Finally found out that the Ford Taurus 1996 is having periodic misfires due to a sticky valve Does anyone have an idea of how much work is involved in cleaning the valve (head?) Does this require the dealeror can any good mechanic do this? Thanks!
Unfortunately both. I changed the O2 sensor and spark plugs (which were arcing). That helped some. It tends to misfire after I start it up after idling. Once it drives for awhile it's fine
You do not want to get into a valve job unless you have done a couple of other things first. If it were mine, I would want to do enough diagnostics to make sure it is a valve. A valve is a very expensive repair - more than a head gasket job in most cases. You should get a diagnostic scan done by a competent tech to confirm that the ignition and fuel systems are not at fault. An intermittent misfire can be caused by any number of things. If it is, in fact, a sticky valve, it can many times be corrected by a fuel system additive such as Techron. There are professional systems that clean the fuel and induction system including the valves very effectively for much less than you can get a valve job. You do not have to use a dealer for these services. Many times you can find a properly equipped shop that can do the job as well or better for a more reasonable cost. You will need to ask around your area to find a shop with a good rep. Do not just take it to a shop because of a cost estimate. You need reliablilty and competence to get the best value. That said, the Ford dealer has access to the best information and equipment available to repair your vehicle assuming he has properly trained and competent techs to make use of it. I understand Ford is taking steps to increase the number of well trained certified techs that repair vehicles at the dealerships.
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