[dave 911]

I was with the family at Copper Mountain on a ski vacation, going out to dinner the first night there after driving from Ohio, from the resort to Frisco, when the trusty (and well maintained) 06 Explorer started intermittently idling rough. . . to the point where my wife and kids asked 'what's wrong with the car'? Then, starting it up after dinner the CEL comes on. CRAP, I don't want to deal with this, I want to ski!

So I got up early the next day (Xmas Eve) and drove to the Dillon Auto Zone to have the code read. 0304 Cylinder 4 misfire. Pulled the spark plug, it looked fine, and after talking with the manager we think it's either wires (which look good), or maybe the coil pack. I discounted a dirty injector as I had the system cleaned about 20K ago....I replaced the coil pack in parking lot during a snowstorm with their loaner tools (fun times to be sure), and all is well on the drive back to Copper. The CEL light was out because I disconnected the battery when I did the work. We skied the next 2 days, and then went to Frisco again for dinner. Ran well on the way to Frisco, but after dinner, rough idle back, and CEL light back on. DOUBLE CRAP, we need to drive back to Ohio in a few days.

So, on the way out of town, I bought a quart of Lucas and started using it in every tank full on the way home. The truck was running well down the mountain, but I was stressing still and really paying attention to the engine. If you've done the drive from Denver to KC, there ain't much there. My strategy was that if was running well in Denver, press on, otherwise take it the dealership there. And deal with the tired family that wanted to get home after skiing for 5 straight days.

Denver, fine, Limon, fine, KC, fine, etc.... After a lunch stop in St. Louis, the CEL actually went out (I was assuming I was going to have to reset it when I got home, didn't know it went out after a certain number of 'ok' cycles). And the idle is really smooth, smoother than when we left home.

So, was it the altitude? Or bad gas? Or a dirty injector that the Lucas cleaned? Who knows, but after this experience I'm pretty high on the stuff.

And...it's $9.97 @ Walmart, vs. $15 at the gas station / travel centers . . . .