Oh no, multi codes = valve problems? (123, 300, 302, 303, 351, 352, 1193)

[Chicago_gal]

2001 2.0L PT Cruiser
90K miles
Tune-up at 75K

The Engine Malfunction light went on last Saturday (10/17). I did not notice any obvious problems starting or running at the time. By Tuesday afternoon it had gone out, so I was, of course, blissfully hoping the problem had solved itself. Not so. It had a very stuttered start on Thursday evening (second start of the day). After this stuttered start, the car was slow to pick-up, the light was not on, but ran fine on the highway and city driving. On Friday morning, the malfunction light came on again. Another stuttered start, but seemingly fine after that.

Took it to my brother’s mechanic on Saturday, 10/24. Before leaving it with them, the codes read P300 and P303. (Thanks to the forum for instructions on how to do this.) Mechanic pulled off the intake (I think that is what he said) and said that #2 and #3 cylinders have no compression. He said he would have to take off the cylinder head, minimum of 12 hours labor, to see what is wrong. $1,200 for labor alone was way beyond my expense threshold, plus I needed to get home and couldn’t leave my car through Monday. I have driven the car about 95 miles since this diagnosis.

Oh no, the codes now read:

P1193 Inlet air temperature sensor voltage is wrong
P351 Coil #1 is not reaching peak current at the right time
P352 Coil #2 is not reaching peak current at the right time
P300 Misfire detected in multiple cylinders.
P302 Misfire detected in cylinder #2.
P303 Misfire detected in cylinder #3.
P123 Throttle position sensor voltage high

I’m not an auto DIYer, although I’m seriously considering taking some ASE classes at the community college for the sake of helping myself, my family and friends to avoid this sense of helplessness when it comes to car repair.

Lots of questions:

Can you please educate me a bit with regard to these codes and what repairs are needed, so I can feel more comfortable bringing this to the mechanic near me? Is 12 hrs to remove the head normal? He mentioned it could involve R&R two cylinders at $1,000, is that possible? Do all these codes go hand in hand with the zero compression? Would I be pushing my luck with continuing to drive the car? I read in one forum that P123 could indicate an unplugged or not fully plugged in TPS. Can I simply reach this with my hand and check?

Coincidence? On 9/5/09, I had the lower gasket, oil filter housing and the oil sender replaced by the above mechanic. Since then and before the engine light came on, I had three occasions when the Oil light would come on at idle after 20 minutes of stop/go driving. Light would turn off upon acceleration. On Saturday, the same mechanic put in a new oil sender unit- or so they said. I haven’t been in stop/go traffic to test it. Could this have caused the engine problems?

Thanks much in advance for your advice and guidance!!!

[cruserdad1976]

I cant help on the codes but i can tell you this

if there was NO compression in 2 cylinders of a 4 cyl engine it might start but driving it anyplace would be a chore

Think about it the PT has a low HP engine anyway---- and now you have cut that in half???? and try to move a brick down the highway

Id say that when the guy put it back together he did not get things hooked up correctly

Keep in mind in not slamming your mec---- but it sounds like either some connections are not good and tight,,, or something is not hooked up at all,, are some wires got broken and or messed up

this is just my 2cents worth others will have better ideas

[cruserdad1976]

OK reread your post, im not sure what R & R two cylinders actually is --- cause im real sure you can not replace 2 cylinders---now you could hone them or you could just rebuild the entire engine, or maybe replace the 2 pistons with new rings im not 100% sure--maybe redo the heads???? need more info

To get this into( removing the head) a motor you would for sure do the timing belt oil pump water pump I mean it could get way big dollar in a hurry, so depending on exact ally what he is going to repair and replace $1200 is not bad but if its just the the head its kind of high plus you will have other added on expensive s


One more thing you said he replaced the oiil filter housing some one needs to pull that up i thought mine was made with the block

as far as driving it It all depends on what is really wrong id get a second opinion

[Chicago_gal]

Thanks for your response Dad. I might be wrong in my recollection of the mechanic saying R&R of the valves. I do know that he said it would take at least 12 hours to see what needed to be repaired under the head.

I like the sound of connections not being tight or hooked up.

Any other ideas out there?

[quicksilverdon]

If you were missing compression on 2 cylinders, it would drive VERY slowly.
Does it?
How well do you trust this mechanic? Smells fishy,,,
Get another opinion.
12 hours to find out what's wrong sounds excessive - that should include fixing it.

[Chicago_gal]

It did not drive slowly. I was able to drive on the hwy at speeds of 65+. Just a bit slow pick-up and stuttered start.

I can't say that I trust the mechanic. I only had him do the work in September due to an September. Per the invoice, the work he completed was replaced the oil sender unit, oil pan gasket lower, filter housing gasket. Given the fact that I had to have him replace the oil sending unit this past Saturday, and the input from you and cruiserdad, I don't believe that he is credible.

I have an appt. on Weds morning with another mechanic that received good reviews on yelp. Besides providing the above symptoms and recent repair work completed, should I be suggesting a probable source for the problems? Should I mention that the other mechanic said the two cylinders had no compression?

[cruserdad1976]

I would just let him see what he finds--I still say with 2 dead cylinders hitting 65 would be a pain and it would probably buck and stutter --really the oil sending unit is one of them thing where you can get a bad one pretty easy, I replaced 3 in my wife's intrepid in less than a year.
Get a second opinion and hopefully it will just be something easy ,
I will tell you that at 90,000 miles you will be looking at the timing belt and water pump and maybe the belt tensioner which will suck to the tune of close to $1200 or so btu that is the life of a PT owner

[countrywi]

I agree something is not right with the mechanic. You would know if you had two cylinders out by the "chug chug chugging and bucking" of the car.
You can always take the intake off (so you can better get to the spark plug holes)and use a cheap compression tester ($15-$30 Harbor Freight Special) and verify it yourself.
My guess is the cylinders are O.K. and there is another problem.
James

[cruserdad1976]

James it would have to be a really long tester to get all the way down into them plug holes but that's a great idea then you would know for sure they were dead plus you could check your plugs