Heavy Misfire
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From: Sioux Falls Area
Heavy Misfire
I experienced a heavy misfire this morning in OD while trying to drive up hills. It was bad enough to make the engine light flash.
It snowed over night and I'm missing the cowl seal at the back of the hood, so when I opened the hood when I got to work I could see where snow had gotten down into the engine compartment.
The question Is, will moisture getting down on top of the motor cause this type of heavy misfire? Or am I looking at new boots/coils as well?
I'm getting a new cowl and cowl seal on Wednesday, but wondering if I should go a head and get an appointment for the coils/boots?
The plugs are about 1.5 years old with about 40k on them and I haven't had any issues before this morning, even in the summer when it rained.
any thoughts?
It snowed over night and I'm missing the cowl seal at the back of the hood, so when I opened the hood when I got to work I could see where snow had gotten down into the engine compartment.
The question Is, will moisture getting down on top of the motor cause this type of heavy misfire? Or am I looking at new boots/coils as well?
I'm getting a new cowl and cowl seal on Wednesday, but wondering if I should go a head and get an appointment for the coils/boots?
The plugs are about 1.5 years old with about 40k on them and I haven't had any issues before this morning, even in the summer when it rained.
any thoughts?
Fleet Owner
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Yes, the moisture gets down into the plug wells and shorts out the spark.
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From: Southern Cal
Yes, that moisture will create an easy path for grounding out.
I've had moisture create a msfire in the cylinder spark plug hole, removed the cop, and blew out the moisture, let it dry out and reused the cop's without issue.
Moisture, cracked boots, rusted out coil wire are all symptoms.
I'd start with the cowl seal, dry out each plug hole after removing the coil paks and let them dry out and test before having to buy new.
Ensure you use a liberal amount of silicone grease/dielectric grease when reinstalling.
I've had moisture create a msfire in the cylinder spark plug hole, removed the cop, and blew out the moisture, let it dry out and reused the cop's without issue.
Moisture, cracked boots, rusted out coil wire are all symptoms.
I'd start with the cowl seal, dry out each plug hole after removing the coil paks and let them dry out and test before having to buy new.
Ensure you use a liberal amount of silicone grease/dielectric grease when reinstalling.
Fleet Owner
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From: 0,0,1
Yes, the boot should not leak, assuming the area around it is clean. The boot does need a clean surface to make contact with in order to make a decent seal.
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From: Sioux Falls Area
Well, its getting worse, not better. So its back to the shop ... Again ...
Wondering though, its got about 40k on the plugs since I had them changed. It has the champion plugs. Being that I'm driving about 20k/year, should I just pony up and have them changed now?
Thinking about having all the boots changed now too.
What do you guys think?
Also, unbeknownst to me, it had those E3 plugs when I got it. It actually ran better with the E3's than it did with the new champions.
Any reservations using the E3's? they report to be a 1 piece plug like tue champs, but with the fancy electrode to unshroud the flame front.
Wondering though, its got about 40k on the plugs since I had them changed. It has the champion plugs. Being that I'm driving about 20k/year, should I just pony up and have them changed now?
Thinking about having all the boots changed now too.
What do you guys think?
Also, unbeknownst to me, it had those E3 plugs when I got it. It actually ran better with the E3's than it did with the new champions.
Any reservations using the E3's? they report to be a 1 piece plug like tue champs, but with the fancy electrode to unshroud the flame front.
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Fleet Owner
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The MotorCraft OEM plugs are rated for 100K miles, but there's no guarantee that another brand will last that long. Most aftermarket plugs are only rated for 30-40K miles.
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From: Southern Cal
IMO, it's not a plug issue after only 40k. It's a vacuum, cop, or compression issue.
I don't think just changing the plugs will solve your problem, however, the color and appearance of the plugs would help identify the cylinders.
I don't think just changing the plugs will solve your problem, however, the color and appearance of the plugs would help identify the cylinders.
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I agree that the misfire is not plug related, it was just more a question of do it now or wait a year and take it back in again.
That and I've never been happy with the way it has run since the champions were installed. The champs are advertised as a double platinum, leading me to think they are supposed to be a 100k plug....
That and I've never been happy with the way it has run since the champions were installed. The champs are advertised as a double platinum, leading me to think they are supposed to be a 100k plug....
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With the habit these have of breaking, though you may not have that issue with the champions being a 1-piece design, I wouldn't go the full 100k they're supposed to. I plan on doing max 50k on mine, I use the OEM ones..
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gotta fix the wiper cowl. My truck leaked rainwater onto my rear drivers side of my engine and cause 3 of the coils to crack. You can visibly see the cracks over the top of the coils. Just fix the cowl and coils and itll be fine
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I did get a new (used) cowl with a proper cowl seal installed before I got the coil replaced.
I knew nothing good could come of ignoring it, so I bit the bullet and had it replaced.
Only downside is the squirters in the new cowl kinda stink. the squirters in the old one fanned out really nice, these are far too narrow and it leaves dry spots.
as they say, no good deed goes un-punished.
and, the new cowl did nothing to solve the cold draft I get under the dash. this is the COLDEST vehicle I have ever driven. the heater will drive you out, but it is like having a window open under the dash and I can't find it, nor can anyone else whom I've taken it to. frustrating.
To be quite honest, I think if I had been a chevy guy who was just trying ford for the first time ever, I think this would be the last ford I bought..... the build quality is just so much less than all the other fords I have owned.
I knew nothing good could come of ignoring it, so I bit the bullet and had it replaced.
Only downside is the squirters in the new cowl kinda stink. the squirters in the old one fanned out really nice, these are far too narrow and it leaves dry spots.
as they say, no good deed goes un-punished.
and, the new cowl did nothing to solve the cold draft I get under the dash. this is the COLDEST vehicle I have ever driven. the heater will drive you out, but it is like having a window open under the dash and I can't find it, nor can anyone else whom I've taken it to. frustrating.
To be quite honest, I think if I had been a chevy guy who was just trying ford for the first time ever, I think this would be the last ford I bought..... the build quality is just so much less than all the other fords I have owned.
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From: Southern Cal
You can touch them from the top while running without issue. There's nothing creating any electrical issue that rain could affect IMO.
Interesting to hear the logic?
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