Ritter

I have a 1996 Windstar with a 3.8 V6. with 150K miles..
I keeps giving me a code P301 " miss fire in cyl. one". The number one cylinder is in the back side of motor which makes it a pain in the #!^ to get at. However after taking the wiper cover off i was able to get to plug. The plug was dirty (black sooty) the plug was dry. My first thinking (before I took the plug out) was that perhaps the head is leaking (i keep smelling coolant) but i thought that a leaking cylinder head would produce a plug that looks clean perhaps coolant green. I replace the plug and almost immediately coded. The thing here is that sometimes I think that it may miss than it may stop missing not rally sure if it misses ALL the TIME. The check engine light will start flashing but if I run on the expressway at 70+ the light will hold to a ON Position (but then sometimes it will flash at 70). Diffidently it will miss after warmed up and shut off then restarted. I will replace the plug wire but not sure where to look next.
Trying to get it through one more winter.....
Thanks in advance.

paul allain

when was the last tune up, does it have a cap and rotor? more so is where is the coolant leak? need more info to help u it could be a bad wire but need more input.

fireman614

i had the same problem in my 1998 windstar, turned out to be a bad fuel injecter. take about an hour or 2 to change

Justinsmith

it can need a tune up but if your smelling coolent and its miss firing that mean you might be due for new head gaskets