Please help with '91 explorer problems

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Dec 12, 2006 | 12:19 AM

JamesLKent

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Please help with '91 explorer problems

OK, two problems. First I discovered tonight one of the freeze/core plugs is leaking. Leaking preaty good actually, like drip irragation for your garden. This is my only car and I need to put a bandaid on it till the weekend when I can fix it properly. Stop leak? It's the plug just behind the pass. side motor mount. Second prob. is the motor seems to misfire when cold. I bought this car about six months ago. It just had a tune up prior to my purchase and I was told it needed it. Maybe two months ago it started misfireing I traced the problem to a spark plug that wasn't fireing. I thought maybe just a bad plug. I replaced it and it ran fine till abought 2 weeks ago. It started misfireing again. It seems to be only one cylinder thats misfireing. Could it be the coil pack? Thanks for any sugestions.
James

Dec 12, 2006 | 12:36 AM

Wilber15

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From: Duluth, MN

What did the plug look like? was it wet and oily or white and dry? an injector could be not working properly and taking that plug out. chances are it's not a coil, or you would have multiple misfires. and as for that stop leak, NEVER use it. It's not worth the week your going to get out of it. It will clog the water pump, get into engine parts and possibly ruin your radiator. Just get the plug fixed!!

Dec 12, 2006 | 01:02 AM

JamesLKent

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spark plug

The spark plug was wet, thats how I new I had the right cylinder. The first time it happened I figured just a bad spark plug. This time I know it's something else causing the plug not to fire. Just not sure what. I don't drive far to work so adding water each day is no problem cause it dosn't leak out that fast. Any other ideas?
James

Dec 12, 2006 | 04:57 AM

marragtop

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From: Baltimore

Have you considered the spark plug wire? Switch 2 wires and see if the misfire stays with the same plug.

Dec 12, 2006 | 06:05 AM

F3Beam

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Also, once I had black carbon buildup in the Dist Cap where the plug wire went into the cap blocking fire. Check the inside for misfiring/crack/carbon buildup too. And it's not impossible to get a bad plug, it doesn't happen often, but it does happen. If swapping wires don't help, I'd try swapping plugs.

Last edited by F3Beam; Dec 12, 2006 at 06:09 AM.

Dec 12, 2006 | 09:17 AM

JamesLKent

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I'll try switching sparkplug wires first. Once the engine is warmed up it stops misfiring.

Dec 13, 2006 | 09:04 AM

F3Beam

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It's always a good idea to open the hood on a dark night and check for jumping sparks from the wires too.

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Dec 15, 2006 | 05:33 PM

marragtop

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From: Baltimore

If (when) it's missing, it's the same plug, switch or replace the wire. Don't count on looking for an arc at night. It only takes a couple of minutes to switch a wire.