Service Engine Soon Light makes me a sad panda...

[HungarianHunter]

Hey guys! So I had a thread about my car overheating, I got a new radiator and poured it completely full of coolant this morning, and on the way to school it starts steaming again, but the gauge is under half, nothing major. I hope it was just the coolant I spilled evaporating off the motor...

Anywho, here is my problem:

I noticed my car was running "sluggish" like "jerking" when I tried to accelorate, like it was being choked off from fuel. Do I just need to get some fuel injector cleaner?

Also

My "service engine soon" light came on. Now, being a 17 year old subway employee with bills to pay, I don't have a lot of excess cash flow... So I was hoping you guys could tell me what exactly an engine service for our galants entail, so maybe I could do it myself rather than paying someone else to do it.

Thank you for your time and help!!

[RedGalant2k1]

Sounds like you did let the air bubbles work out of the coolant system. The only accurate way to know what the SES light means is to scan it. But I'd guess that you have a low coolant level. Check and verify that is properly filled, and restart the car (make sure its cooled down first) and you will see.

Other than that its possible if coolant was spilled or did spill on other parts of the engine they could have been damaged. But you have to start with what was done first.

[RAZ_76]

Service engine soon and sluggish feel, it's 3 tings I would check, Your spark plugs, spark plug wires and/or coil pack. I bet you it's the coil pack. You have two of them.

[polishmafia]

I agree with Dave. Sounds like you didn't burp the coolant.

As for the car being sluggish... thats cause its a Galant! ;) JK

I'd suggest checking what Ray said.

[dknight3]

if your car overheated bad things could have happened, including a blown head gasket.
is your oil milky? is there white smoke from your exhaust?

[HungarianHunter]

Alright guys I took it to autozone and the SES light is because I had a misfire in cylinder 1, and i need a new speed sensor aparantly. He tells me those arent crucial problems, so it can wait.. a speed sensor is 300 bucks -.-

oh and the sluggishness: i was low on transmition fluid, i dumped in 2 quarts and some fuel injector cleaner, runs great now :)

thanks for the responses!!

[airborneparainf82]

the misfire is probably associated with what ray already mentioned. somewhere from spark plug to coil pack.

[HungarianHunter]

So do you recommend grabbing a new set of spark plugs first?

[RAZ_76]

Speed sensor and cylinder 1 misfire have nothing to do with each other dude.

[HungarianHunter]

I never said they did. But that's the two problems that the SES turned on because of...

[airborneparainf82]

So do you recommend grabbing a new set of spark plugs first?

personally, depending on your budget, and depending on the last time it was done, I would replace all 4 plugs and new wires. If the problem is still there then replacing the coilpack for that cylinder shoud fix it. I just recently had my light come on for cyl. 3 misfire and I just replaced it all. it really wasn't that expensive.

[HungarianHunter]

personally, depending on your budget, and depending on the last time it was done, I would replace all 4 plugs and new wires. If the problem is still there then replacing the coilpack for that cylinder shoud fix it. I just recently had my light come on for cyl. 3 misfire and I just replaced it all. it really wasn't that expensive.

The problem is I'm super broke ATM from the radiator replacement and other odds and ends, but maybe even I can replace a few plugs and wires :P How much was your total?

[airborneparainf82]

Well is push comes to shove, you should be able to drive like that for a little bit, but the thing is the longer it goes with misfiring the more buildup you'll get in your cylinder/injector. Id say if you can afford it to change to plugs and wires, but Im willing to bet its probably that coilpack. I think if I remeber correctly it was like somewhere around $170 to replace that stuff.

[HungarianHunter]

So should I replace the plugs and wires, then have them run the diag again?

[dwjp90]

u have a 4 youshould only have to replace the plugs (about 20 total)

please tell me you got the right trans fluid

[HungarianHunter]

u have a 4 youshould only have to replace the plugs (about 20 total)

please tell me you got the right trans fluid

there are 20 spark plugs??

I got circle K automatic transmition fluid

[QnzMostWanted]

circle K ATF will destroy ur transmission, u have to you ONLY MITSUBISHI DIAMOND SPIII FLUID


and there are only 4 spark plugs lol

[RAZ_76]

Circle K Transmission oil..lmfao..wth!! Kiss your transmission goodbye, also there are 2 coil packs, 4 spark plugs because you have a 4 cylinder car, also 2 spark plug wires, the other two will be your coil packs that seat on top of the plug. To do this right, get 4 spark plugs(OEM) 2 spark plug wires from autozone is ok and 2 coil packs that you can also get cheaper from autozone, a lot cheaper then the dealer. Replace these 3things and you will be fine. The missfire will only get worse, in about one week or two, you will not even be able to go anywhere, your car will start to jerk very bad.

[Fishboy55]

Unfortunately, now that you've filled your transmission with crappy fluid, that has just escalated to your number one problem. I would personally plan on draining the tranny and refilling it with Mitsubishi fluid and let the plugs and coil packs go for the time being. The misfire may have been random anyway and might not even return. However your tranny issues are only going to get worse over time.

[RAZ_76]

NM