cylinder 8 misfire/replace ignition coil-spark plug

[cassler]

I have a 97 explorer with 197k miles on it. I just preplaced the alternator and battery in December.
Here's where I messed up. I have an oil leak-- I took it upon myself to put some oil in full synthetic. I did for 3-4 months. I now know this was not a good idea.

When starting the vehicle after a "top-off" it began to shake violently. I thought maybe some air got in the line but after starting it up a few more times I could tell there was problem. I thought that the oil leak was so bad that it was dumping anything it took it. The smoke and shaking both increase with acceleration.

When driving, in addition to the shaking which is very intense, there is now blue smoke coming from the undercarriage/back end. I got it towed home and it sat for a week before I could look at it.

There was a loose spark plug boot. When properly re-seated the shaking lessened but still present.

Upon draining my oil today there was a whopping 15 quarts of oil in my car. This explains why oil was leaking from everywhere (belt housing).

NOW I have a code for P0308 Replace Ignition Coil and Spark Plug; Cylinder #8 misfire. Could this be due to flooding of oil?

 

[Pete Deering]

I have a 97 explorer with 197k miles on it. I just preplaced the alternator and battery in December.
Here's where I messed up. I have an oil leak-- I took it upon myself to put some oil in full synthetic. I did for 3-4 months. I now know this was not a good idea.

When starting the vehicle after a "top-off" it began to shake violently. I thought maybe some air got in the line but after starting it up a few more times I could tell there was problem. I thought that the oil leak was so bad that it was dumping anything it took it. The smoke and shaking both increase with acceleration.

When driving, in addition to the shaking which is very intense, there is now blue smoke coming from the undercarriage/back end. I got it towed home and it sat for a week before I could look at it.

There was a loose spark plug boot. When properly re-seated the shaking lessened but still present.

Upon draining my oil today there was a whopping 15 quarts of oil in my car. This explains why oil was leaking from everywhere (belt housing).

NOW I have a code for P0308 Replace Ignition Coil and Spark Plug; Cylinder #8 misfire. Could this be due to flooding of oil?

View attachment 454957

No, a misfire has nothing too do with the oil. The oil leaks happen from being over overfill is what happen for that condition.
misfire could happen from the spark plus boot not locking into th coil on plug 8. Check the boot at the coil. You could swap the the coil pack, spark plug and Plug wire from 6 to 8. See if the misfire moves.

 

[Turdle]

In my limited experience, a misfire code logged is usually caused by a weak fuel injector.

Your oil overfill could , and probably did, get into the intake tube and manifold. Possible fouled, plugged fuel injector.

I'd change all spark plugs , run a good fuel injector cleaner in tank.

 

[eddiehudson]

What I would like to know is How did you overfill by 9 quarts of oil?

Blue smoke usually means your burning oil. Pull all your plugs.

 

[cassler]

What I would like to know is How did you overfill by 9 quarts of oil?

Blue smoke usually means your burning oil. Pull all your plugs.

I know it’s stupid… I have a leak and it typically leaks the whole 5quarts a month

 

[410Fortune]

Wow

Okay first off where is it leaking oil from?
5 quarts a month hitting the ground? Or is it burning 5 quarts a month?

Turdle is correct a misfire code that appears quickly is many many many times an injector issue. You see the ignition (spark) has a hard time determining a misfire so it can take many drive cycles for a misfire code to appear when the issue is a wire or plug

The computer is quick to recognize a misfire of a injector or bad valve, with these a misfire code appears in 1-2 drive cycles

So I would suspect the injector for cyl 8 (rear most cyl drivers side)

However since the engine was filled to the top with oil and ran many bad things could have happened… with the correct 5 quarts of oil (does not matter if it’s synthetic or not in fact finding a real Dino oil anymore is very difficult) run it and see if the blue smoke stops… it should. Then try some injector cleaner like suggested

Let us know where the oil leak is
And if the blue smoke stops

Also you need to use the dipstick to check oil levels hahahaha yes even when they leak 5 quarts a month! That’s when the stick is most useful

 

[cassler]

Wow

Okay first off where is it leaking oil from?
5 quarts a month hitting the ground? Or is it burning 5 quarts a month?

Turdle is correct a misfire code that appears quickly is many many many times an injector issue. You see the ignition (spark) has a hard time determining a misfire so it can take many drive cycles for a misfire code to appear when the issue is a wire or plug

The computer is quick to recognize a misfire of a injector or bad valve, with these a misfire code appears in 1-2 drive cycles

So I would suspect the injector for cyl 8 (rear most cyl drivers side)

However since the engine was filled to the top with oil and ran many bad things could have happened… with the correct 5 quarts of oil (does not matter if it’s synthetic or not in fact finding a real Dino oil anymore is very difficult) run it and see if the blue smoke stops… it should. Then try some injector cleaner like suggested

Let us know where the oil leak is
And if the blue smoke stops

Also you need to use the dipstick to check oil levels hahahaha yes even when they leak 5 quarts a month! That’s when the stick is most useful

The more I confess the worse it’s gonna get. My dipstick was not the right one so I would take it in and have one of the guys at the shop was his because it fit so I wasn’t using the most reliable source and I tried to drown her

