Misfire on Cylinder #1. (i stopped by AutoZone and had them plug the do-hickey analyzer in.)

Major problem that should be taken care of ASAP or something i could drive around with for a while? I just dropped $800 on new radiator, battery, and misc tweaks so i need a money breather.

---

If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

What kind of Ford Duratec 3.0 litre is this car? Ford, Mercury, Lincoln or Mazda?

Quote
deckeda
What kind of Ford Duratec 3.0 litre is this car? Ford, Mercury, Lincoln or Mazda?

oops! my bad. 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan. 6 cyl. 3.0 engine (i think) 152,000 miles.

---

If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 09:31PM by graylocks.

Sounds like a coil pack failure

Should be fixed ASAP to avoid catalytic converter failure

What engine does the Caravan have?

Quote
dohc76

What engine does the Caravan have?

off the top of my head 6 cyl for sure and something like 3.0. might be 3.6.

---

If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

I had a similar problem and it messed up the O2 sensor as well, it blackened it up from the engine not running correctly.

---

Grateful11

Quote
Grateful11
I had a similar problem and it messed up the O2 sensor as well, it blackened it up from the engine not running correctly.

so it sounds like i should deal with this sooner than later. sigh.

---

If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

Doing a quick search

[www.autopartswarehouse.com]

Looks like a 3.3 liter V6

Should be a do it yourself possible project

Google for instructions

Quote
dohc76
Should be a do it yourself possible project

Google for instructions

thanks but my to-do list is long enough as it is. i appreciate the vote of confidence but this is a job for my trusted mechanic. i neglected to tell him that the check engine light had been on when i took the van in last week. replacing the battery reset the indicator so i don't fault him for not seeing this problem. if the ignition coil is the issue at least i know the part itself is not expensive.

---

If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 09:49PM by graylocks.

3.3 or 3.8 liter engine. I just replaced the spark plug on mine and took care of problem. Mine was #4. Cheap if you do it yourself. Worth a shot.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 09:54PM by slbett.

Quote
slbett
3.3 or 3.8 liter engine. I just replaced the spark plug on mine and took care of problem. Mine was #4. Cheap if you do it yourself. Worth a shot.

hmmm. i bet my brother and son could tackle that. maybe i'll try appealing to their manhood.

---

If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

Hmmm.. a note here... most mechanics actually know how to replace a battery without resetting the computer memory.. it involves a little backup battery gizmo that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Might want to mention that to him the next time you go in.

Quote
cbelt3
Hmmm.. a note here... most mechanics actually know how to replace a battery without resetting the computer memory.. it involves a little backup battery gizmo that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Might want to mention that to him the next time you go in.

this was still probably my fault. i had to jump the battery to take it into him. left it on his lot. by the time he got to it the next day the battery was dead again. he had to put a battery in just to get the van into his work area. it may have been too late to use a back-up gizmo but since i hadn't mentioned the light it probably wouldn't have occurred to him to protect the indicator.

that battery was one i bought from AutoZone and very proudly installed myself. had a 3 year warranty. dang thing lasted 3 years and 3 months. don't think i've ever had a battery go that quick. another lesson learned as i assumed all batteries were maintenance free. this wasn't and it ran dry!

---

If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

gray- there's usually enough juice even in a 'dead' battery to run the computer RAM... I've seen backup retention gizmos that run off an itty bitty 9V battery.

Still, sounds like spark plugs and wires are in your future. Hey.. I can remember swapping plugs every 15K miles, and wires every 30K miles on older cars. The newer materials are amazing.

And.. no timing lights ! Or Carburetors !

As God is my Witness.. I will Never own a non-fuel injected car again !

Quote
graylocks
that battery was one i bought from AutoZone and very proudly installed myself. had a 3 year warranty. dang thing lasted 3 years and 3 months. don't think i've ever had a battery go that quick. another lesson learned as i assumed all batteries were maintenance free. this wasn't and it ran dry!

Three years on a battery is pretty much the norm these days.

---

It is what it is.

Quote
N-OS X-tasy!

Quote
graylocks
that battery was one i bought from AutoZone and very proudly installed myself. had a 3 year warranty. dang thing lasted 3 years and 3 months. don't think i've ever had a battery go that quick. another lesson learned as i assumed all batteries were maintenance free. this wasn't and it ran dry!

Three years on a battery is pretty much the norm these days.

???

I ran a battery 9 years, and replaced just because you guys on the MRF said I should not take any risks... battery seemed and tested fine.

my brother also said 3 years is pretty good but i'm with space-time - they used to last much longer in my 30 plus years of owning a car.

---

If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

I didn't say it was pretty good - I said it was the norm. I too remember when car batteries seemed to last longer.

---

It is what it is.

Still, sounds like spark plugs and wires are in your future.

That's my vote for first and foremost.

Changing some plugs on some cars might not be just a job- might be an adventure.

Changing plug wires should be pretty straight forward, especially if you replace them one at a time. (Though I've had some problems with some wire kits that had different lengths than OEM and that was a little challenging.)

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

Batteries come in grades with different "guaranteed" life spans rated in years. Installer punches out the card on the battery that show month any year of purchase. Usually the higher price a battery is the longer it's life±.

Before your son and brother replace spark plugs, they need to read up on it. With the new aluminum heads, the plugs need to be changed on a cold engine. Not sure what type of heads you have on your minivan. They should also be torqued. Doing it wrong could wind up costing you more. Not saying that they shouldn't do it, just that they need to know what they're doing.

not sure about this Dodge Caravan, but on Honda Civics the manual specifies a certain gap for spark plugs. Apparently they come withe the gap all over the place you and you need to the gap to the correct value using a feeler gauge. When I bought spark plugs for my Civic (manual says to replace at 10 year/120k miles, I did at about 110k miles), they came with the correct gap, I am not sure if they were like that from the factory or if the dealer set the gap before they shipped out.

as always, YMMV

I remember when most batteries weren't made in Mexico too and US ones lasted longer. We got 9 years out of
Tahoe's battery. I think my Explorer is pushing about 8 and it only gets driven probably 8-12 times a years, to the
Vet., the landfill, the recycle yard and for gas for the lawn mower, weed eater and one remaining gas powered
tractor around here.

---

Grateful11

Quote
macphanatic
Before your son and brother replace spark plugs, they need to read up on it. With the new aluminum heads, the plugs need to be changed on a cold engine. Not sure what type of heads you have on your minivan. They should also be torqued. Doing it wrong could wind up costing you more. Not saying that they shouldn't do it, just that they need to know what they're doing.

Also start the new ones by hand, if they can't reach them place a small piece of hose that fits snugly over the spark
plug cap and use the hose to start them in. Never try to start a spark plug with a ratchet and socket.

---

Grateful11