Plugs & Wires - Need Advice

[Beez97Cam]

I've got a 97 Camry w/a 5SFE engine. Yesterday on my commute home from work another driver forced me into the curb - didn't hop the curb, just gave it a good rub w/my right front tire. After the incident the Cam started to hesitate 50% of the time when I step on the gas. I drove it today for 50 miles of my 57 miles commute, and the Check Engine light comes on.

I drop the car at a local Firestone, which says I need new plugs & wires to solve the misfiring. They quote me $60 for the platinum plugs, and $90 for the wires & labor. Three questions:
1) does this sound logical i.e. after rubbing the curb the engine misfires due to plugs & wires?
2) is the price decent?
3) could I drive the car almost 60 miles home? This happened on my way to work w/no credit/debit card no checkbook either - don't know how to pay to get the car out or if I can drive it home...

Thanks for the advice TN!

[Knailgun]

Uhh...sounds sketchy to me.
2 the price is fucked. The wires can be no more than 60 for NOLOGY wires....they are trying to screw you on that and the plugs...both of which you could do yourself.

[eyeball96]

50 percent? does it not go when you give it the gas? like push the peddle, doesn't go then suddenly it does?.........how does it hesitate?. is like a miss or stumble?

You can get the wires cheaper! change the cap and rotor too!

[Mike Gerber]

eyeball96 & Beez97Cam,

The 97 5SFE engine doesn't have a distributor, so there is no cap and rotor. The generation 3 5SFE engines (92-96) used a distributor. Generation 4's, 97-2001 use distributorless ignition systems.

Beez97Cam,

I would pay them for their testing and ask them what code or codes they got when scanning the OBD II system. This will tell you whether it is a missfire or not, requiring new plugs and wires. If they won't tell you, take the car to Autozone and ask them to check for OBD II codes. They will do this for free. If it is a misfire code or codes, then you can purchase the plugs and wires there and go home and install them yourself. You will save big $'s that way.

Mike

[eyeball96]

Thanks, My daugher has a 99...........didn't know that it didn't a distrubutor Guess I never really looked

Hit a curb and get a miss??....got me

[Beez97Cam]

Eye: your first summary was the correct one, in that when I press the gas peddle, it takes a beat or two (one Mississippi...two...) before the engine revs pick up & the car accelerates. Immediately after the incident - and on the way to work yesterday - that happened every other (or ever third) time I hit the gas. On the way home from work yesterday the hesitation was much worse - happened more often & the pause or lag in acceleration was longer. The shop gave me their diagnosis (misfire on cylinder #3) and a list of recommended repairs but did not provide the actual engine codes. I plan to drop by Auto Zone ASAP to get the actual codes myself, then go from there. If it's indeed plugs & wires then I'm gonna try to do it on my own. Thanks again every1, much appreciated!

[Mike Gerber]

If it truely is a misfire on cylinder #3, the code should be a "P0303". Chcek the plug and spark plug wire on this cylinder and then the cap and rotor.

Mike

[eyeball96]

Originally Posted by Beez97Cam

Eye: your first summary was the correct one, in that when I press the gas peddle, it takes a beat or two (one Mississippi...two...) before the engine revs pick up & the car accelerates. Immediately after the incident - and on the way to work yesterday - that happened every other (or ever third) time I hit the gas. On the way home from work yesterday the hesitation was much worse - happened more often & the pause or lag in acceleration was longer. The shop gave me their diagnosis (misfire on cylinder #3) and a list of recommended repairs but did not provide the actual engine codes. I plan to drop by Auto Zone ASAP to get the actual codes myself, then go from there. If it's indeed plugs & wires then I'm gonna try to do it on my own. Thanks again every1, much appreciated!

My daughters 99 did the exact same thing! (or sometimes it would)

Throttle body! Had it cleaned and serviced fixed the problem! There's threads here on how to do it yourself. Do a search.

My 96 went 105k without changing the wires, cap and rotor........ran fine!