Ok so my mom's Expedition has me stumped on what could fix it.
The truck is a 97 expedition 4.6L 4R70W with 186K miles 4x4 XLT. She does burn a little oil but not to bad for the hard miles the previous owners put on her.

One day she was running great no issues drove her around no problems.

A day or two later go out to the truck and it is hard to start. Once it does start it is very weak, idle is down to like 500-650 range not holding well (But car isn't dying), missing, entire car shakes pretty bad at 1500 rpm when giving it throttle in park yet in drive it shakes pretty bad anywhere, a lot of hesitation, weird fume smell from the exhaust but no smoke, and a flashing CEL.

I buy a Code reader for OBD2 since I didn't have one and it shows:
cyl #3 misfire
Cyl #8 misfire
egr flow to low or high (Have had this code a while)


So I automatically figure fuel filter as I had doubted it was ever changed. Get a new one install it still nothing. (By the way fuel filter in their looked newer).

I then guessed probably plugs as it is a modular engine and everybody is so scared of the plug jobs on these. Change all but number 4 plug and it still is running like crap. (will explain why I haven't changed number 4 yet later). Which I will tell you this car is the worse plugs I have ever changed on a Ford and I have don't multiple vehicles.

Still getting the same codes.

So thinking back to my 94 Explorers problem similar I figure probably coil pack as it is original. Turns out their is two on this so I figure if I swap them then maybe the cyl misfire will change and then I can confirm that is the problem since I didn't have any extra ones like I did with my explorer. Swap them and then fire her up still the same symptoms but CEL light went away tried driving it around a good couple miles and letting it idle in the yard and the CEL never came back.

I then pull the codes for the heck of it and only get EGR problem. I pulled the codes a good 3 or 4 times on KOEO, CM, and KOER and kept getting the same code. I couldn't get the misfire codes so I proceeded to doing some more inspecting.


I turn the car off and I hear a noise from the EGR vacuum solenoid like it is sucking but it is clogged. I look up on autozone and it shows that could cause all the above symptoms so I am like ok for $30 I will try it after I call autozone and O'rielly to see what they say. Well call them and ask them does an EGR vacuum solenoid suppose to make noise? They both say no (one guy I know is a huge ford guru). So we go in and buy one install it last night and fire up the truck runs a bit better but still very poor compared to what it was before. Plus when you turn off the car you still hear the noise. By then it got way to late to do anything so I gave up and went inside.


That leads me to today where I have these questions. (by the way I have checked every signal electrical connection I could find, check every plug wire (5 times or more), cleaned the battery terminals, checked the fuses (every one of them) only found one blown which I replaced, and checked all fluids and everything was up to par but nothing fixed it)

So questions:
What is causing these problems?

Is the EGR vacuum solenoid suppose to make those noises?

The number 4 plug will not seem to come out. I get the socket on it but my swivel gets to much of an angle and it pops off I have tried multiple different ways including more then one swivel nothing worked. How in the world do you get the number 4 plug out? I have looked at other peoples threads on how they do it but none has worked. Something tells me the PO never changed the number 4 plug.

Any ideas are welcome
Thanks,
Trav

 

My wife drives a 2001 exped. with 4.6 triton. We didn't need a big engine for her cause I have my truck for yanking anything around. I did the plugs twice now and never remembering any thing crazy with plug no.4 thats passenger side last one. I dont like to use swivels at all, especially on triton motors. Do you have the proper plug tool for them? It's a socket thats about 8" long, did you use compressed air to blow all the crap out of the plug hole after pulling the COP. The heater hoses come off real easy, just pinch the plastic tabs and twist them off. once the heater hoses and control valve are out of your way, your there, drop the plug socket in the hole, use a 4-6 inch extension and remove the plug, Yes you will be bleeding, scrapes from the fire wall, and the cowl just take your time. The COP are known for going bad, but most often its the boots and spring, and you can just replace them, it's hard to see carbon tracking on those boots, but there cheap enough to just replace them. Always use never seize on the plug threads and always check the gap .52-.56 If I remember right, you never know if someone dropped the plugs in the store or at the wharehouse, and thats how I do them, top off your coolant, spray down the engine and check your pvc hose, there also known for tearing at the back of the intake, since your there any way trace the hose from the valve cover to the intake, or take it off and make sure its in on piece. Thats about what I can give you, let me know how you make out. Good Luck

 

I don't have COPs on my expedition only have them on my 02 F250. I already made sure I gapped it correctly. The spot the plug is in you have to use a swivel for sure no doubt about that. I was told I don't need the special tool for my 4.6L because I don't have the COPs.
Trav

 

Well guess we don't need to worry about this thread. Mom and dad this afternoon took the expedition in to trade it in on a 04 GMC envoy 4x4 5.3L SLT fully loaded. Got $1600 trade in for it which I figured wasn't to bad.
Trav