2000 3.8 #2 missfire and strange plenum noise and rattling noise possibly cured

[hatethewindstar]

Originally Posted by tempfixit

hatethewinstar:

In post #8 you say that you put wire in the spark plug hole, then you had a hard time getting it out. Did this not help hold the vavle up?

Yeah got the valve right up then something got knotted and blew a easy hour to get it out. After did it the other way and had both springs changed in about 45 minutes.

Don't put anything in the cylinders!

Just pull all plugs and you can rotate each cylinder to TDC by pulling on the serpentine belt. The only reason I didn't change all the springs was it got dark and cold out and I wanted to know if this one spring was really the heart of the problem. If you want to mess around with string and air in the cylinders that is fine just saying you don't need to. Best to change all the springs at this time anyways.

I also failed to mention I left the battery hooked up during this job just to retain the stored codes which at the time it had P0301 P0302 P0303 and when stumbling bad the engine light would flash.

Upon first start the the engine cranked over much differently and sounded like it did prior to all this happening. But the engine light never flashed again but remained on obviously and the motor ran smooth as can be. After about 30 minutes of nice idling I shut the engine off and erased all stored DTC's with scanner and to date about 150 miles have been put on the van and it runs excellent still and no DTC's have come back.

On a side note being compression could be extremely low the chances of unburnt fuel in the catalytic converters can damage them and if you have similiar symptoms you should address the problem right away. This unburnt fuel can plug a converter, however doesn't seem to have affected mine.

The hardest part of the job is taking that windshield cowling off and removing the plastic intake. Don't let the springs intimidate you that is the easy part!

[12Ounce]

Originally Posted by hatethewindstar

...... Best to change all the springs at this time anyways.....

Perhaps. Is it likely the failed spring is a single event ... or is the entire set of springs likely compromised?

My '99 has 300k miles. Not sure what I would do if one spring failed.

[hatethewindstar]

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

Perhaps. Is it likely the failed spring is a single event ... or is the entire set of springs likely compromised?

My '99 has 300k miles. Not sure what I would do if one spring failed.

Guess you are lucky to be at 300k ... My 2000 is at like 83K miles and did this. I have seen just a handful of other threads of broken valve springs on a windstar maybe it was a case of a bad batch of springs who knows. Did the 99 have the beehive springs as well? I've never seen a car break a valve spring and would have never thought it could lead to symptoms more like an electronic issue especially plug wires arcing and lighting up. But who's to say what the PCM will do when a mechanical issue happens and the PCM is trying to compensate.

[hatethewindstar]

Just an update ... So far I have put about 750 miles on the windstar and it is still running excellent and never skips a beat.

I am going to replace the whole exhaust system on it though

[danielsatur]

I like using a plastic drinking straw with wheel bearing grease for valve keepers, it easy to lose a keeper with a screw driver.

Thanks for the TDC on each cylinder trick.