Problems with 1998 Grand Voyager Check Engine Light - The saga continues

You say you replaced the coil, but it might also be a problem with the ignition module itself (I'm assuming that's a separate component on this engine).

It's possible there might be some mechanical problem like a burnt valve or something that's causing a miss, but the dealer's engine replacement recommendation seems a tad extreme. Did they provide details of the leakdown test results?

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I replaced those - no effect.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Regards,

Ed White

Unfortunately no. They just said based on the results of the test, they recommended an engine replacement. We don't really care if the van runs like new

- we just want to cure the miss so the Check Engine Light stays out. As far as I can tell, the van runs about as well as it ever did. The van does have a persistent click at idle when cold. This click has been with us for a long time. I assume it is a noisy lifter (if you can use that term for this engine). It usually clears up as soon as the engine warms up. It did this long before the check engine light became a problem. The miss is defintiely not continuous. I have riden for miles with the scan tool attached and never seen it show up.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Regards,

Ed White

Well the vehicle has needed almost no maintenance for 120,000 miles. Until the check engine light problem, it has only needed a belt tensioner replaced. Otherwise it has been a reliable if deadly boring vehicle.

Regards,

Ed White

r> My best advice (This coming from a guy who bought and still have a 78

Hello I think you need to find another tech to work on your Van. All the technicians who worked on your Van did not do one important test. It is Fuel system delivery and control test (ie: Fuel pressure, fuel volume flow, injectors flow, injector balance, fuel quality). All of following problem will cause the PCM to set misfire code: Bad fuel pump (low volume, air bubble), restricted injector(s), dirty fuel (water contaminated or rusty fuel tank ...), high carbon deposit in combustion charmber (use borescope to check), poor #5 injector wiring, leaking at injector and a lot more. I would do injectors cleaning (prefer MOTOR VAC service) and Engine top cylinder cleaning first the recheck.

Tree

Thanks for your note and kind suggestions.

I did swap the injectors when I replaced the intake manifold gaskets and it had no effect.

Your suggestion about the camshaft timing is interesting. The timing belt was "professionally" replaced last year. The van seems to run fine after this. Is it possible that a camshaft being miss timed could affect only one cylinder?

What is a top cylinder cleaning?

Thanks again.

Ed

Tree wrote:

That is not the Check Engine light.

If you have the diagnostic tool, why don't you just flush the codes before going to inspection?

I don't know where you are but in California Clearing the trouble code to turn off the check engine light before going to smog inspection will most likely fail the inspection test (OBD II monitor test)

Becasue the OBDII Inspection program is not that naive. The PCM requires that a driving cycle be completed before the vehicle is ready for inspection. So far we have not been able to "flush" the codes and have them stayed flush before all the readiness monitors have completed their cycles. I think it is the EGR cycle that takes the longest, and the PCM always sets the misfire code before that cycle is completed. My scan tool is clever enough to monitor the cycles, but not so clever that it can fake them out.

Regards,

Ed White

I think the OBD2 3.0 liter Mitsubishis are susceptible to carbon caked intake valves causing missfire codes. It might be worthwhile to have the intake removed and the valves and runners Walnut shell blasted like (IIRC) was necessary on some of the European imports (BMW?) a few years ago.

Thanks for the response. I have heard that this was a problem from others. Is there any possibility that some additive might "fix" this problem without removing the intake manifold . I am surprised that the dealer did not mention this option. I guess they thought we needed a new engine .

Regards,

Ed White

You can clean the combustion chamber by injecting transmission fluid into the PCV valve; metered just enough to keep it from stalling at fast idle. Plan on putting in fresh plugs after the treatment. I don't know if it will solve your problem. Also, go back to stock plugs if any of the newer "miracle" plugs have been used. Hotter heat ranges may cause detonation. Try going to a lower heat range plug if you suspect the misfire is caused by pre-detonation due to too hot of a plug for the current state of air to fuel ratio.

And this little trick is not going to adversely affect the Oxygen Sensor or the Catalytic Converter???

Back in the days of carbs, we used to pour water down the carb to get rid of carbon build up. especially when we were going to rebuild the engine. Also put a couple quarts of ATF in the crankcase and ran it about 100 miles. Wouldn't believe how clean the engine was when we tore it down after this.

detonation.

Water injection? The only engines I've seen there were CLEAN inside had head gasket leaks and.....