Thanks for the advice Ms350z... im a noob with all this so all this helps me a bunch. I will replace the spark plugs soon. Then I will go from there...

 

also, if the spark plugs dont fix the problem which should i replace first? The coil pack or injector?

 

Btw, The car seems to be running normal. Once in a while on a cold start it will sound like it's running on 5 cylinders but then soon goes away. I could drive it all day and it functions/sounds normal...

 

You would hate to waste money replacing the injector or coil without knowing which is the problem. It would be easier to replace the coil as it is basically just removing a screw, unplugging a harness and pulling it out. Replacing the injector would require removing the intake manifold. It is also possible that neither of these is the issue, but with the cylinder 6 specific code these seem like the most likely culprits. I would recommend downloading a pdf copy of the factory service manual (should be able to find this by searching on google or linked in the forums somewhere) and it will give a specific list of tests to perform to track down the cause of any given code. There is a slight chance that the #6 spark plug is so fouled with oil or carbon that it is causing the code... so let's see what happens after you replace the plugs.

 

that means something is wrong - it should not miss at any temp, or under any condition

easiest way to check a coil is to swap it with another cylinder and see if the misfire code changes

the FSM does have resistance ratings for the coils you can measure too, but as I have found, even if they are within spec, the coil can still be bad

 

wow, you guys are great... thanks for all the info!!! I will keep you guys updated.

 

update:
Well i replaced the plugs today and when i pulled out two of the plugs they were covered in oil. I know this is really bad and i have already read a thread on how some of the guys have the same problem. This means i will probably have to replace some gaskets but im just not sure how much all this is gona cost. Before i changed the plugs the engine light would flash like once a week and i could hear that one of the cylinders was missing. so my car acts like its fine and then it craps out once a week.

I think i might have to sell as is and get into something with less miles. I can't really afford to fix all these problems and not be 100% sure something else isnt going to crap out. Do you guys have any suggestions? Im thinking i can maybe just sell my car for like 6 grand and use that as a down.

 

My girlfriend just had the same problem with her nissan truck, and her and her father bought the part and replaced the gasket themselves. It cost them like $50 or less. I dont think this is a problem to scare you away from your Z...

 

if you have oil on your plugs you unfortunately need more then just gaskets, you need the entire valve cover+gasket replaced.

I bought a used valve cover / new gasket and it cost me around 100$ to fix.

 

I wouldn't ditch the car over this... if you buy another used car it may very well have issues that need to be fixed as well. Replace the valve covers/gaskets, reset your SES light and see if the problem comes back.

 

how soon do you guys think i need to repair it? (I just don't have the funds right now...) Do you guys think its ok to drive for a couple months or does this need to be repaired immediatly? I wonder if there is a diy for replacing the gaskets.... im gona search now.

 

how valuable is your time to you? this isn't really a job you want to do twice, imo.

I had an experienced VQ shop change mine out for me and it took them 90 minutes still. someone unfamiliar could take a few hours.

you could buy a new gasket and spend a few hours .. or you could potentially buy a new gasket, spend a few hours, find out the problem is still there, buy another new gasket and valve cover and spend a few more hours.

not worth the risk to me. I found a totaled g35 with low miles and bought a used valve cover for around 80$ish.

 

so.... could driving my car with oily spark plugs ruin my engine? Im just trying to avoid kicking myself in the nuts.

 

Im not sure if it can ruin your engine or not, but it can cause it to run really roughly and even not start. Could leave you stranded somewhere. I cant imagine its good on the engine, but I dont know technically what will happen.

 

this is not an expensive fix. might as well get it taken care of since you are aware there is a problem. if money is an issue would 100$ on a credit card really kill you?

I drove on my car just fine for who knows how long with oil on the back of the plugs. if oil was on the spark side .. now you'd have some problems : P

 

^ oil was all over it... it was also on the coil pack rod.