Liberty for All wrote:
Snoop, You are indeed a Saint. You stuck with the investigation while philosphying continually. I don't know if I would have perservered as much as you.
You sure got her done though. Thanks for educating us all.
Thanks
I have incentive... it's called if momma ain't happy, NO ONE is happy
. I've gotten so much good advice over the years on the different forums I'm on (here, RamForumz, TheSamba for my other vehicles), that when I have something that works, I like to give back if I can.
Ok, so a few things to possibly help others if they end up tackling this (which let's be honest, it's not uncommon with the 3.7), primarily targeted towards the novice or "I'm so non-mechanical novice is a compliment" person.
First,
don't be scared. It's not that bad and you don't need any real magical, technical skills. Hell, you don't even need any fancy tools. Read the forums, use google, get the FSM - Factory Service Manual (skip those Haynes and Chilton ones, they have more errors than accurate info in them) though unless you are mechanically skilled, the FSM isn't as much help as others' real-world experiences, but it's good to have and reading it will help you get "more technical." Maybe. Or not. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Give details when asking questions, no one gets all dedicated to helping someone who can't bother to offer up more than one or two sentences, knowing they are going have to drag stuff out of you to get some idea of what you are having for an issue. Don't - unless you are really good friends with them and they owe you some big favor (and if they do owe you a huge favor, let them do this for you instead
) - go bugging your local mechanic (technician). They need to make a living. Giving you free advice isn't helping them make a living. Don't ask them to borrow their tools either. Buy your own. Avoid the bargain basement, "101 piece tool set!!" for $9.99. Yes. There is a difference. Many of those cheap, cheap ones only have a passing relationship with the Imperial or Metric system. A "heaping teaspoon" might be a thing in the kitchen, a "loose 10mm" is not a thing in the garage or driveway. You don't need to have a 10,000 drawer Snap-On setup, a simple reasonable set is good to get started. You can get a reasonable decent set of Stanley, New Britain, Husky, or chain auto part store brands (usually made by the same companies that make Stanley, New Britain, SK, etc.) on a budget. You can add more tools as you need to. Look for both SAE (inches) and Metric (MM) in one kit. I'd recommend a kit that gives you 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive sockets up to 17-18mm and 3/4" in both standard and deep sockets, plus a selection of combination wrenches. A couple of flat head and Phillips screwdrivers, selection of pliers (slip joint, linesman, needle nose, and at least one locking "vice grip" style), an adjustable 8" wrench (aka "crescent"), and a screw driver\hex\"torx" bit driver set... this is
NOT a replacement for real screwdrivers but in addition to. Get a code reader. I'd recommend one of the inexpensive ELM-327 bluetooth ones - they sync with just about any android phone or tablet (as well as laptops with bluetooth as long as they aren't Apples), there's free apps like Torque Lite and Car Doctor that will tell you what the codes are you are getting. Sure, you can to to Autozone or Pepboys and they will read them for you, but that's not always an option if it's running like crap plus, knowledge is power.
So, if you are getting P03xx codes, you have a misfire. There's two different segments of the P03xx codes, either P035x or P030x (where "x" is a number between 1-6). Using that code reader I suggested to get will tell you what cylinder(s) are having issues. Starting from the driver's side of the engine while looking at it with your legs up against the bumper and hood up, the front one on on the driver's side is #1. #2 is the passenger front side. They alternate side-to-side to the back of the engine, so that means that driver's side, front to rear is 1, 3, 5 while passenger side is 2, 4, 6. With this info, we can then determine the following codes mean issues on the respective cylinders:
P0301 - cylinder #1
P0351 - Coil circuit "A" is cylinder #1
P0301 - cylinder #2
P0351 - Coil circuit "B" is cylinder #2
P0301 - cylinder #3
P0351 - Coil circuit "C" is cylinder #3
P0301 - cylinder #4
P0351 - Coil circuit "D" is cylinder #4
P0301 - cylinder #5
P0351 - Coil circuit "E" is cylinder #5
P0301 - cylinder #6
P0351 - Coil circuit "F" is cylinder #6
Ok, so to do coils and plugs you'll need:- 10mm socket and ratchet (3/8th drive is good size for leverage and space) plus I'd recommend at least a 6" extension, 10" to spare your knuckles
- 5/8th spark plug socket
- Flathead screwdriver
- pliers (slip joint aka "channel locks" work best here)
- bungie cord
- plug gapping tool - $1 at FLAPS (Friendly Local Auto Parts) or Walmart
- Packet of thread anti-seize (usually stupid cheap and at the checkout at FLAPS). Grab a packet of dielectric grease too.
- On-plug coils - anywhere from $4 for cheap ones at Rockauto.com to WTF-are-they-thinking $90 each from some dealers. Shoot mid-range is my opinion ($24 ea up here in the middle of nowhere). You can replace just the one that is bad, or you can replace them all. Your call based on finances and how proactive you want to be.
- 6 copper core spark plugs. Don't drink the koolaid, the iridium and platinum ones? Not better. Actually worse. Bonus, copper cores are cheaper too. I like Autolite or Champion, OEMs are NGKs. Years of Asian motorcycles have made me not a fan of NGKs. I've taken on of the standard NGKs apart. The electrode is a finish nail. Kinda makes me question the rest of the line. YMMV.
- spray can of silicon lube, NOT penetrating oil or any petroleum oil (that means no WD40!)
