P0304

Technical Summary

P0304 is defined as Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected. The PCM associates repeated crankshaft-speed loss with cylinder 4 firing events. P0304 sets when the cylinder 4 misfire count exceeds the monitor threshold. Modern misfire monitoring generally uses the crankshaft position signal to measure tiny changes in rotational speed after each expected combustion event. Some systems also use camshaft position, cylinder identification, torque modeling, ion sensing, or manufacturer-specific contribution strategies. The monitor runs only under valid speed, load, temperature, voltage, and deceleration conditions, and thresholds vary by calibration.

P0304 is proven by isolating what is unique to cylinder 4 while also checking shared bank-level fuel and air conditions. Start with pattern recognition. Determine whether the misfire is isolated to one cylinder, affects paired cylinders, follows a bank, appears across the engine, or occurs only during cold start, idle, cruise, or high load. Mode $06 or equivalent counters often reveal weak cylinders before the code matures. Freeze-frame data defines the test condition and prevents wasting time checking an idle symptom when the failure occurs only during acceleration.

Ignition testing should evaluate demand, not only whether a spark exists in open air. Cylinder pressure raises the voltage required to fire the plug, so a weak coil, wide plug gap, carbon-tracked boot, or poor power feed may pass an unloaded check and fail under acceleration. Compare firing behavior with known-good cylinders, inspect plug wear and deposits, and use swap testing only when components are interchangeable.

Fuel testing must include both electrical and hydraulic performance. An injector can click and show normal resistance while delivering too little fuel, leaking after shutdown, or producing a poor spray pattern. Injector balance, current waveform, pressure drop, contribution response, and harness testing give stronger evidence. Shared low fuel pressure or contaminated fuel is especially important with P0300 or multiple-cylinder counts.

Air and fuel-trim analysis helps separate local and global faults. Large positive trim at idle that improves with engine speed supports an intake or vacuum leak. A bank-specific trim imbalance can indicate a runner gasket, injector issue, exhaust leak, or sensor bias. Negative trims can point toward rich operation, injector leakage, excessive pressure, purge flow, or contaminated sensor data.

Mechanical testing should begin efficiently with relative compression or cranking-current analysis. Follow with compression and leakdown on suspect cylinders. Listen for air at the intake, exhaust, crankcase, cooling system, or adjacent cylinder. If static tests are acceptable but the misfire remains, inspect valve lift, spring integrity, follower operation, cam lobes, lash, and running compression.

Cam/crank correlation and variable valve timing deserve attention when misfire affects a bank or several cylinders. Incorrect base timing, a stretched chain, slipped reluctor, sticking phaser, or oil-control problem can reduce cylinder filling without producing an immediate timing code. Waveform comparison and service information are preferable to guessing from cam-angle numbers alone.

Catalyst protection is part of the diagnosis. Raw fuel and oxygen entering the converter can create extreme heat, melt the substrate, or cause a fire hazard. A flashing warning lamp indicates the misfire rate has reached a catalyst-damaging level. Correct the misfire before evaluating or replacing the catalyst, then check temperature and backpressure if the misfire was severe or prolonged.

Verification must reproduce the original condition. Confirm misfire counters remain normal, fuel trims stabilize, contribution is even, and no pending code returns. A repair that only smooths the idle but leaves high-load counts increasing is not complete.