 

[410Fortune]

over fill can be very bad! 302 are tough! The fact she’s still running is a good sign

https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/what-happens-when-you-put-too-much-oil-in-your-car

Even with the incorrect dipstick you can
Wipe dipstick Drain oil
Replace drain plug an filter
Add 5 to 5-1/2 quarts of your favorite oil
Re install dipstick and make a mark on it where the proper level is
Can use a drill, a punch, a grinder whatever to make a hole or notch

 

[cassler]

over fill can be very bad! 302 are tough! The fact she’s still running is a good sign

https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/what-happens-when-you-put-too-much-oil-in-your-car

Even with the incorrect dipstick you can
Wipe dipstick Drain oil
Replace drain plug an filter
Add 5 to 5-1/2 quarts of your favorite oil
Re install dipstick and make a mark on it where the proper level is
Can use a drill, a punch, a grinder whatever to make a hole or notch

I drained it put in a jug and drove it about 20 miles before I got my code red for the misfire then had to drive 20 miles home, but it drove better than before the problem started.

That’s what made me think that the flooding might have something to do with it, but I really don’t want to drive around with a spark plug that’s about to potentially blow

 

[allmyEXes]

Was that all oil? Or was some gasoline in it? One time my wife's old '94 4.0 OHV had 10 quarts in it but half of it was transmission fluid. Coincidentally, the oil pump screen was clogged and the overfilled engine saved itself.
So is it you that may have overfilled it? Where is your leak?
Link to $8- dipstick from China or pay twice as much for one stateside

 

[cassler]

Wow

Okay first off where is it leaking oil from?
5 quarts a month hitting the ground? Or is it burning 5 quarts a month?

Turdle is correct a misfire code that appears quickly is many many many times an injector issue. You see the ignition (spark) has a hard time determining a misfire so it can take many drive cycles for a misfire code to appear when the issue is a wire or plug

The computer is quick to recognize a misfire of a injector or bad valve, with these a misfire code appears in 1-2 drive cycles

So I would suspect the injector for cyl 8 (rear most cyl drivers side)

However since the engine was filled to the top with oil and ran many bad things could have happened… with the correct 5 quarts of oil (does not matter if it’s synthetic or not in fact finding a real Dino oil anymore is very difficult) run it and see if the blue smoke stops… it should. Then try some injector cleaner like suggested

Let us know where the oil leak is
And if the blue smoke stops

Also you need to use the dipstick to check oil levels hahahaha yes even when they leak 5 quarts a month! That’s when the stick is most useful

The smoking did stop after driving for less than five minutes, the shaking is totally gone. I’m going to check for the leak tonight I put more detection dye in when I drained it. I know! I tried to murder my own car

 

[cassler]

Was that all oil? Or was some gasoline in it? One time my wife's old '94 4.0 OHV had 10 quarts in it but half of it was transmission fluid. Coincidentally, the oil pump screen was clogged and the overfilled engine saved itself.
So is it you that may have overfilled it? Where is your leak?
Link to $8- dipstick from China or pay twice as much for one stateside

Im going to check for the leak tonight.
The oil did smell like gas but I was told that things were probably mixing in the ?? Don’t remember what it’s called but the channels were overflowing into each other

 

[allmyEXes]

Let us know the leak test results. I think after you have everything settled, install a new set of sparkplugs. I use Autolite or Motorcraft in my Fords. Some other people may use other brands.
Your in luck tonight for some wholesaler closeout Autolites at Rockauto. Thet have 8 left in stock. cheap! 71 cents each!
Rockauto autolite plugs

 

[cassler]

Was that all oil? Or was some gasoline in it? One time my wife's old '94 4.0 OHV had 10 quarts in it but half of it was transmission fluid. Coincidentally, the oil pump screen was clogged and the overfilled engine saved itself.
So is it you that may have overfilled it? Where is your leak?
Link to $8- dipstick from China or pay twice as much for one stateside

It is me that overfilled it. I think the oil pan bolts are leaking? I can’t see it from the top but it looks like it’s on the lip of the oil pan too

 

[allmyEXes]

@cassler Is your truck 2wd?

 

[410Fortune]

@allmyEXes is correct

Was it all oil?

If there is gasoline in your crank case then you are in trouble

You have a misfire code for an injector issue on #8
If that injector is stuck open then every time the fuel pump is running it is pouring gas into crankcase
Gas in the crankcase will destroy your crank bearings quickly
Was it 10 quarts of gasoline?

You need to drain some of your oil now and take a sample in a clean/ clear jar and inspect it

Stuck injector dumping gasoline would need to be fixed now

There is nowhere that gasoline can enter your crank case except through an injector
You can fill the engine with oil all the way to the top and still no way to get gas in there except through an injector

If #8 injector is stuck open it needs to be fixed right now

 

[410Fortune]

Common oil leak spots on a 5.0

Valve cover gaskets
Rear main seal
Oil pan gasket

Wetness is normal for a higher mile 302

Big puddles on the ground (size of half dollar overnite) not normal, needs to be addressed

302 will burn oil. A quart or so between changes is pretty normal, the oil goes past the valve seals which dry up and wear out over time, especially since they started putting ethenol in our fuel