anyway, it'* been a while since i have posted here and our 1996 SE now has 80,342 miles on it.
as a ford/lincoln driver most of my life, i am still amazed by this car and how little seems to have gone wrong with it. untill i started driving it, anyway...

it used to get about 13 mpg and i couldn't figure out why; i pulled off the top plastic engine cover at a friends car lot one day to have him show me the location of the pcv valve (i never would have thought to look where it is!) and he pointed out that the maf was broken. the end was hanging down and i could see the metal strips inside going into the part itself! replaced the maf and mileage went up to almost 22 mpg was i happy then.

i was planning a tune up but never got past the pcv, air filter and cleaning the throttle body. did notice the screen over the t.b. is damaged and it is a pain to get the retainer clip out; used 2 trim nails inserted into the holes worked great.

hog wash carb spray cleans EVERYTHING grease free in no time it even removes paint from my tailgate (never use your tailgate as a work bench!) won't do that again.

a few weeks ago i was outside waiting for my lawyer to call and decided to remove the baffles from the airbox. did this with the help of a hammer and large regular screwdriver. it was easy and car is more peppy now; was, anyway...

this car has always had a check engine light on; fiance'* dad says it is gas cap code and he has erased it once since i have known her. here we go, on to present time...

noticed about 4 days ago FLASHING check engine light while merging into traffic on I - 80 and that concerned me. researched here and flashing light seems to indicate a condition related to ignition miss.

advance auto scanned it last night here are the codes...
PO106
MAP / BARO
CKT RANGE / PERF

PO301
CYLINDER 1
MISFIRE DETECTED

PO446
EVAP EMISSION
CONTROL SYSTEM
VENT CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION

P1441
MANUFACTURER CONTRL.
AUXILIARY EMISSION

DTC PENDING CODES
PO301
P1441

gas mileage is down to about 15.4 mpg and it is flat under moderate to heavy pedal i now find myself watching closer while merging it has slowed down that much.
"the codes don't seem to indicate major issues" was stated by the advance guy "cylinder misfire is present in almost every car we test". that is NORMAL? i don't think so or my mpg wouldn't be down almost 7 mpg.

i have vehicle maintenance planned for today; the Bonne gets the new set of NGK tr55 gp plugs and NAPA Belden Max #700949 wires i bought months ago and my '94 ranger gets an oil change.

any input is thankfully accepted so Lisa won't keep asking/saying "what did you do to my baby ? you better fix it ! "

Bob

After you finish your plugs and wires, reinstall your MAF screen. Fix the damage carefully or get another one. It isn't allowing your MAF sensor to get an accurate reading of the incoming air, and some of your misfire issues may be from running lean. Lean will also cause KR.

All of your codes MAP/Purge are vacuum related. Both the MAP sensor and the Vent/purge solenoid are vacuum controlled or dependent. Carefully inspect your engine to make sure the vacuum lines are attached to them and they are connected electrically.

The MAP sensor is mounted to the top of the PCV cap. Is it broken or cracked? Sealed properly? Did you reinstall both o-rings when you changed the PCV? Is it connected to it'* electrical harness?

Your Purge solenoid is mounted to a bracket that comes off the front cylinder head.

You can see it in this pic just above one of the two top valve cover bolts. See the blue connector? That'* the harness:


However, your 1441 code, while possibly related to the 0446, is a little different. It says your valve is flowing during a non-purge state. That would indicate the valve is mechanically stuck, but check all your lines and connections first. This should be a relatively inexpensive part at a wrecker or in our WANTED section if you need one.

A good way to check for vacuum leaks at both locations is to start the car and let it idle. Spray carb cleaner on each connection. If it'* leaking, it'l suck the stuff in, and you'll hear your idle change pitch as it combusts the car cleaner.

If cylinder misfires are present in nearly every car Advance tests, then nobody tunes up their cars. Proper maintenance and tune-up items will take care of that problem quickly.

Advance has tested mine 3 times and NEVER got a cylinder misfire code. 150000 miles on a 98.

A flashing MIL indicates a "possible catalyst damaging condition" meaning your car is running badly enough that the catalytic converter might be getting damaged by the exhaust.

I would suggest following what WillWren suggested, then checking the coil and plug wire for #1 cylinder. Maybe it'* time for the rest of that tune up.

Just did some research

P0446 is the Evap system sensing a blockage in the venting etc of the system or in simpler terms that will make more sense in a moment.. Non flow when flow commanded.

P1441 is the Evap system sensing a flow when non flow is commanded.

Check the evap purge solenoid for a good connection in both electrical and vacuum. Almost seems as thought the purge valve/soleniod is possibly faulty.

My suggestion on that would be to clear codes and see which one appears first, purge or non purge errors.

wow was that fun!

all plugs were brown/grey on electrode arm with a little grey soot.
wires didn't seem to be brittle or melted but they were AC Delco wires have no clue how old, though. i like that they are numbered so almost anyone who can count can replace them...

fronts were easy, all plugs and wires but the rears were a pain in the rear.
removing the strut brace helped out alot but still a tight squeeze i have large arms.
rear wires even had heat shields on the boots, aren't the fronts supposed to have them also?

had my helper take her car for a ride told her drive normal to a specific point then returning accelerate like she was merging onto the highway with a truck trying to cut her off. no flashing engine light, no hesitation at least for now.

perhaps the #1 miss was a wire going bad, perhaps not.

i will folow through on the other recomendations through the week and let everyone know what happens. Lisa says thanks to everyone and i better fix this with all the help i have here.

Bob

Numbered wires are original factory wiring. Replacement delco'* don't have the numbers.

Good to hear it was running much better. Some days a tune up is a miracle worker for a car.

The rears have the heat shield and correct, the fronts do not.

sorry i wasn't clear on some of my post;

pcv was changed 04/20 when the MAF was replaced and at that time only gas cap code was showing up. lucky her dad works at a garage and has taught her a few things.

i didn't remove the throttle body screen and keep it out, i only removed it to clean. lots of crap in the t.b. it needed it badly. i know better than to leave it out from posts here i fixed the dent in the bottom as well as i could and carefully replaced it for now it needs a replacement perhaps saturday will be salvage yard day for me.

my fiance is driving it this week, my minivan broke down on her on the way to work at 6:30 this morning. i drove the Bonne to work last night and gave it my own test for acceleration and it seems to be back to it'* old self. even better than before, it has a nice roar with the baffles out of the air box i must restrain myself...

she is taking it back to have the codes scanned again and cleared today after work so i can see what is showing up now after plugs and wires. i will follow through on vacume testing via carb spray to look for open positions and let everyone know the outcome.

my lincoln sits with the abs booster out, chrysler van is down, the ranger i keep just because it is a truck that has been in the family since it was new and the Pontiac is the only thing here that is good as gold. perhaps it is time for me to cast off all the others and embrace The General Motors family...

Thanks To All once again,
Bob

sorry, been a little side tracked. was on vacation last week and drove to southern illinois to pick up my new "old" car a '70 mercury cougar.
http://www.mercurycougar.net/gallery...r/7996/cat/500

anyway...
it'* been a little over 2 weeks now since the check engine light has been on.
the light has stayed off since the codes were cleared and seems to be running fine.

since the check light has not been on, i have not had it scanned again; no vacume leaks when checking with carb spray method either.

grabbed wrong size maf screen at the salvage yard have to go again this weekend the old one is just dinged a bit on the bottom.

thanks again to everyone for the input
Bob