2.4 Headgasket failure
 

I have a 2000 Chrysler Cirrus with a 2.4L engine.

It only has 76,000 miles on it. Today, it started running rough. I
opened the hood, and the spark plug wire for Cyl #2 was completely
off. I started the engine, and the plug wire came off again, and moved
up and down with piston movement.

The plug, is still tight. I am guessing a headgasket failure may be
causing this. There is also a puddle of oil on the valve cover, around
the spark plug wires.

As this is a 2000, so it should have the MLS headgasket that was
phased in during 1999. Early 2.4's were prone to headgasket failure,
so this new design was introduced.

Any thought on this? Could it be something more involved than a
headgasket?

Thanks,

KM

2.4 Headgasket failure
 

KirkM > writes:

> I have a 2000 Chrysler Cirrus with a 2.4L engine.
>
> It only has 76,000 miles on it. Today, it started running rough. I
> opened the hood, and the spark plug wire for Cyl #2 was completely
> off. I started the engine, and the plug wire came off again, and moved
> up and down with piston movement.
>
> The plug, is still tight. I am guessing a headgasket failure may be
> causing this. There is also a puddle of oil on the valve cover, around
> the spark plug wires.
>
> As this is a 2000, so it should have the MLS headgasket that was
> phased in during 1999. Early 2.4's were prone to headgasket failure,
> so this new design was introduced.
>
> Any thought on this? Could it be something more involved than a
> headgasket?

I'm kind of missing how a blown head gasket would cause a plug wire to
fall off, or would cause an oil puddle way up at the valve covers.
Also, how do you know the plug wire is actually moving "with" piston
movement, or is it just wiggling when the engine is turning?

First thing I'd do is inspect the plug wire. Could the connector to the
plug have failed? I'm not familiar with the 2.4, so I'm assuming it's
either got a distributor or a coil pack (not coil-on-plug) so you're
talking about traditional plug wires.

Second would be a more serious inspection of the plug. It's hard to
imagine it failing in a way that would create a passage for gasses to go
up and blow the wire off...

Not that this is terribly relevant, but my '78 Newport had a couple of
plug wires that fell off continually until I gave up and put a loom on
to keep them from swinging around so much.

2.4 Headgasket failure
 

Turns out that it was a cracked spark plug, allowing compression to escape and blow off the plug wires.

The valve cover gasket was leaking oil pretty back, so I am not sure if that caused the plug to crack. A new valve cover gasket, plugs, and plug wires, and it is running well again.

From what I hear, the newer MLS headgasket holds up pretty well.

Thanks,

KM

2.4 Headgasket failure
 

Kirk Matheson wrote:

> Turns out that it was a cracked spark plug, allowing compression to escape and blow off the plug wires.

Glad you got it fixed; I was about to post that I have had spark plugs
do exactly that!

2.4 Headgasket failure
 

GP49 > writes:

> Kirk Matheson wrote:
>
>> Turns out that it was a cracked spark plug, allowing compression to escape and blow off the plug wires.
>
> Glad you got it fixed; I was about to post that I have had spark plugs
> do exactly that!

OK, I guess I need a better imagination!

2.4 Headgasket failure
 

On Dec 22 2011, 5:52*pm, Joe Pfeiffer > wrote:
> GP49 > writes:
> > Kirk Matheson wrote:
>
> >> Turns out that it was a cracked spark plug, allowing compression to escape and blow off the plug wires.
>
> > Glad you got it fixed; I was about to post that I have had spark plugs
> > do exactly that!
>
> OK, I guess I need a better imagination!

wow, that would make a nice question for "car talk".