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1996 Dodge Stratus 2L

My 96 2L manual Stratus has been giving us a wierd pulsing sensation while driving in lower gears for years now. No garage seems to know what is wrong and how to fix it. It hasn't affected the performance or gas mileage at all so I've not been too concerned and have learned to live with it but lately it has started to stall when coming to a stop, especially when still cold but can when warm also. The idle will vary from around 2-300 rpm to 1100 rpm when stopped. I didn't think a 4 cylinder of this tune would idle that low without shutting down but it does. Of course I step it up before it does finally stall but am getting tired of restarting the car at stop signs and red lights. Any ideas out there as to my problems? Has anyone else had similar problems with theirs? It's still in very good shape and runs well except for these quirks and I would like to keep the car even tho it is up to 270,000+Km. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Keith

Reply to
Keith Porter
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Hi Keith,

I had something similar in my 99 Stratus, 2.4L motor. It turned out that I had both 1 bad spark plug (only acted up at idle), and bad wires. I know this because the wires made it a lot better, but not fixed. Then I pulled the plugs one at a time, and with an ohm meter from end to end 3 of them had a reading, not sure what now, but lets say with Champion resistor plugs I got 2000ohms. The forth one was an open circuit. After replacing that plug, viola...dead smooth idle.

Also, earlier in the life of this car I tried Bosch platinum tip plugs..DON'T DO THAT! That little tip just erodes up into the ceramic very quickly such that the gap is increasing by the mile driven. Maybe these are a better match to a different ignition system. But with the Stratus three coil distributorless ignition they go south pretty quick.

You might also have a cracked exhaust manifold, and as a result a O2 sensor having problems.

Good Luck!

Jim

Reply to
JC

I'm driving a 2002 PT cruiser and I put NGK Iridium plugs in it. A few months later I had the stumble/gallop - and got a misfire #1 code.

I checked all the wires - moved the wires with no change, switched plugs between the 2 cyls on the same coil and the miss went away - for about 5 months. It's back again.

I'll be going back to OEM plugs.

As far as Bosch goes - STAY AWAY - I've NEVER had any luck with Bosch platinums. - on anything.

Reply to
clare

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