Rough Idle, PO303 Code

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rkhodges21
SLE Member
SLE Member
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2015 12:04 pm
Year and Trim: 2003 Pontiac Bonneville SE

Rough Idle, PO303 Code

Post by rkhodges21 »

Well the hits keep coming. On my way to the parts house to pick up the parts, tools and fluids for the work I'm planning for the UIM/ LIM gasket job and the trans cooler and shift kit install and my car starts running really rough at idle. I make it to the store and they pull a PO303 Cylinder 3 misfire code. So I pick up a new set of plugs and wires and change out number 3. No better. Get a new coil and install and it still doesn't fix it. My dad's shop is just a mile down the road so I am able to get it over there, and his mechanic takes a look at it with me. I will add that the car runs great if I give it gas , but when it idles it is super rough and sputters when revving up for a second. So we pull the #3 plug again and it is already wet with what he believes is coolant, but it looked dark brown like oil to me. No sign of chocolate milkiness to it either. He checks the spark and it is very weak orange. We test a fresh plug on the 3 wire and it is strong blue. We pull the #6 plug to test and it is much cleaner and still has a stronger blue spark even to be an old plug.

Could blown intake gaskets really be causing this issue, or should I be looking for another culprit?
Daily Driver: 2003 Silver Bonneville SE - 288,000 miles and climbing
Wife's Car: 2004 Gold GMC Envoy 4.2L 4x4
Yard work/ Hunting/ Tow truck: 1995 Blue GMC Ext. Cab, Short Bed Sierra SL, 305 w/ 5spd "Papa's Truck"
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nos4blood70
Certified Bonneville Nut
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Posts: 9522
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 6:11 pm
Year and Trim: 2003 SLE
Location: Chicago, IL

Re: Rough Idle, PO303 Code

Post by nos4blood70 »

Could be a lower intake gasket failure over the intake port in the head, letting oil mixture into the cylinder, rather than coolant into the oil passages. I might be all wrong though.

Another thing to do would be to swap an injector and see if the code follows the #3 injector.
-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 250k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 101k miles
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rkhodges21
SLE Member
SLE Member
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2015 12:04 pm
Year and Trim: 2003 Pontiac Bonneville SE

Re: Rough Idle, PO303 Code

Post by rkhodges21 »

nos4blood70 wrote:Could be a lower intake gasket failure over the intake port in the head, letting oil mixture into the cylinder, rather than coolant into the oil passages. I might be all wrong though.

Another thing to do would be to swap an injector and see if the code follows the #3 injector.
Thanks! I will certainly try swapping the injector to see what the car does. I am also thinking of doing a compression test for peace of mind. I was also thinking of checking the valve seals as well.
Daily Driver: 2003 Silver Bonneville SE - 288,000 miles and climbing
Wife's Car: 2004 Gold GMC Envoy 4.2L 4x4
Yard work/ Hunting/ Tow truck: 1995 Blue GMC Ext. Cab, Short Bed Sierra SL, 305 w/ 5spd "Papa's Truck"
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