Thanks for replying. I finally got a diagnosis. They say its either fuel related or ignition. One mechanic says I need to replace the fuel injector to the tune of about $500. Another poured a half bottle of injector cleaner into my half tank of gas and said to drive it out and if the missing doesn't stop to come back and see him. He says I have no compresdsion problem and he could hear the fuel pump click or tick ( not sure whick one he said) when he pressed the accelator from under the hood.
I want to be sure it is the fuel injector before I spend money on it and that its not the coil as was the case with my sister's F350 truck. She got the coil replaced but later her engine light came back on though the missing had cleared up.
My van only seems to miss when I put it in drive. Idling in park, it doesn't sound like it's missing but the minute I put it in drive or reverse, the missing or rough rotation magnifies. When I give it gas it sounds like its missing and the engine light flashes sometimes. When that happens I feel vibration but when the engine light stops flashing, the vibration ebbs a bit. I can get up to 60-65 MPH. Sometimes it rides smoother than other times. I have been riding the bus to avoid driving until I get it fixed because I am afraid this might damage something else in the engine.
By the way I won't be working on the van myself because I'm female and don't know the slightest thing about engine combustion. However, I'm learning. It was your website that motivated me to get the timing belt changed. I freaked out when when I read what could happen if it broke. I hadn't changed it at all and I was at 127,000 miles!
I will make a donation to your website in the future but right now, I'm trying to get my vehicle running so I can get off the bus and into my van to get to daily radiation treatments.
I don't want to get taken by the repair shops though. That's why I'm seeking advice, especially after spending $764.00!
Any guidance would be deeply appreciated.
Saturday, March 17th, 2007 AT 8:50 PM