Changing coils and plugs

[Titus]

2000 xlt 5.4 V8 motor

Couple questions here:

This morning after this wonderful rain storm we've had my motor was running like crap. Felt like I was driving a tank down the road. Anyway long story short

Bought a computer and it says Cylinders 5+8 are misfiring. I read here:

http://www.f150online.com/forums/v8-engines/429189-removing-cops-plugs-driver-side-2.html

How to do it and the argument about removing the fuel line. Should I?

The cylinders on the driver side starting at the front are 5,6,7,8 correct? 8 being in the back near the firewall correct?

Secondly, do I change the spark plugs and the COP? Or just the COP? I read that these are the best

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-...&fits=Make:Ford|Year:2000&hash=item5d2a06c27a

Is that all that I need or do I need some other part? I read somewhere that on that ebay link something shown didn't come with it. I hope that makes sense. I want to make sure I do this right the 1st time.

To take these out, these just pop right out or are they bolted in? Rookie question but I've never done this before. Any special tools needed? I don't have a torque wrench.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[Titus]

Well I figured out how to get them out and boy are they DIRTY! 7mm bolt holding them in, and they came right out. #8 was a little tricky, but with a 7mm small socket with extension and a ratchet I got it out. The insides look filthy. These are motorcraft products I removed.

Should I swap the sockets out without a torque wrench? I keep reading horror stories about sockets stripping or blowing out once someone attempts to replace them.

Thanks!

 

[huklebuk]

Number one, replace only with motorcraft plug.
Number two, if water got in the engine bay, Iwould bet money that your coil packs leaked and let water in and had something to do with the misfire.
I speak from personal experience on this. I had the same problems and I can tell you if you use the wrong plugs such as the bosch plus 4 platinums, you will eventually blow a plug out. Of course this happened on the good ole' number 8 cylinder. 750 dollars later it was fixed with a helocoil. Replace all 8 coil packs, Yes its a bit expensive but worth it.

 

[hale32984]

Sorry off topic a little bit. I am getting code P0305 stating that there is a mis-fire in my 5th cylinder. How hard is it to change the coil and that plug? i see that it is fairly easy to get to. i reaplced my fuel filter thinking that was the shaking i was getting until i threw it on the computer and got that code. im not to mechanically inclined to change all the plugs and coils, if i change the one that the computer is throwing at me to see if that fixes the problem will that hurt it? Also can i drive the vehicle until its fixed like this or will it stall or fail while driving. thanks in advance.

 

[huklebuk]

Its fairly easy to change. Unbolt the coil, disconnect it, pull it out and pull the plug. If you keep driving it you always run the risk of something catostrophic, such as early detonation or blowing the plug out or some other form of damage that will be way more expensive to replace. After you change the plug reset the code and check it again. It should clear it. Keep in mind that if one has gone bad, the rest will follow eventually. I would consider changing them all so you don't have to deal with it at a totally inconvenient time.

 

[seeker]

Been there

Yes 5 6 7 8 are on the drivers side. 8 is at the fire wall. From my experience 4 7 and 8 are the hardest to change out. The fuel rail can be loosened up by removing two mounting bolts. This has allowed me to change the coils on my expy. I use ngk plugs and anti seize. Never had a plug blow out. 115k on the speedo. No special tools needed. quarter inch drive is handy. Yes change the plug at the same time. If you find water under the coil use a shop vac to get the water out or compressed air. After that use some WD40. Take a good look at number one and you will get the idea of how the set up goes.

 

[huklebuk]

If you really want to speed up the process, invest in a set of wobble extensions. Harbor Freight has them pretty cheap. They make the job a whole lot easier.

 

[Titus]

Replaced my #5 today spark plug and all, wicked easy to do if you take your time and do it correctly. Anti-Seeze remember to use that when changing out your plugs.

 

[markanthony]

I made the mistake of washing the dust off the engine when I first bought it. I ran coils/plugs with water in a few of them. So I went and bought all new plugs/coils. I bought accel coil packs. They were cheaper then factory and cheaper then O.E.M stuff. I used mastercraft plugs from Ford.

It took me about hour and a half to replace them all. The hardest was #8. I unbolted the fuel line from the intake, BUT DID NOT UNPLUG FROM THE INJECTORS. I just moved to the side. On # 8, I tied the water hoses out of the way. Made it a bit easier.

