1998 Ford Taurus 3.0L Vulcan OHV. 130,000 miles.

P0303 Misfire on #3
P0172 Too rich on bank 1

Oil and coolant look clean. New plugs and wires. The tip of the #3 plug was burned off, the rest were fine.

Has just developed a loud ticking at startup that goes away after a few minutes. Subsequent warm starts don't exhibit ticking, so I assume it's a lifter. I can't pinpoint the noise with the stethoscope, sounds equally loud from both valve covers, but it's not a deep enough sound to be rod knock and doesn't sound loud in the oil pan.

I've got a compression tester, but it won't thread up(taurus use a retarded spark plug style) so I'm waiting on an extra pair of hands to hold the tester in place.

So my current theory is that a lifter stuck and bent a valve. Would that explain the burned plug and rich code? How?

Also, would it be worth it to pull the motor before I tear it down? It's an old school engine, but I'm not looking forward to dealing with that back cylinder head.

4/22/2010 7:59:21 PM

clear code.

put ad on CL

get rid of it. those cars are a dime a dozen

4/22/2010 8:10:08 PM

Yeah, I've always called it a disposable car, but I've grown attached over the past few years. I figure I should at least give my faithful friend Doris the Taurus(god help me I've named a car) the ol' college try.

4/22/2010 8:14:47 PM

I thought the "college try" was a one night stand with a $5 on the pillow the next morning

4/22/2010 8:37:56 PM

On second thought, there's no way a tappet could bend a valve I don't think. Could be an exhaust leak though, which could in turn burn the spark plug and valve. The leak could expand shut when warm.

4/22/2010 9:05:47 PM

You probably don't need that cylinder as long as the other five are working.

4/22/2010 9:10:01 PM