3.8 running badly
 

i,ve got a 99 model with 3.8 , auto and the problem i'm having is. car is missing badly and exhaust reeks of gasoline. could this be a problem with coils or something else .. any ideas will be appreciated .. Thank you. also car has 154 k miles

Have you checked it for codes? There are A LOT of problems that could point to. Did you check your plugs and wires?

haha does htown= henderson??? completely unrelated i know but definately check for codes if you are getting a p0300 start with basic plugs wires lucas (personal favorite) fuel injector cleaners and then i would check distrib and so on

No distributor on these cars. if the MIL is on, get it scanned and get us some codes. If the exhaust smells like gas, it's running rich, so proper combustion isn't happening. My first guess would be spark plugs (good replacement for an NA 3800 are NGK TR55's gapped to factory specs). Plug wires are a cheap replacement as well.

But before we start throwing parts at it, I'm curious if it's throwing a code.

huh!!
 

ok first off thank u for the replies, since i'm a newbie what is a MIL and how do i get the codes ?.:icon_playing: and H from htown stands for Houston tx . Thanks again.

Go to autozone and ask them to check for codes.

ahhh oh well if it was henderon i had a scanner haha MIL is malfunction indicator lamp also known as service engine soon or check engine light... your light may be on without realizing it if the bulb is burned out... best way to check if it is functioning properly turn car off pull out keys wait thirty seconds and then put key in turn to on position leaving the engine off.... it should flash on and off if it fails to do this your light bulb is burned out.... if turns on start engine and does it stay on? if it does you have codes stored and most auto parts stores will pull codes for free..... what year did they take out the distrib cap??? :icon_doh: mine still has one.... cause without codes numerous things will make a car run rich.... such as oxygen sensors

I am learning the 4gens, How can a indictor bulb be on all the time to indicate its burn out? also I though all 4th gens where DIS?

The 3.8 engines never had a distributor, only ones I can think of that might have had one were the 80's buicks, but that 231 is an entirely different engine.

disaster!!
 

i.ve been driving this car for a coupla days missing like it is. went and checked the oil and its milky colored :icon_hyper: darn!!. no wonder i got it so cheap.