[roycecas1]

I have a 1997 Dodge grand Caravan with the 3.3 V6. It has been running rough with a miss as well. I found the top of the valves had worn through the rockers. So I changed those and cleaned a lot of gunk out of the engine. I also found that the coil pack was bad and changed it. I put in new plugs and wires. Yes I have the firing order correct. :o) But it is still running with a miss and it has trouble idling and will even stall out at a light. I am leaning towards a bad oil pump. When I do the trick with the ignition I get a 43 and a 24 code. I had trouble finding info on coeds for this van but it look like the 24 code means the throttle position sensor is bad and the 43 code is detecting a miss firing cylinder. I am close? any suggestions? Thank in advance. Royce.

[30desoto]

Just a thought but if the valves had worn through the top of the rockers how does your cam look you may have a flat spot or worn cam.

30dee

[dptyscott]

could be a burnt valve. do a compression test. if its low on any put three squirts of oil in and recheck. if compression goes up its a ring.

[roycecas1]

I will check those things. Now let me add to this problem. Today I pulled the oil sending unit/pressure sensor out and it was leaking oil where you connect the wire. I replaced it and as soon as I started the engine not only is it still running bad but now it has what sounds like a rod knock. I tried putting the old sensor back in but that didn't help. I also put on a pressure gauge so I could actually see the pressure. It shows 35 to 45 at idle and around 60 or more at 2000 to 2500 rpm. Does any of that make sense? :o)

[DaSouthWon]

The TPS sensor will cause a rough running motor. I would imagine that the knock is detonation from the bad tps. If your valve stems have worn through the rockers youve got a problem just from the metal in the oil. No telling what else. better get a magnetic oil drain plug and make sure you use a good oil filter for a while.

[roycecas1]

I found my problem. After all that discussion, I went out and tore the engine down to the block. You won't believe what I found. Someone who had been helping me dropped a bolt down the intake and it lodged under one of the valves keeping it open. I did a complete head job on both heads and did a lot of cleaning on the rest of the engine. I am putting it all back to gether and I have a good feeling I will have a good running engine now. :o). Thanks for all the insite though. I learned a lot about these engines from all of you and with everything I did to the enging. Thanks again.

[L88427BigBlock]

I'll beleive that, I put a motor in a 96 Olds cutlass 3.1 I got from a junk yard, mine was the same thing ran for about 10 mins great then took out the valves with a bolt down the intake runner. Glad to hear I'm not the only one man that SUCKS!!

[dptyscott]

Thats awsome. Dont sweat the misshapps guys. I cant tell you how many fubars ive made.