I did not see a fuel mileage increase, but did see a power increase, over the old coil packs.

 

[Rook27]

Been having the same problem. Replaced #3 coil and plug after getting a #3 misfire code. Check engine light went out (probably due to battery being disconnected) and ran great for a few days, then light came back on with a #4 misfire. Pulled the coil and plug. Plug looked good so I just replaced the coil. Does anyone know if this is going to just keep going down the line, or am I finally going to be done replacing parts. I've also read that there are other things besides the coil and plug that can cause a misfire like a bad ecu, O2 sensor or bad catalytic converters. Any way to check these other potential problems (figured the O2 sensors would through a code). Any help or just general info on it would be great.

 

[markanthony]

Well. It's been my experience and research. A misfire causes the other parts to go out.
A misfire gives a bad gas/air mix. With more gas the cat(s)will get hotter then they should, with not enough air to cool them. Then cause the o2 to clog up or get hot.

Thought. Yes a bad o2 can cause a misfire. it tells the computer how much more/less air/fuel mix to go with.

A bad cat>>> plug up and not allow enough flow and stall the engine or engine hesitation, or not get hot. If after a while of driving. if u can touch and hold the cat for five min. its bad or something is wrong. If the inlet pipe is hot, the cat and exit pipe is not. the cat is bad. The cat should be around 200 or so degrees. hot enough to give a good burn.

I have hear that a o2 can be cleaned by dipping it in a can of paint thinner or turpentine. ALLOW TO DRY COMPLETELY FOR A MINIMUM OF 1 (ONE) HOUR BEFORE INSTALLING BACK INTO SYSTEM.

With mine. I had two. Five and six that both gave a code. I went and replaced them all. I was not going to have this same trouble.

 

[Titus]

Updating this. Mine is still running like crap, 8 cylinder went out and CEL came on, so I took it to the mechanic. 12* out, 14 inches of snow on the ground and no room in the garage, he can do it. I had all the parts so all I paid was labor.

In the end he ran into an issue with the #4 cylinder spark plug. He couldn't get the socket around the plug. Putting a LED camera down their it showed a white hard substance around the plug that wouldn't budge. #4 wasn't misfiring, but that looks to be the next one to be fixed.

I'm still running into trouble driving it. It's giving me major hesitation while going around 50, shakes a little and as I press on the gas then she goes.

I was reading on the board about swapping out the fuel filter. Bought one and going to do that today. I checked my K&N air filter and that's clean. Hopefully the fuel filter will do the trick. I shall report back.

 

[RHSC]

Titus, mine is doing the exact same thing. This weekend I am replacing the o2 sensors. I have already replaced all the plugs and coils.

Also, try to clean your MAF sensor. Sometimes the oil from the air filter gets on it and causes weird sh*# to happen. Rough idle, hesitation etc.

 

[Titus]

Update: PCV valve was hanging off, they never put that back on for starters. #4 cylinder I got out and it was very clean, looks like they are too lazy to do it and just didn't want to. 5 minutes I had it out and it didn't have the "blockage" they claimed it to have. Cleaned the MAF, changed, fuel filter, plugs, injectors, COPs, still running rough. Took the OD off and drove it around. Shaked as I would go up a hill or force was applied to the engine.

What is the proper spark plug torque? The F150 forums are all over me for posting what Ford told me 12/13 foot lbs torque with anti-seize. What do you use? They are saying 28 with no anti-seize.

Going to clean my Throttle body today.

 

[TheGuyWho]

Wow! I must say I am very surprised to see how many people have had issues with their coils and plugs. I had no idea… BUT I myself went out today to find that my Expy was sputtering and driving very sluggish. Couldn't even get her to climb the hill back to the house. 50 was her max with the peddle to the floor. Called a buddy who is a Ford genius and far more mechanically inclined than I am. He told me pretty much what everyone here has written. He did tell me something that maybe some people here can verify…

He said that a lot of the Ford F series vehicles have trouble with drainage. Meaning the water that falls from the cowl panel between the hood and windshield glass, does not drain down to the sides like it is supposed to, but rather drops right on coil pack and cylinder #4 (back of the row on the passenger side). Well We had a bunch of rain this week, and the car was driving fine before it rained, but hasn't been driven since it rained, until today. I mean wether or not its true, it makes sense to me…

I didn't feel like dealing with it today, so I drove the Lightning instead. Tomorrow Im planning to get in there and figure out whats up, and determine if it is in fact the #4 coil pack. I ordered new motorcraft plugs anyways, and if one coil pack is bad Im going to replace all of them.
By the way my Expy is a 2002 with 156k miles on her… I thinks its about time.

