Okay, I'm a self-confessed noob when it comes to working on my truck, 98 Ranger 3.0L. This morning I changed the spark plugs for the first time. Lemme tell ya, it was a pain the first time. Took some work to get off the driver side wires and plugs. I replaced all the plugs with Autolite Double Platinums. I gapped most of them. Forgot the last couple but they were pretty close, withn .01, coming out of the box. Anyway, put anti-seize on all the plugs and dielectric grease on the wires. Might have gotten a dab of the grease on the end of one of the plugs where it goes into the wire. Tightened em all down good. Started it up and it seemed to run okay. A few hours later I took it for a quick spin around the block. It seems to be idling a smidge rougher than it did prior to my work. There was also a different sound coming from the engine compartment. When I popped the hood and watched the engine, it seemed to hesitate every second or so. I hooked up my Actron Code Scanner and didn't get any codes.I also cleaned the battery posts last night so the PCM memory has been cleared. I don't have the time at the moment to get in there and see if anything's loose. But on to my questions. One, what might I have screwed up? and Two, is it safe to drive for a day or so until I can get in there? Thanks

 

A gap variation of .01 is a lot when the gap spec is: .052-.056!!!

 

oops....meant .001. Sorry bout that. The information on the spec sticker on in the engine compartment said .042-.046. Mine were about .044 coming out of the box.

 

Oh ok......that's better!!! You may have damaged a plug wire, how long has it been since they were changed???
Is your 3.0L a FFV??

 

Thanks for all the input Bob. Its not a FFV. The plug wires were last changed in Sept. 02, when the plugs were also changed. It had 91000 miles then, 122000 now. I did change on of the plugs this January b/c the cylinder was misfiring. Seemed to clear that up. I noticed when I was changing the wires that they didn't seem to be put on in the same pattern as is shown in the Haynes manual. I put them back the way I found them though.

 

Change the plug wires, they're cheap and there's no reason not to. Also, wire it according to the haynes manual.

 

Okey-dokey. I'll change the wires then. Now on my second question, can I drive it for a couple days without killing it or me?

 

Drive it man it's a FORD. By bad luck I drove my 90 2wd 2.9 L for 3 days on only 5 cyl. because one injector was toasted. Not reccommended but didn't run to bad just not much power. " give her"

 

Are you sure all the plug are in tight? What brand of plugs did you go with?

 

Ken,
They're Autolite DPs. I tightened them down as far and hard as I could. The ones on the drivers side there wasn't a whole lot of room to get leverage with the wrench. The one closest the firewall on the driver's side I tightened down by hand. I snapped the wrench on the adapter & spark plug socket and it wouldn't turn much more than a hair. I guess I could pull the wires in the morning and check.

 

The plugs brand is fine but I would double check the tightness of the plugs, they only need to be snugged in, don't put a whole lot of muscle into them. If thats all ok then you should be safe driving it until you get a chance to figure things out.

 

if the plug wires were on tight sometimes you can damage them if you dont pull them by the boot.as far as the firing order goes im sure someone on this website can tell you what it is.

 

I have never had much luck with anti-seize on plugs. The plugs get so hot that usually it will make things worse instead of better. As I have said many times on this forum, "I could be wrong", but in my opinion it is better to install plugs without anti-seize.

 

"I could be wrong", but in my opinion it is better to install plugs without anti-seize.

You are putting steel spark plugs into an aluminum head. Anti-seize on the threads is a must.

 

FWIW, Haynes is correct with regard to the coil pack and cylinder numbering. I checked it against my Ford Manuals ('94 and '98) when I added that information to the last page of this: Ford 3.0L Vulcan Specs (PDF)

Also, the heads on the 3.0L vulcan are cast iron.