After a year of letting it sit due to lack of funds I’ve decided to try and decide what to do with the 09 R57. A year ago while driving freeway speeds up a hill the engine let go. I immediately felt the loss of power. Red check engine limp mode came on and I drove it home. About two miles from the house. I have random misfire codes and the 300 302 and 304. This exact thing happened in 2018. The cost of repairs then was 4 gs. Diagnosis was burnt valve head rebuild. Since symptoms were the same and it happened very similarly in 18, I decided to just park it. I didn’t have 4 grand and didn’t want to have the same guy work on it since his repairs didn’t hold up. Still questioning his work. I planned to save the money to try to fix myself but time got away from me. but finally I do have the funds to try something. So my question is what path forward would you recommend. Fix myself? Tow to mini or other repair for diagnosis? Or sell as is. I owe 4 and the car might sell for 1500 if I’m lucky. If anyone will want it. Besides engine it’s a nice car. 90,000 miles. Brand new tires. All the insides work including the convertible top. If I fix for 4 grand or less it’s a wash. I could keep it or sell it then. I want to love the car. It’s been tough. I’m in San Diego and I love the convertible. I’m not a mechanic but have had some luck with other repair. Wife of course says I’m over my head. Any advice or COA would be greatly appreciated. BTW the battery died too so I can’t even turn it on.

 

I would start with a new battery, new plugs, and new coils. The battery for sure, these things can be finicky in this area. Those codes are for misfires so you could simply be looking at just plugs and coils. This is about 400 to 500 in parts, and if you use fcpeuro they have the lifetime warranty, I’m going this route with my coils and plugs next year.

This stuff you can do in your drive way in like an hour. Just of the top of my head I think you will need a 10mm socket for the cowl and battery and the special 12 pt 14 mm socket for the plugs, ratchet with extensions, maybe a plastic trim tool. There are really good how tos on how to swap battery and plugs.

 

• I have a 2012 R57 and had to get the intake valves media blasted to get all of the carbon deposits off of them, all my codes Went away after this, gotta love direct injection

 

Pelican Parts has a ton of how to instructions.

Be careful how much you spend on an older car, I've made that mistake a time or two... Better off falling for a newer model