How stupid is that??
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 751
Likes: 30
From: North Carolina
How stupid is that??
I changed the plug wires on my '02 f-150 xl today. You would think that would be simple enough, but nooooo!!!
Upon completion of the job I fired 'er up, and , cough !! sputter!!pop!! It ran horrible, I bought JBA 9mm wires. I figured that they would be of good quality. I tried everything, even checking the wires with an ohm meter. Then as I was spraying wd-40 in the plug boots and coil pack, I wiped the dust off the coilpack and saw the little sticker that says what plug goes to what wire. Then I realized that the passenger side coil plugs are sequential(123). The coil plugs for the driver side are not ( 465) . The next time I will be more careful and I will also read the directions first!!
On a good note the ohm meter says that the new wires for the driver side have 1/5 the resistance of the stock wires with 92k on them. The passenger side has at least 1/2 the resistance. It idles so smooth now and revs more easily. Am I the only one that had a brain fart today???
DOH!!!!!
Upon completion of the job I fired 'er up, and , cough !! sputter!!pop!! It ran horrible, I bought JBA 9mm wires. I figured that they would be of good quality. I tried everything, even checking the wires with an ohm meter. Then as I was spraying wd-40 in the plug boots and coil pack, I wiped the dust off the coilpack and saw the little sticker that says what plug goes to what wire. Then I realized that the passenger side coil plugs are sequential(123). The coil plugs for the driver side are not ( 465) . The next time I will be more careful and I will also read the directions first!!
On a good note the ohm meter says that the new wires for the driver side have 1/5 the resistance of the stock wires with 92k on them. The passenger side has at least 1/2 the resistance. It idles so smooth now and revs more easily. Am I the only one that had a brain fart today???
DOH!!!!!
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Lufkin
I changed the plug wires on my old 95 Chevy once and had a problem. I had a brain fart too. I accidently switched the 3 and 4 wires and got them backwards. It took me forever to figure out how dumb I was. Don't worry, you're not alone.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Austin, Tx
travlnman,
if it makes you feel better, I changed my manual tranny fluid today for the first time. It took me about 1 hour and 1 quart of tranny fluid covering 2/3 of my body to finally realize that I was going to need a suction gun to fill the tranny back up.
For the spark plug wires, I did the same thing on my Civic once. Anytime I work with the plugs or wires, I always do them one at a time.
if it makes you feel better, I changed my manual tranny fluid today for the first time. It took me about 1 hour and 1 quart of tranny fluid covering 2/3 of my body to finally realize that I was going to need a suction gun to fill the tranny back up.
For the spark plug wires, I did the same thing on my Civic once. Anytime I work with the plugs or wires, I always do them one at a time.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 751
Likes: 30
From: North Carolina
Thank God I'm not alone. I actually thought abut doing them one at a time, but I figured , there's only 6 wires , how can I screw that up?? Famous last words. BTW as for the tranny fill up , I use an old bottle for differential fluid with the tapering spout, and attach a curved piece of old hose (actually old fuel line from some other forgotten car) and tilt 'er up and squeeze. I'm sure the other way is better though, I'm just too cheap. Brian, you see a white st.cab w/ tinted windows and the driver's door open and a black boot sticking out, get outta the way!!!!
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 89
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From: Austin, Tx
travlnman
Thanks for the tip on filling the tranny back up. That actually sounds easier than with a suction gun. I changed the differential fluid today too.
Looks like I have to go dig in the trash for a differential bottle.
Thanks for the tip on filling the tranny back up. That actually sounds easier than with a suction gun. I changed the differential fluid today too.
Looks like I have to go dig in the trash for a differential bottle.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 751
Likes: 30
From: North Carolina
You just gotta angle yourself just right under the truck, to be able to tilt the bottle just right. I'm not saying you won't spill any, but it will definitely be less. BTW I did what you did on my '99 Ranger, I broke out for days because of tranny fluid all over me, are we having fun yet???
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Tampa Fl
whats worse is when i brain farted and forgot to replace the oil pump pin on the bottom of the distributor of my mustang (the beefed up 5.8L one) and wondered why the oil pressure wouldnt go up....after about 5 min i remembered and put it in....DOH!!!
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 751
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From: North Carolina
Yikes!!!
James that sounds like the time I changed my oil on an old hot rod truck I used to have that was "another" make. I wondered why I didn't have oil pressure and when I looked under the truck, with it running of course, oil pouring everywhere. The old filter gasket had stuck to the surface where the filter mounts. The two gaskets combined could not take the pressure. The more I think about it, maybe I should not have started this thread, I'm becoming more and more aware of how dumb I really am!!
James that sounds like the time I changed my oil on an old hot rod truck I used to have that was "another" make. I wondered why I didn't have oil pressure and when I looked under the truck, with it running of course, oil pouring everywhere. The old filter gasket had stuck to the surface where the filter mounts. The two gaskets combined could not take the pressure. The more I think about it, maybe I should not have started this thread, I'm becoming more and more aware of how dumb I really am!!
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,532
Likes: 5
From: Trussville, Alabama
No secret. I had a hard time too. Just pull real hard. (hope you are planning on putting on new wires too.)
I'm in a hurry right now, but I'll come back and post on changing the transmission fluid.
I figure out a way....10 mins and NO mess. As easy as chaning your oil!
I'm in a hurry right now, but I'll come back and post on changing the transmission fluid.
I figure out a way....10 mins and NO mess. As easy as chaning your oil!
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,013
Likes: 6
From: Cajun Country
One time I hooked up a mechanical oil pressure gauge and forgot to tighten the ferrel at the engine connection.I started it up and only had oil pressure for a breif second then none.I was revving the chit out of the motor to see if it would come back up then shut it off.When I looked under the hood there was a stream of oil running down the driveway under the motor and the oil line laying to the side! DOH! 
Marine,if Ford did not put dialectric grease in the plug boots you will need to pull really hard and pray you dont break one!
Marine,if Ford did not put dialectric grease in the plug boots you will need to pull really hard and pray you dont break one!
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 383
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From: Mililani, Hawaii
on the topic of dumb stuff....I let the oil drain plug drop into my pan....I figured I could fish it out later...and didnt want to stick my hand in hot oil.....well the plug plugged the hole in my drain pan and the stuff went everywhere....to make it worse in my struggle to stop it..I kicked over the open quart of oil i used to lube the new filter. Now I hold the plug tight...and cap the oil...luckily no one saw me do it...I pride myself on the do it yourself fluid changes