Please Help MIL

[TonyD]

First of all, a big thank you to the forum. I haven't posted much but I visit often and this place has been a Godsend.
Today my MIL came on (it seems to alternate between blinking and steady), and shortly thereafter began running really badly. As luck would have it, it couldn't have happened at a worse time. So if there's a way for me to do this myself, I'm going to. I don't want to badmouth my local wrenches, but let's just say I haven't had good experiences at either the dealer (which has since changed hands) or the local VW guru (who is like a cross between Seinfeld's mechanic, the soup nazi, and an angry Turrett's sufferer who isn't taking his meds).
The car is an 04, BEV motor. Almost 80K. At 60 I did a lot of routine work including replacing the plugs and wires. I didn't have a VAGCOM to diagnose but the local parts store's unit said
PO300, PO302, Random multiple misfire and Cyl. 2 misfire. Also Global 2 Code, whatever that means.
Does anyone have any advice on where to start? I pulled the MAF sensor (via the 2 torx security bolts) but couldn't figure out how to unplug it. I thought if I disabled it and it ran well I'd start there. I'm suspicious of it because I do use a K&N filter, though I'm careful not to overoil it.
O2 sensors and Cat are original, and the car's been in my family since new and it's been maintained pretty much by the book. It shudders and drives with that classic, running on 3 cylinders feeling. I thank you all in advance, and again thank you for all the help you've provided over the years.

[Skoobahead]

Misfires?
Try an ignition coil

[mlt]

Originally Posted by Skoobahead

Misfires?
Try an ignition coil

I second that.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

16684/P0300/000768 - Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected

Possible Causes

• Air Intake System leaking
• Fuel Supply faulty
• Injector(s) faulty
• Ignition Cable(s) and/or Spark Plug(s) faulty
• Ignition Coil(s) faulty
• Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Valve (N18) stuck/open
• Camshaft Position Sensor (G40) faulty

Possible Solutions

• Check Misfire Recognition
• Check Air Intake System
• Check Fuel Supply
• Check Injector(s) and Injector Sealing
• Check Ignition Cable(s) and Spark Plug(s)
• Check Ignition Coil(s)
• Check Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Valve (N18)
• Check Camshaft Position Sensor (G40)

Special Notes

• This DTC indicates that one or multiple cylinders are misfiring, but the ECU fails to identify the cylinder.

Retrieved from "16684/P0300/000768 - Ross-Tech Wiki"

16686/P0302/000770 - Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected

Possible Causes

• Ignition system
• Fuel injectors
• Fuel pressure
• Running out of fuel
• EVAP canister purge valve
• Evaporative emission system
• Low compression
• Base engine problems
• Controle Module damaged

Special Notes

• This feature search for engine misfire in a specific cylinder. Most of the time the cause for a misfire is a lack of combustion in a cylinder due to absence of spark, poor fuel metering, or poor compression.
  
  

__________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
See the "Special Notes" immediately above which I have highlighted in red.

Keep in mind, the problem is identified by the P0300 DTC, The P0302 DTC, identifies which cylinder. I'd start by pulling the #2 plug and having a look for visual indentification as to the problem. Could also be a bad fuel injector seal. With a bad coil, I believe you would be having an issue with two cylinders not just one as indicated by the single P0302 code. In simplistic terms. one half of the coil services two cylinders, the other half services the other two cylinders.

MORAV

[mlt]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

With a bad coil, I believe you would be having an issue with two cylinders not just one as indicated by the single P0302 code. In simplistic terms. one half of the coil services two cylinders, the other half services the other two cylinders.

Not the case at least with AZG! AFAIK same is used for BEV. So I bet it is a coil.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

You're correct, I should have checked the wiring diagram BEFORE I posted up! I agree, good bet it is the coil (N127).
For the benefit of the OPer -

[mlt]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

You're correct, I should have checked the wiring diagram BEFORE I posted up! I agree, good bet it is the coil (N127).
For the benefit of the OPer -

I think your picture is not for BEV. I just happened to have same coil pack for my AZG. bev ignition coil - Google Search

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Can't answer that, it is the one shown for the engine in the Bentley Repair Manual (DVD-ROM). The wiring diagram shows individual coils. ???

M.

[TonyD]

UPDATE!!! After eliminating everything I could I bit the bullet and brought the car to the local VW tech. This is where the whole thing gets more interesting and mysterious. The bottom line: one bad plug. The guy said he thinks, based on a pinkish tinge, that perhaps coolent is getting into the #2 cylinder. I'm not at all sure, for a number of reasons which I won't get into now. He didn't do a compression check, but I think I will and if anything is interesting I'll report.
Here's the pertinent part: I've determined that the plugs he installed, which match the ones I had in there, are not the plugs specified for my car. He installed the three-ground NGKs (don't have the plug in front of me but I think it's BKUR6ET). These are for the AEG, non drive-by-wire motor. My car should have BKR5EIX-11 Iridium plugs. How did we both make the same mistake? I don't know how he did it, but when I replaced my plugs and wires at 60K I brought the car to the local foreign car parts store and told the guy I wanted to get the best parts that match my car. I'm guessing that my tech guy did the same thing. I know it seems unbelievable that we could both be so stupid (he being a professional and all) but I don't know how else to explain it. My big question is: How big a deal is it? I feel like I should yank them out and replace them with the spec plug. Does anyone here know why I shouldn't? The other thing I have to determine is if I also have the wrong ignition wires. What are the odds that I got the non drive-by-wire wires? I'd say 50%. So how big a deal is this? After having codes thrown in less than 20K miles I'd guess it's important. Otherwise, why specify different plugs and wires, right? Please advise, and thanks again.

[Smileybug]

I'm seeing a different plug for your car...NGK PZFR5D-11. Showing both on ECSTuning and GermanAutoParts, which are good for OEM stuff.

If the car is running fine, then I wouldn't worry about it. I had Densos in my car for a bit without any real issue. Fuel mileage went down a tad, but no codes or anything like that. Switched them out for the BKUR plugs eventually but that was more of my preference. But I'm not sure about the drive by wire vs. non-drive by wire plugs.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

I'd start by pulling the #2 plug and having a look for visual indentification as to the problem.

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