A few months ago I replaced the distributor cap and plug wires since I felt it was time on my '96 3.0.

Now we start getting the engine code for a random misfire. I wonder what can cause this? I bought the part at autozone while the wires are Bosch. Can anyone tell me what options a misfire can cause?

I don't feel any loss of power but gas mileage has been worsened starting this week.

Thanks,

 

Try putting the old cap and rotor back on if you still have them and see if it clears up, since that is when the problem started. Random misfire could be a fuel system problem or a vacuum or intake manifold/plenum leak too not just ignition related

 

i cured mine with a can of silicone spray. i did the wires, cap, and all the wires i could find. I started with a can of WD40 and did all of it and took the van for a half hour drive, parked, waited an hour and then went nuts spraying all the ignition and wires i could see. this seems to have cured mine.

 

When you replace the cap and rotor, did you tighten the screw for the rotor. Loose screw can cause a misfire. Also fuel pump pressure can cause a misfire and loss of mileage.

 

Well, I might have to check the distributor again.
I also read that in some cases the catalytic converter can cause a misfire. Does that make sense?

 

If the cat was plugged you would definitely notice a loss of power and you would probably get a cat code not just a misfire code... been there before.

 

Well, I found that the distributor cap has a lot of corrosion on the contacts so I brushed them off but I am afraid that it will loose its real contact. I guess I will be replacing that thing just in case.

Can that also cause bad gas mileage??