First engine miss in 3 years - fixed

[71Rcode]

Our '01 5.4 (120k) started missing the other day. No check engine light.. so I parked it. Figured it was a COP (coil over plug) that went bad.

Ordered an Actron scanner (Actron CP9550 PocketScan Plus) for about $35 on an Amazon "lightning deal" sale and then ordered a set of 8 COPs ($55 or so - "FORD 4.6L 5.4L V8 COMPLETE SET OF 8 IGNITION COILS DG508"), also on Amazon. When the scanner arrived, I checked the codes and the Actron told me it was #6. In about 10 minutes, I had the new COP in place, the code cleared and the truck running like normal.

Couldn't be more pleased.

Now I could either be proactive and replace all the COPs (Motorcraft labeled) or just wait for them to go out and replace them one at a time. What do you guys recommend?

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

In my experience, cop coils are like light bulbs. They work until one day they don't work.. If the rest are fine I would leave it alone seeing as you already have spares on hand. Then if they are still good when its time to change plugs, replace the remaining coils when you replace the plugs. That should save you some labor later as you would have to remove coils to get the plugs out for replacement anyhow.

 

[Bowesmobile]

In my experience, cop coils are like light bulbs. They work until one day they don't work.. If the rest are fine I would leave it alone seeing as you already have spares on hand. Then if they are still good when its time to change plugs, replace the remaining coils when you replace the plugs. That should save you some labor later as you would have to remove coils to get the plugs out for replacement anyhow.

This is good advice. Unless you're OCD. Then this is horrible advice that would drive you insane!