I've put about 6 quarts of oil into my 96 3.0l V6 in the past month.. shortly after getting it, I get a CEL with a P0300 that is CONSTANT. I had one time where it went off for about 6 miles. Otherwise, it is CONSTANTLY on.. I reset it a few times, it comes right back on.
I also have a major oil leak coming from beneath the alternator side of the motor, possible a main oil seal or could it be related to the misfire?
Where to start? Assuming everything on this vehicle is original. I'm planning on new plugs/wires to start off with, but beyond that, I'm not sure what to look for.
protegechris
03-27-2008, 11:28 PM
Issue diagnosed:
Misfire caused by bad cap/rotor. Replacing cap, rotor (both original), spark plugs, and spark plug wires (original).
Leak: Valve covers.
protegechris
04-12-2008, 06:29 PM
Well, I'm still going to need help on this one.
Replaced distributor cap and rotor. Replaced spark plugs. Replaced the wires.
Still getting code sequence 12, 43, 55. So, I'm still getting misfires reported.. but the weird thing is that I don't FEEL anything other than normal when I'm driving it! It idles very smoothly, engine doesn't rock back and forth or anything. It accelerates smoothly, no matter the temperature..
It sounds a lot different when I start it now too, now it's more of a dragging noise than the loud knocking before. lol
What should I look at now?
protegechris
04-16-2008, 11:44 PM
Bump....
XDGT03
04-17-2008, 07:30 AM
Not sure I understand the dragging vs knocking noise you are describing.
Someone just reported that they were having a misfire issue and when going through all the wiring harnesses around the motor found a section that had worn through to expose some wires. I might check that too. Have you cleared the codes since you changed all the stuff? It takes time for it to cycle through to actually clear codes itself. Like 45 ignition key starts or something like that.
protegechris
04-18-2008, 09:38 PM
All my wiring (that is visible to me at least) is actually in great shape. Nevermind the starting difference.. I think I had left a ground loose, sounds better, for now.
The van itself wasn't NOT taken care of. Looks and handles decently.. buuut:
Twice in the last 5 days, the van has flashed the oil light. Just for a SECOND. It died, completely, the first time. Started right back up.. ideas now, I'd imagine that helps. and the oil leak is coming from beneath the timing belt/chain area.
I can also (occasionally) hear ticking while the car is idling.
Oil pump?
protegechris
04-21-2008, 08:13 PM
and as of today.. I stopped and to my right on the exhaust side, I see a big puff of smoke. A few miles later at a stop sign, same thing. Not constant, and I can't reproduce it.
argh.
protegechris
04-26-2008, 01:25 AM
Suggestions? The smoke still occurs occasionally. There's a random misfire. Oil leak. Oil light flickers occasionally. I'm close to giving up on this one.
StandOnCliff
04-26-2008, 02:13 AM
If the oil is coming out of the timing belt area that would most likely be the front crank seal or the cam seals. The oil light flashing is either it being low on oil or idling so low it isn't getting high enough pressure. The puffs of smoke are probably oil dripping onto the exhaust at times. The ticking sound is probably a lifter that sticks every once in a while or is worn out on the bottom, which could cause it to misfire. The occasional misfire could only be our crappy gas nowadays, try some higher octane and see if that helps. Are you still getting a code?
protegechris
04-26-2008, 02:18 AM
The light, could it also be caused by a failing oil pump not maintaining adequate pressure? Just curious. Around 170,000 miles on this vehicle.
The smoke is coming from the exhaust system, for sure.
I'm not going to worry too much over the leak, I do not plan to drive the van for much longer. If nothing else, because of gas prices.
I hadn't thought about a higher octane, naturally I am just running 87.
StandOnCliff
04-26-2008, 02:33 AM
The pump could be failing maybe. Usually if it is a bad pump or worn bearings it would flicker all the time after fully warmed up. Being it just occassionally does it tends to make me believe it is running low RPM's or low in oil.
protegechris
05-15-2008, 02:42 AM
The CEL is still steady. When I am on the interstate going 60-80mph, it flashes until I slow down to 40mph or so.
I believe the oil light was due to low oil.
I don't get it. :/
StandOnCliff
05-15-2008, 07:48 PM
Check Engine Light can be many things. Being it flashes on and off I would bet it has an oxygen sensor bad. Check your codes by turning ignition key On,Off,On as fast as possible. This will make your check engine light blink out codes in a few seconds after doing so. It'll flash like 2 times then pause then blink like 3 times,this is a code 23. Code 55 is end of message. If you don't have the chart to convert the code into what's wrong,call Autozone with that code number and they will translate it for you.
mfahey
05-16-2008, 09:10 PM
The flashing check engine light is a bad thing in that misfires are being detected that will damage the catalytic converter. Since the flashing goes away at lower speeds, it could be a variety of things such as inadequate fuel delivery or a clogged converter. Until you pull the codes, everything is really just a guess.
protegechris
05-22-2008, 03:47 PM
OK, well here are my trouble codes. I am getting new ones.. previouslyit was just the misfire code.
With an OBD-II reader (autozone),I only get P0300.
Trouble code (aside from 12.. of course my battery has been disconnected recently):
Code 43 (get this twice) -Engine cylinder misfire-engine cylinder misfire detected in one or more cylinders.
I might have read these wrong.. but I got (in this order): 12 34 17 43 43
StandOnCliff
05-22-2008, 06:35 PM
Any chance the two misfires could be caused by two wires crossed on the distributor cap? Firing order on the top of the cap is 1-2-3-4-5-6 counter clockwise and 1-3-5 cylinders towards firewall and 2-4-6 towards radiator. Low numbers start from pulley side. The top of cap has firing order this way but if you look inside the cap they don't go the same. Firing order inside the cap are 1-3-5-4-6-2 counter clockwise. Most caps should have the numbers wrote on the top,but it is easy to mix cylinders up.
protegechris
06-24-2008, 03:26 AM
Double checked everything tonight. Cylinders are all wired up properly.
Van died while idling today (buck, then death). Also did it once this week. On the interstate, I feel the buck but I assume the rpms either don't let it die or start it back up.
