Engine sputtering at startup, code P301

Tiny
XTREME47
  • MEMBER
  • 2008 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 3.0L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
Cold or hot, 90% of the time when I start the engine, it is sputtering, as if one or two spark plugs do not work. But after around thirty seconds all is okay, power okay, driving okay, no power loss. The misfire code P301 comes up, a mechanic suggested to change all the spark plugs with something of good quality, even though I changed them all few months ago (from Canadian tire). Other than bad idle at startup, all is okay. When the startup is bad, I feel in the cabin bad emissions, they go away when the engine comes to normal, after about thirty seconds from engine running.
Sunday, January 27th, 2019 AT 8:46 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good morning,

This sounds like you may have carbon build up on the intake valves and when this happens, the carbon absorbs the fuel until it gets hot. After it heats up, it will pass it and the cylinder gets fuel to burn.

You could or need to have an upper engine clean done with something like GM top engine cleaner.

Also, does it smoke while this is happening?

If a fluid other than fuel leaks into the cylinder overnight, it may be burning off.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-misfires-or-runs-rough

Roy
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Monday, January 28th, 2019 AT 3:16 AM
Tiny
XTREME47
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Good to think about it, however it is doing this even if I stop and then re start the engine after five minutes after being normal hot. When this happens, there is no smoke coming out of the exhaust, only in the cabin I smell heavy emissions, no smoke, so it seems like there is venting emissions around the engine that go into the cabin during the sputtering.
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Wednesday, January 30th, 2019 AT 7:54 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
You need to start somewhere. Do the basics such as a tune up.

Roy
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Wednesday, January 30th, 2019 AT 9:21 PM
Tiny
XTREME47
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Got it, thanks Roy !
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Thursday, January 31st, 2019 AT 11:59 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
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You are welcome.

Always glad to help.

Roy
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Friday, February 1st, 2019 AT 1:58 AM

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