a headgasket failure, a slipped sleeve or a cracked block is small. Those problems most often result from the truck driven while overheated.
You wrote that you are not mechanically inclined and are without a garage. That may very well mean it’s time or nearing time to sell your Rover and move on. A 19-year old Discovery with 178,000 miles needs a “Rover whisperer” to keep going. But I recommend first solving the misfire problem; otherwise you’ll get little to nothing for it if you sell.
You say the truck has new plugs, wires and coils. The codes from last June are now irrelevant, even if they end up now being the same as before. It’s important to know whether the codes are all on one side of the engine (i.e. all even-numbered cylinders or all odd-numbered cylinders). And although you likely have misfire codes you may also have codes indicating vacuum leaks, which are very common. Vacuum leaks can cause misfires, as can bad O2 sensors. As someone else wrote, diagnose, diagnose, diagnose.
It would be great if there were a forum member near you who could help you out but off the top of my head I don’t recall anyone in your area. I’d help if you were closer.
First, DO NOT DRIVE THE TRUCK if the Service Engine Soon light is flashing. A flashing SES light indicates catalyst-damaging misfires.
That said, the likelihood that the truck needs an engine rebuild is very, very, very, very small. Take a deep breath. Don’t panic.
Forum members have told you it could be this and it could be that causing the misfires. It could be any of those things, but before leaping to a worst-case scenario conclusion I recommend you start with a more careful diagnosis. The probability that multiple misfires are caused by a headgasket failure, a slipped sleeve or a cracked block is small. Those problems most often result from the truck driven while overheated.
You wrote that you are not mechanically inclined and are without a garage. That may very well mean it’s time or nearing time to sell your Rover and move on. A 19-year old Discovery with 178,000 miles needs a “Rover whisperer” to keep going. But I recommend first solving the misfire problem; otherwise you’ll get little to nothing for it if you sell.
You say the truck has new plugs, wires and coils. The codes from last June are now irrelevant, even if they end up now being the same as before. It’s important to know whether the codes are all on one side of the engine (i.e. all even-numbered cylinders or all odd-numbered cylinders). And although you likely have misfire codes you may also have codes indicating vacuum leaks, which are very common. Vacuum leaks can cause misfires, as can bad O2 sensors. As someone else wrote, diagnose, diagnose, diagnose.
It would be great if there were a forum member near you who could help you out but off the top of my head I don’t recall anyone in your area. I’d help if you were closer.
Current codes after swapping plugs 8 and 6.
P0308 Cylinder 8 Misfire
P0300 Random Misfire
P0305 Cylinder 5 Misfire
P1300 Catalyst damaging misfire multiple cylinders
The only code I've removed is P166E. That one cleared after replacing O2 Sensors.


