I have a 96 camaro 3.8L with both a misfire mystery and an overheating issue. Both came to happen about the same time. I have new coils, plugs and wires, ICM was tested 7 times and passed. Still recieving a random misfire then changes to a cylinder#6. Idles fine. Have cleared the codes. They do not come back until after i start to drive and it shifts into 3rd gear. Always the same starts with a random misfire then reverts to #6?! Changed Air filter and cleaned MAF. Also added some fuel injector cleaner. On to the over heating...it has its standard orange dexcool coolant. With new waterpump. Fans kick on and i have the air dam underneath bumper.i did replace the thermostat aswell still with futile efforts it seems. I tried to run it without the thermostat to keep constant coolant flow.... I would like to pass this car down to my son and i dont want to give up. Plz any advice will be taken considerably...

 

Blown head gasket will cause both of those issues. Borrow a coolant pressure tester from a local parts store and check out yourtube for “how to check a head gasket with a coolant pressure tester”


After that, move the #6 plug, wire,coil and injector to a different cylinder. Cracked plugs are common even new. After all that, unplug the MAF sensor on a day that is near 80degs. Does it still set the misfire code? If the car runs better replace the pig tail going to the MAF then the MAF if the pigtail does not fix it.

Note: the above is not sure fire way to fix the car, its playing the odds. The only sure fire way to fix it is a trained tech with the right equipment.

GL

Gorn