Base Engine Misfire with Abnormal Internal Lower Engine Noises

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Cause	Correction
Abnormalities, severe cracking, bumps, or missing areas in the accessory drive belt Abnormalities in the accessory drive system and/or components may cause engine RPM variations, noises similar to a faulty lower engine, and also lead to a misfire condition. A misfire code may be present without an actual misfire condition.	Replace the drive belt.
Worn, damaged, or mis-aligned accessory drive components or excessive pulley runout A misfire code may be present without an actual misfire condition.	Inspect the components. Repair or replace the components, as required.
Loose or improperly installed engine flywheel or crankshaft balancer A misfire code may be present without an actual misfire condition.	Repair or replace the flywheel and/or balancer, as required.
Worn piston rings Oil consumption may or may not cause the engine to misfire.	Inspect the spark plugs for oil deposits. Inspect the cylinders for a loss of compression. Refer to Engine Compression Test . Perform cylinder leak down and compression testing to determine the cause. Repair or replace, as required.
Worn crankshaft thrust bearings Severely worn thrust surfaces on the crankshaft and/or thrust bearing may permit fore and aft movement of the crankshaft, and create a DTC without an actual misfire condition.	Replace the crankshaft and bearings, as required.