Trouble Starting and Back Fires after Start-UP

[99-stroker]

Good morning everyone. I have an 03 Expedition 5.4 with 60k. On occasion it will take a few cranks to start. Once it starts it will sort of backfire, sounds like in or around the cat. Any ideas? Tune up? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[markanthony]

Ok. first off. I would start with the basics..

Clean MAF, and the TB. replace the pcv valve and run a can off sea foam. If this does not help

Then i would go for plugs and coil packs.. I would recommend replacing the coil packs with the plugs, if you can. Since you have to take them off to replace the plugs anyway. Look around. I would not really the prices for the stealership. I would look into local parts. look at all the options. For me locally hear in utah. I was able to get all the coil packs in accell for way cheaper the oem replacement.
For me. Dealer was 98 bucks each. Orileys for oem was 38 bucks. I got accell performance coil packs for 24 each.
The other tip is to use MOTOCRAFT PLUGS ONLY. Their are a few that has good luck with other plugs. For some reason aftermarket plugs dont seem to work.

 

[99-stroker]

Thank you very much, I was going to tackle the plugs and coils. Any suggestions, I heard they can be a pain?

 

[markanthony]

I would replace all the coils and plugs..
I got some yellow accel performance plugs cause they were cheeper then oem and dealer.. i would also go with motor craft plugs..
When u do take off the coils. U will need to get some bendable extentions. When u get to it. Take off the two bolts. Then u can pull the fuel rail to the side. U should not have to pull the injectors. I would do onw coil at a time. On the pas. Back side. I used some string to pull up the water hoses. Made it a bit better to reach the coil.