Removing starter coils

So, I recently needed to clean my engine bay, and like an idiot, I did not look up how to do it first, and just pressure washed the whole thing. Started running like crap, and figured out it's because water got into my spark plug/starter coil wells. I was able to get out the two in front, and on one side, there was indeed water. Got that one dried out, and it ran better, but now I know there's water in at least one other. Does anybody have any tips on how to remove the other starter coils to get in there? It's an extremely tight fit, and I really don't want to have to take anything apart to get in there.

Thanks!

The starter is on the back of the engine, you are talking about COP's (coil on plug). Try letting the engine come up to temp and run at a fast idle for a while. The heat will evaporate the water that is in there.

Is your Service Engine Soon light on? Has it thrown any fault codes yet?

I don't like to disagree with Stamp11127 because he has helped me out of more then one jam in the past (he has forgotten more then I will ever hope to learn).

But it has been my experience that if the coils had dielectric silicone compound properly put in them, one can drive the Expedition until there is no more gas in the world and they will take forever to dry out. The water is trapped by the Compound, turns to steam and is still trapped because the top of the boots at the plug are the permanently sealed end (heat rises), engine cools, and there is water in the boot again because the steam condenses back into water, trapped again by the Compound, Repeat. Additionally the more the Expedition is driven in this condition the more likely the coil might be damaged and need to be replaced anyway.

So you will have to drop the fuel rail, put your safety goggles on, and blow out each COP with compressed air then make sure they are completely dry inside (I use a HF heat gun). This is of course if you believe there isn't any damage yet. I have gone online and bought a large box of spare COPs and I just replace the one that is causing the problem now instead of messing with drying them as they might be damaged anyway forcing me to drop the fuel rail all over again.

If it hasn't thrown a code yet or caused the Service Engine Soon light to come on, you can probably get away with just drying the COPs. If you have a code or SES, I would find the COP(s) causing it and replace it(them).

Just my experience, YMMV.

I would still try letting it evaporate from the engine heat only since the op used a pressure washer on his engine. Who does that in today's world? Gunk on a warm engine, let it cool and spray with a garden hose on low. Avoid spraying electrical connectors directly. That procedure has worked for me the last 43 years without issue. But I did learn not to spray the rotating fan blade with the hose back in my teens, so heed that warning unless you want to take a bath.

Do you think it is a good idea for him to remove the fuel rail and pull the cops out since he is a novice?

OP - if you do remove the fuel rail - no smoking and lube the o-rings before reinstalling them.

If you have an air compressor or access to one, You can take of COPS and blow air in and that will get out the majority of water then as stamp states run engine to evaporate the rest, that will also allow you to apply or reapply dielectric silicone to COPS

stamp11127 said:

Do you think it is a good idea for him to remove the fuel rail and pull the cops out since he is a novice?

OP - if you do remove the fuel rail - no smoking and lube the o-rings before reinstalling them.

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Sir I concede to your point, but I guess maybe I am a little adventurous (or a cheapskate), as after I received some great wisdom/advice from the Forum, I jumped right in and changed plugs and COPS. And after doing the EXPY, I had the courage to do the better half's T-Bird plugs and COPs.

Stamp, we both know what plugs he is talking about so if there is another way or better way then dropping the fuel rail, I'm all ears. Good advice on the Not Smoking but I had hoped that was common sense so I didn't mention it. One really important thing for Newbies changing a COP and Plug is to make sure they put their safety goggles on and blow all water out of the spark plug recess and engine area so nothing can run back into the open cylinder when the plug is removed (compressed water and rods don't mix, in fact water will not compress so the rod breaks). Since he is not removing plugs he doesn't have to worry about this, but I should have also mentioned to get all that water out of those areas also so it doesn't get back under any COP.

I'm only advising on what I see in the students/newbies of today. Had one middle school kid ask me what a magazine was after I asked him if he reads HotRod Magazine. He and his brother - a high school student, didn't know how to change a flat tire. So, Tire Changing 101 @9:30 in my driveway one night.

I never would have cleaned it, but we're moving from Germany back to the States, and the entire car has to be showroom clean. Seems a bit ridiculous to me, but we gotta do what we gotta do. I don't know if I'm ready for dropping the fuel rail, so I may need to get someone more experienced to help me. I am indeed talking about the coils on top of the spark plugs. I have little to no experience fixing cars, but being here in Germany it's hard to find someone that knows what they're doing when it comes to Fords.

stamp11127 said:

I'm only advising on what I see in the students/newbies of today. Had one middle school kid ask me what a magazine was after I asked him if he reads HotRod Magazine. He and his brother - a high school student, didn't know how to change a flat tire. So, Tire Changing 101 @9:30 in my driveway one night.

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Great point. Somebody should start a tread about words that are no longer used or necessary (your grandmother knows what it is, her grandchildren don't). As in Beta, VHS, Cassette, 8-Track, etc ....
We had a big all family on deck party for my grandmother's 100th birthday and my cousins and I were sitting at the Big People's Table (read adult) while our children were at the card tables we used to sit at and our grandchildren were at the Fisher-Price tables. My grandmother asked what my 3 year old granddaughter was playing with and I said a handheld computer game. She looked at me and said she can't image what her great great granddaughter was going to see change during her lifetime because there were no cars, planes, phones when she was a child!