Crankcase (pcv) Problems of Chrysler Pacifica

One year ago (114k miles) I started having some rough idle, stumbling, etc. Then a cylinder 5 misfire code appeared. I swapped around coils and injectors, replaced the pcv valve, replaced lower intake manifold, coolant flush. Still no improvement. So I then replaced all the coils, plugs, and bench cleaned and tested all of the fuel injectors and reinstalled them with new o-rings. Misfire code kept returning. On veteran's day last year on our way back from a parade it would barely go over 35 mph with the cel flashing. I limped it straight to the dealership. For context, I have never run the vehicle hot and have kept up on regular maintenance intervals. I gave them a detailed list of everything I did to the vehicle. They had it in the shop and did a compression test. Compression was good on the cylinder head for 1, 3, and 5. However, a leak down test was performed and showed a significant leak in cylinder 5, prompting the need to replace that cylinder head. Luckily, we still had our extended warranty and this $10k job was completely covered. Fast forward to a month ago (126k miles) I was getting a noise from the accessory drive area. After looking closer, I had to replace the serpentine belt. In order to do that I had to remove the lower radiator hoses and drain the coolant. Got everything back together and started it up. The noise I previously heard was louder and more like a chatter. Then a cylinder 4 misfire code appeared. I tore it down, looked at the plugs and coils. All checked out. Did a compression test and compression in all 3 cylinders was good at #2: 155 psi, #4: 151 psi, #6: 153 psi. Ibwent ahead and replaced fuel injector for that cylinder. Vehicle has been running for a few weeks and is still registering misfires for cylinder 4. Everything is pointing towards a cylinder head replacement, which will cost upwards of $10k, just as the previous cylinder head replacement did. This is a far too common problem on these engines.

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While driving, the vehicle began to sputter and the check engine light illuminated. A scan at a franchised dealership showed a stored code for a cylinder 4 misfire. Further diagnosis found coolant intrusion into cylinder 4, indicating internal failure of the left cylinder head and/or head gasket, allowing coolant into the combustion chamber. Upon removing the left valve cover and camshafts, the technician found a broken head gasket and a warped left cylinder head. The dealership replaced the left cylinder head, head gasket, cylinder head cover gasket, and oxygen sensor, refilled coolant, and replaced the pcv valve as a maintenance item. After repair, the vehicle was test driven and no further misfire was detected. This failure occurred at approximately 72,000 miles, low mileage for a major internal engine component, shortly after the factory powertrain warranty expired, leaving the owner responsible for the full repair cost. A misfire caused by coolant entering a cylinder can cause sudden, unexpected loss of engine power and rough running while driving, a safety concern in traffic, on highways, or when merging and passing, since reduced power can make it hard to maintain speed or accelerate out of a hazardous situation. Continued driving with undiagnosed coolant intrusion can also cause secondary engine damage, including hydrolock. The failed cylinder head and gasket were not retained by the owner; the dealership performed the repair as part of the invoiced order. The manufacturer has not independently inspected the vehicle beyond the dealership's diagnosis, photographs, and repair documentation, available on request. This appears to be a recurring issue on this engine platform, as similar cylinder head/gasket coolant intrusion failures, with matching misfire codes, have been reported by other owners of similar model-year minivans with the same engine, typically presenting in the 60,000-85,000 mile range, shortly after the factory powertrain warranty expires.

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Pcv valve failure. There was oil leak outside. When taken off, there was oily gunk inside. When shaked, it was obviously completely stuck. I took out and cleaned it thoroughly.

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The seals on the oil filter housing and the valve covers go bad. I have been smiling a burning oil smell off an on for the last 8 months. I reported this to the dealership and was told that the seals on the pcv valve seep they all doit should be ok. As time rolled on the van went put of warranty and the smell got worse. I went back to the dealer and they finally looked the way they should have 8 months age and found the problems listed above. Costing me 712. 69 dollars. You look ant where on the web about this problem and find that Chrysler is fully aware and they are doing nothing about it . What happens when we are going down the road and enough oil leaks and runs down the manifold then starts a fire??? I contacted Chrysler and got no help at all.

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