Good deal, I'm sure you learned alot....now you know how to avoid the headaches from now on

 

OK got one more problem with this.. I fiannly put it all back together and drove it.. it idels a little higerh than before when started ( runs up to about 2K when first crank but then backs off down to normal idel.. think that is cause there is a small exhaust leake as when I did the ex man bolts I could get a tourque wrenc in there and probably just need to tighten)

but all in all seems OK

but here is the thing.. It's still reading the code P0304 ( mis on cyldiner #4.. think flashing means catlsy damaging)????

it has full compression on that cylidner (about 160PSI) and runs fine so why would that code come back?? I cleared it about 3 times but still coming back... changed spark plugs to ( thinking injector next or is there something speacial I need to do with the PCM to earase a falshing code??)
intially, thinking other than fuel/spark problem ( just to much of a concidence that its a problme on the same cyldienr that had valve probelem) I thought OK maybee there was a crack in the block or head but if that's the case why would it hold compression... then I started thinking oh crap maybee there is a problem with a barining on the crank but if that is a problem why is it just affecting cyalidner #4 and not also the one accoss from it... or is it possible that it is the bearing on the far front end of the crank and it is only affectign the connecting rod to cylidner #4 ( never seen inside the 3.8 so not sure if that is even how the rod/bearings are set up)

anyways I appreachiated all of yoru time and help so far and any ideas here will again be appracahited

 

have you checked the plug wire and made sure everything is plugged in good? If you have compression and its not knocking then get it on a scanner and do some checking

 

Sounds like you're doing this on the cheap...

Swap the plug wire with another wire that you know is good. If you still get the code, your old plug wire is probably OK, and it is something still in common with that bad cylinder. If the code moves to another cylinder along with that original plug wire...you got lucky. If not, ....

Swap the plug with .......

Swap the coil pack....

Finally, swap the injector.

If all that doesn't work, time to swap the car.

 

thanks again for your help




kind of the lines I was thinking along; lets hope it's not the last case... well if so soudns like a good reason to do an enginge swap to a 5.7 or maybee the dealrship will give me something on trade in for a LS1???

 

thanks again for all of your time and help... any recomendations on a reasonable priced scanner as all my actron does is reads/erases codes? or do you think it is best to take it to a shop and pay them the $60 or whatever to read it

 

You won't get a scanner with the capabilities that you want for cheap. It would probably be easier on your budget just to pay the diagnostic fee for a shop to do it.

 

yeah...ask them to log it while you drive the car....For $60 you can get some good info. Try to make a friend at the shop, I barter everything when possible cause i'm poor.