Please help! 1995 ford windstar lx 3.8 l cylinder issue
 

Hello. I am hoping someone will know what might be wrong with my car just by sound via videos I will link to. Ford's design in my particular model makes diagnosing this problem a likely extremely long drawn out process without tools and a very expensive one at a repair shop as a result of the varying tests and time involved. There are no smaller shops for ford in my area.

I have via basic obd 2 scanner found that i have a 304 error and a 117 error. Thats a cylinder 4 issue and a temperature sensor malfunction. Im nervous that the lack of proper temperature control has led to the 304 issue but its mostly unfounded unless theres a system that needs strict temperature to operate correctly.

Im hoping someone knows some technique for opening the ignition plugs off of the coil pack more easily as they are held in place by a rubber clamp above the connection that you have to wrestle to get off and I dont want to damage the wires checking my spark plugs.

At any rate the starting sound for the car is normal but will go on infinitely and the car will still be off occassionaly. A super fast continuous crank. Sometimes it seems like its going to go on forever but it actually turns on as is evident in one of the videos. Im worried that repeated heavy cranking will damage my engine. The infinite crank is possible to reproduce on the second start of the engine after having been recently run. I have had no issue thus far cold cranking it.

I should note I had a dead battery and replaced the cmp sensor on this vehicle, which controls starting timing magnetically. Its the same part and i only replaced the top sensor and not the entire assembly. New battery now. I also still have the old sensor from that mistake.

I should also mention that a mouse started living in the engine area. Its dead now but I was worried it might have nibbled some wires. These issues are occuring long after the dead mouse and cmp sensor.

Also the engine shakes alot. I dont know if its obvious on video but its enough that I can feel it at red lights in the drivers seat.

Links for those who are interested in helping me figure out just what is going on.
https://youtu.be/vOpa7HV-ips Engine shake https://youtu.be/1dUAguwPqXY hissing? https://youtu.be/k4H7Jiyoun4
Confusion https://youtu.be/EgCMznzfBxQ repeated cranks https://youtu.be/6VDOYAz3kGU

Welcome to the site..

You mentioned 'hissing' you heard? Have you checked for any substantial vacuum leaks? On the plug wire ends, you might try twisting them back n forth as far as possible to break the grip connection loose, then squeeze the retaining clips inward for the release. Seems you may have more than one issue with an extended crank, and a hard misfire. Even if a large vacuum leak, generally a start up will result but maybe an unstable, rolling, rough idle. I'd probably verify a healthy spark, not missing or weak during cranking events,, and spec fuel pressure/volume to rule them out,. As well as check for the reason for a cylinder contribution drop out for Cyl #4,, be it spark, missing/weak fuel drop, or compression..