 

[RHSC]

Accaording to my Haynes repair manual, which I have become very familiar with lately, the proper torque specs for the spark plugs are as follows:

2002 and earlier models ------ 84 to 168 in-lbs or 7 to 14 ft-lbs
2003 and 2004 models ------ 15 ft-lbs
2005 through early 2008 models----- 25 ft-lbs
Late 2008 (brown coil boots) and later models-----108 in-lbs or 9 ft-lbs

I have a 97 XLT. I have been having all the same problems as you guys. I have replaced all the coils and plugs, fuel filter, o2 sensors and I have cleaned my MAF sensor. I have also replaced the pcv valve, tube, and elbow. Last year, I replaced the egr valve, egr tube, and exhaust manifolds. I am still getting the hesitation and stumbling when accelerating from a cruising speed, and when going up hill. It is better now than it has been, but still very anoying! The only other thing that I can possibly think of is that the cat/cats are blocked/plugged and need to be replaced. I am taking it in to have the exhaust checked and fixed this weekend, unless someone else has a better idea for me to try...........Anyone, Anyone, Bueller, Bueller.............

 

[dpl98expy]

Vacumn lines

Did you check the vacumn lines at rear of manifold. The do get brittle and crack. Sounds like you covered most possibilities.

 

[Titus]

Yes I sure did, replaced that, my PCV valve, cleaned my TB and replaced that oval oring. Still misfiring on cylinder 8.

 

[Titus]

And here's the update. I broke down and brought it to the local ford mechanic that all my FD guys go to. Almost a month ago now, just got it back today only because I was being a pest to this guy. In the 3+ weeks they've had it, I got 2 phone calls. Many promises for return phone calls and nothing. They said they had roughly 2 hours into it and don't know what's going on. The internet site they post on is telling them to tell me to go to Ford.....So in other words, pass the problem along to someone else since they have no damn clue.

He came into the room saying that I'm going to need new coils. Now I've put 16+ new friggin coils into the thing. It can't keep being the coils.

He didn't charge me anything, I don't know out of guilt maybe for wasting my time and using a quarter tank of fuel, so I'm happy about that.

And I brought it to Ford, paid the $100 for them to simply look at it and they tell me its misfiring...well no sh*t. But that's all they're saying, and that they don't know how far down the rabbit hole goes and how they dont want to rack up my bill then find out that the coils simply aren't the issue. The lady on the phone is telling me that it's her and I'm quoting word for word here...her gut feeling that it's internal. Well that's not doing me any good.

I've never been to a dealer before but this is insane, I need to know what the problem is and can't continue to guess. I'm simply beyond frustrated at this point and don't know what else to do about this friggin misfire. Go figure the ticking went away...

They're telling me it's my coils and plugs, that I need motor craft for both, so I went ahead and bought both, all 8 motorcraft.

Compression check is complete and here's the results.
Cyl 1: 195psi
Cyl 2: 97psi
Cyl 3: 135psi
Cyl 4: 95psi
Cyl 5: 190psi
Cyl 6: 175psi
Cyl 7: 133psi
Cyl 8: 185psi

A few things to note, throttle was fully opened, and did 5 full cranks of the motor.

So far on cyl 2 & 3 testing with oil resulted this:
2: without oil was 97psi with oil 130 psi
3: without oil was 135psi with oil 150psi

It's looking like I'm going to need to tear into this motor, but what are your thoughts? Valves sticking?

 

[dano]

coils

Hello everyone,
I gotta replace my coils on my 05 Expy. But since I'm a po' boy, I aint got a lot to spend at this time. The ole girl has been giving me fits in the 40 mph/1200 rpm range, kinda feels like tranny issues. Took it to my local ford dealer and they got me for $72 to tell me 1 & 7 coils were bad. so I figured for now, I'd just replace the tw0 coils and hope for a windfall soon to do the rest.
Anybody have any links for discount Motorcraft parts? I was told at one time the 5.4's are happiest with Motorcraft parts.
Thanks for any information.
dano