- 1/2" combination wrench
- green scotchbrite (or dollar store knockoff) pad. If you steal this from under the kitchen sink, don't let the better half see you. You're not going to give it back.
Use 1/2" combination wrench to loosen nut on the negative (black) battery cable where it attaches to the battery. Lift up and remove from battery stud. Push it down next to the battery so there's no way your elbow hits it and lets it make contact with the battery posts. Do the same for the positive (red) cable. Yes, those who are experienced know you only NEED to pull one, but bear with me, at the end you will get why I say both.
Loosen hose clamp on the air box to resonator hose (black hose going from big black box with "Jeep" on it sitting on the passenger side fender to the black thingy sitting on the top of the middle of the engine that says "3.7L"). You can leave both black box things on, but I'd recommend removing the air box to give you a little working room. It has 3 nubs on the bottom that fit into rubber sockets in the fender. It will not want to come out. You will make it. Grab the box and rock it north-south, then east-west while pulling up. Eventually it will let go, if you are short like me (5'2"), that means it will let go right into your chin. For this reason, keep your mouth shut while pulling unless you don't like your tongue. Set aside.
With the pliers, squeeze the clamp on the small hose attached to the top of the coolant reservoir that comes across from the driver's side of the engine, that's the plastic tank up against the firewall on the passenger side. Remove the hose, you might have to twist it a few times with the pliers to loosen its grip on the nipple. Move it over to the other side of the engine, try to position it so the end is facing up to minimize dripping antifreeze all over the place. I tuck it up between the hood and the hood support. Using the 10mm deep socket, remove the two nuts that hold the reservoir to the firewall, then pull the tank forward. Do yourself a favor, put the nuts back on the studs a couple of turns so you don't lose them. Tip the tank sideways to the passenger side and use a bungy cord to keep it in place, around the hood support rod works well.
Use the flathead screwdriver to press the little clips down on each coil plug while pulling each plug off. . You can use your fingers if you want, but it's much easier to use the tool
. Using the 10mm socket again with the extension, remove the nut holding the coil down. Pull coil straight up to remove. Put nut back on stud so you don't lose it. Use long extension and plug socket to remove spark plug. Stare at plug end. Marvel the color. Fight urge to keep them "just in case I need one later." Trust me, you don't. You never will. Throw away. Get new plug. Set the gap per recommendations, using your new little tool. It's simple, slide the tool into the gap between the curved part of the end of the plug and the little stubby metal cylinder sticking up out of the center. Check what it says. Bend the curved part until the gap is where it is recommended. Wait. What are those recommendations???
Autolite and ACDelco: 0.035
Champion and NGK: 0.044
LIGHTLY put the anti-seize on JUST the threads. NOT on the other parts. A little goes a long way.
Use the extension and plug socket (without the ratchet attached) to screw the new plug in. First, check to make sure the plug goes in the socket enough to hold it, but not enough that it is going to hold onto to it so well that when you get done and pull the extension off, the socket stays buried in the head and on the plug. This is not fun. If this happens, you have two options: screw it back out, adjust the plug in the socket and try again, or dig the socket out with needle nose pliers. Since I didn't list these pliers in the "things you need," you know what I prefer to do.
Ok, ready? BE GENTLE. If it doesn't feel like it is moving smoothly... STOP. Back off, line up again, and try. You do NOT want to cross-thread this. No, no, no. Tighten with fingers until it is tight, then put the ratchet on and give it one quarter to one half turn. Do not over-tighten. All you want to do is seat the "crush washer" on the plug down. Repeat on the other 5 plugs. Put the plug socket back in your tool kit before it ends up dropping down next to the engine and eventually on the side of the road, after banging off the bottom of your rig and giving you one of those "what the hell just fell off my truck and am I gonna die????". Ask me how I know...
Now for the coils. Remove the nut off the stud, set it up on the cowl at the base of windshield so you don't drop it. Gently but firmly push each coil down over the top of the spark plug, lining up the stud with the hole in the coil until it seats. It won't click or "pop," you can tell you have it all the way seated by looking at the relationship of the coil with the stud, if it is almost all the way down, you did it right. Thread the nuts onto each stud finger tight. Take your 10mm socket and snug each one down until the coil seats against the bottom of the stud, then 1/2 turn more. Do not over-tighten. Push each coil plug onto the coil until it clicks. Put the coolant reservoir back on the firewall. Connect the overflow hose. Hit each one of the rubber sockets for the airbox with the silicon lube. Press box down into the sockets. Attach black air hose.
It would be a shame to do all this work and end up with having a crappy battery connection, sooooooo, take scotchbrite pad, scuff up both battery studs until they are nice and shiny. Slice off about 1/4 of the pad, across the short side. Roll it up to make a tube. Push into the battery clamp, then pull in and out until the inside is shiny. lightly coat each battery post with the dielectric grease. Reconnect positive battery cable first, tighten down. Wiggle with hand to make sure it is on good. Repeat with negative cable. Smile. Cross fingers. Cross toes to be safe.
Start engine. Does it sound better? Smoother? If yes, take it for a spin. Look for the CEL (Check Engine Light). If it stays off after 10-15 minutes, you are probably done. If not or if it doesn't sound right when you start it, time to dig a little deeper. It's ok, you can do this. Trust me. You can. I'll post the next step (in my opinion) - injectors - in the next post.