# Buick 3.8 Series II engine miss **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** lesabre, buick\ **Created:** [October 31, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834 "2009-10-31T00:28:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![marktwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@marktwark](https://community.cartalk.com/u/marktwark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/1 "2009-10-31T00:28:10Z")
My 1997 Park Avenue has been running flawlessly, including a recent 2,000 mile trip. Suddenly, the engine has developed a miss under a load such as going up a moderate hill. The problem can be reproduced by accelerating aggressively. There is no engine code. I’m not sure if it is a fuel or ignition problem but suspect ignition. Is it worth throwing a set of plugs and wires at? I have owned the vehicle for less than six months so I don’t have a good history on it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/2 "2009-10-31T00:50:12Z")
Did you have a qualified tech/mech do a thorough inspection on the vehicle before you bought it? Whenever I get a vehicle with little or no back history, I usually change all the fluids. If it has a slight miss I will go further until the vehicle runs and stops as it should. Without a record of maintenance you don’t know what has been serviced and what hasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![marktwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@marktwark](https://community.cartalk.com/u/marktwark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/3 "2009-10-31T01:02:19Z")
Thanks for your reply. The vehicle is a low-mileage, original owner car. I am confident it was cared for properly. I’m not sure I understand how changing all the fluids as you suggest could prevent an engine misfire. This problem is new and has occurred after a good bit of highway travel. Thanks again for taking the time to reply… Mark ---
**Author:** ![Bladecutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bladecutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bladecutter)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/4 "2009-10-31T03:36:11Z")
Replace just the spark plug wires. I had a '92 Buick Park Avenue Ultra (Supercharged Series I engine) that would do exactly the same thing. Plug wires were only lasting me about a year on the car. And no, my car never set off a CEL for spark issues, either. BC. ---
**Author:** ![marktwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@marktwark](https://community.cartalk.com/u/marktwark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/5 "2009-10-31T11:51:00Z")
I’m off to get a set of wires now. I’ll follow up with plugs if that doesn’t take care of it. Thanks BC… Mark ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 11:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/6 "2009-10-31T11:55:29Z")
I would replace the plugs at the same time as the wires. Chances are they are due anyway and after you replace them you will know when they were last replaced. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/7 "2009-10-31T13:09:38Z")
I would replace the fuel filter as well. ---
**Author:** ![marktwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@marktwark](https://community.cartalk.com/u/marktwark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/8 "2009-10-31T13:41:33Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![marktwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@marktwark](https://community.cartalk.com/u/marktwark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/9 "2009-10-31T13:42:10Z")
A friend said the same thing. I’ll know by the end of the day I hope… Mark ---
**Author:** ![shellie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@shellie](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shellie)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buick-3-8-series-ii-engine-miss/38834/10 "2010-07-12T22:00:03Z")
Mark - what did you find out about the engine missing on your 97 Park Ave? I am getting ready to buy one. also a one owner car. Just wanting to know what i might expect