Flashing Check Engine Light help

2006 Toyota Tacoma TRD OR
220k miles

Issue:
Truck has been a little shaky (weird/high idle) on startup this past week. Went to start it today and got the flashing CEL. Went out and came back and fired it back up and the truck fired right up and idled fine (with no CEL).

Inspection:
Went to Advance 2nd time and pulled PO306 (cylinder 6 misfire). I had this same code back in July and was fixed with new spark plugs. Also had

Should I be expecting a fuel injector or spark plug wire/coil?

 

You still have to get the code read to start a diagnosis.

Code readers are inexpensive and can be multifunctional these days. @220k miles it's a worthwhile tool to own.

ScanGuage II, Ultra Gauge, Torque app.; any would be a decent choice.

 

Or a regular OBD2 reader.

$20 or less on Amazon.

 

Yeah I realize that. I have an Amazon one that won't read the Tacoma for some reason. I'll grab a Scangauge or UltraGauge today. There is no CEL anymore... what could have triggered it and what are the odds that it comes back? The last thing I want is to start the truck up for work and it do that again...

 

If something is wrong, it’ll come back.

Any decent reader will show you pending codes, not just current.

I’d just try another parts store. It’s Wednesday morning, can’t imagine any are closed.

 

In my first gen V6 I had rough running for a few tanks of gas and then when pushing up to 3500 rpm (which I don't do that much) I got the check engine light. The code was for lean running. I ran Lucas Deep Fuel System Cleaner in the next tank and it's been running like a top since. Might be a good place to start?

 

Yeah code is PO306 for a cylinder 6 misfire. Had this same code back in July and put new plugs and it fixed it.

 

If you replaced the spark plugs that recent then you might need to replace a coil pack.

 

There's no wires it's direct coil on plug. I used to work for Autozone you can go to any of there stores they all have OBD2 readrrs.

 

When you say coil pack do you mean an ignition coil?

 

Already went back (they were closed early this morning). Code was PO306 (cylinder 6 misfire).

 

This thing:

 

Yessir that is a coil pack

 

Thank you!

Good to know. On RockAuto it calls that an Ignition Coil.

 

Same thing different words

 

Learn something new each day, thanks!

 

If you are short on cash (I'm not saying you are, but I sure as hell have been lol) you can swap the cylinder 6 coil pack with a nearby cylinder and see if the code changes to a misfire at that new cylinder...this is a sure fire way to tell if a coil pack is faulty or not.

Or just replace it outright. That's never a bad idea. Just a trick I learned and felt like sharing.

 

Yea exactly what he said this is best way to figure out if that coil is bad.

 

Great idea. I'll wait until my Ultragauge gets here and swap them out. Hoping that's the case and just an easy fix. Would hate for it to be something more serious... Do the injectors ever cause issues? I haven't seen too many threads on them.