Engine wash gone wrong
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
From: Franklin, NC
I detailed cars in college. It was very common to degrease and pressure wash the engine bay. I never had any problems until I decided to use some of my old college day skills. I am wondering if the engine design of the 5.4 isn't very water friendly. Oh well, I absolutely love my Expy.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 321
Likes: 1
From: Hollywood, FL
I think the safest thing to do would be to combine a spark plug change with an engine wash. Pull all the COP's out, wash the engine, blow out all the spark plug holes (you got to do this even if you don't wash the engine) and continue on your marry way with the spark plug change!
By the way, I suspect that at least one of the 2 bad COP's I found was on its way out anyway, for the last 20,000 miles the truck has had a very slight miss at idle. Now the truck runs like the day I bought it
By the way, I suspect that at least one of the 2 bad COP's I found was on its way out anyway, for the last 20,000 miles the truck has had a very slight miss at idle. Now the truck runs like the day I bought it
New User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Misfire
I have an 01 Triton 5.4 engine. It started misfiring so I bought new plugs. Turned out the dealership had washed the engine about a year ago because there was water in some of the plug holes. The plugs were wore out and did need changing, but the misfire went away for about a week but has steadily gotten worse now. The scanner shows a #3 misfire so I swaped the #2 coil with #3 coil. I still show a #3 cyl misfire. Could it be the cam sensor or the crank sensor? Or am I missing something all together? I have taken all the coils apart and dried and cleaned everything. Even got rid of the Bosch plugs and put in Autolite.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
From: Tucson
The COP is probably still good. The misfire is from the sprakplug well being wet and the COP arcing to ground, normally these will dry out and everything is fine. COP's are 60 bucks at Checkers and are off brand and work fine. When you install the COP put a good think layer of greese or dielectric paste around the boot to seal it in the plug bore so you will not have to deal with this issue again.
Dave
Dave
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New User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Misfire
When I changed the plugs the second time I did put Dielectric grease on everything. But a couple of days ago I decided to use 89 octaine instead of th 87 I've been using for the past six months. The engine stop running so crappy and may have cleared out all together. Won't know for a few days if the problem comes back or not. Why the difference with the octaine? Is Exxon screwing with us? I do live in the Dallas area where there is all kinds of winter blend and what not.
Senior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 126
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Wet mass air flow sensor
I have had the same problem with my 2000 Expdition a couple of different times. I ended up taking off the air cleaner tube from the aircleaner and from the air intake on the engine and found water in the bottom of the tubing. I also sprayed carb cleaner through the tube to help dry out the sensors. The problem should remedy itself within a couple of miles of driving. Its also not a bad idea to wipe out any excess moisture with a clean, dry towel.
Originally Posted by deanjet
Hey guys, I did something stupid yesterday. I am prepping my 2000 EXPY for sale and decided to do a top to bottom clean job to increase the resale value. I even got the wild idea of washing the engine, despite the little voice in my head screaming, “No, don’t do it!” I bought some Citrus Gunk, soaked the engine and flushed it off with an open-ended water hose. I never used any real pressure because I didn’t want to get water where it didn’t belong.
Well, it seams like water got where it shouldn’t of….. Now I can’t tell if the transmission or engine is giving me problems. It might be both! At idle the RPM’s jump (engine problem). While driving, the entire truck stutters like mad when the tranny shifts gears, until speed is picked up in the new gear, even at 70 mph.
Any ideas as what to look at first, or should I just take it in to a dealer???
Thanks, Mr. Waterlogged
Well, it seams like water got where it shouldn’t of….. Now I can’t tell if the transmission or engine is giving me problems. It might be both! At idle the RPM’s jump (engine problem). While driving, the entire truck stutters like mad when the tranny shifts gears, until speed is picked up in the new gear, even at 70 mph.
Any ideas as what to look at first, or should I just take it in to a dealer???
Thanks, Mr. Waterlogged
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Senior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 321
Likes: 1
From: Hollywood, FL
Originally Posted by fitzy67
... I ended up taking off the air cleaner tube from the aircleaner and from the air intake on the engine and found water in the bottom of the tubing. I also sprayed carb cleaner through the tube to help dry out the sensors. ...
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