2001 Mustang V6 Problem
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 22
From: Florence, SC
It is not a distributor. All of the wires come together in a coil pack.
The thing is, when I pull any other plug wire, I can see and hear the spark jump, and the engine will react. However, when I pull plug wire #1, there is no spark seen or heard, and the engine doesn't change at all.
How do I know if the problem is the coil pack, or the spark plug wire?
The thing is, when I pull any other plug wire, I can see and hear the spark jump, and the engine will react. However, when I pull plug wire #1, there is no spark seen or heard, and the engine doesn't change at all.
How do I know if the problem is the coil pack, or the spark plug wire?
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,858
Likes: 1
From: Dark side of the sun.
Simple way with no tools or a good chance of getting bit is just swap the "bad wire" for one on anouther cylinder and try it. Pull #1 and see if there is a difference. If so then you know it is the wire, If not then it is the coil pack and not the wire. This way you saved money on new wires if you don't need if that is the case or getting the crap bit out of you. Someone will probably chime in with a better way but this is how I would do it.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 491
Likes: 7
You can also test them with a multimeter set on the resistance, or "ohms" setting. If one wire has a LOT more resistance than any of the others, it's probably bad. However, sometimes wires can have intermittent problems that you won't see on a meter. Swapping the wires is a quick and reliable check.
Tech hint:
On the 3.8L with EDIS coilpacks (99-04), it can be hard to swap the wires, as some of them are a lot shorter than the others. Plus, all the ones on the passenger side of the motor run through a loom on the back of the motor (against the firewall) and it's a PITA to get them out, let alone back in. When I did my twin turbo 3.8L, I had to pull the wires at one point...I was smart and tied a string around them, and left the string behind the motor. Then, to put them back, I just tied the string back around them and pulled the string through!.
Might help if you've gotta swap a plug wire!
~Brad
Tech hint:
On the 3.8L with EDIS coilpacks (99-04), it can be hard to swap the wires, as some of them are a lot shorter than the others. Plus, all the ones on the passenger side of the motor run through a loom on the back of the motor (against the firewall) and it's a PITA to get them out, let alone back in. When I did my twin turbo 3.8L, I had to pull the wires at one point...I was smart and tied a string around them, and left the string behind the motor. Then, to put them back, I just tied the string back around them and pulled the string through!.
Might help if you've gotta swap a plug wire!
~Brad
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 22
From: Florence, SC
***PROBLEM SOLVED***
I followed Cruiseomatic's advice and swapped plug wire #1 and #2, as I already knew #2 was good. After the switch, I started the car again and pulled the (#2)wire at cylinder #1, and...no spark at the coil pack, just like before. Plug wire #1, now on cylinder #2, worked fine. That told me the coil pack itself was bad at cylinder #1.
I replaced the coil pack with another Motorcraft unit and rechecked #1, and it is now firing as it should and with the correct plug wire. "Service Engine Soon" light went out, and the hesitation/stumble is gone!
My wife and I thank you! You saved me at least $50 on a new set of wires I was going to replace, not to mention at least $100 if I had the dealer fix the problem!
Great tip, piratius! The wires were indeed shorter on one side than the other, and it was a PITA swapping #1 and #2.
I followed Cruiseomatic's advice and swapped plug wire #1 and #2, as I already knew #2 was good. After the switch, I started the car again and pulled the (#2)wire at cylinder #1, and...no spark at the coil pack, just like before. Plug wire #1, now on cylinder #2, worked fine. That told me the coil pack itself was bad at cylinder #1.
I replaced the coil pack with another Motorcraft unit and rechecked #1, and it is now firing as it should and with the correct plug wire. "Service Engine Soon" light went out, and the hesitation/stumble is gone!
My wife and I thank you! You saved me at least $50 on a new set of wires I was going to replace, not to mention at least $100 if I had the dealer fix the problem!
Great tip, piratius! The wires were indeed shorter on one side than the other, and it was a PITA swapping #1 and #2.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 491
Likes: 7
Glad tying a string around 'em helped. Sometimes for testing you just need to sling the wire over the top of the motor rather than around the back to make it long enough.
I went through a similar problem, but my coilpack turned out not to be the problem.
~Brad
I went through a similar problem, but my coilpack turned out not to be the problem.
~Brad
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