Is there any way to check COP's to see if they're really bad?

I have a 2001 F150 with the 5.4 COP eating bastard!!! I have bought at least 20 of these darn things from Global Supply, Auto zone & Ford etc.. & would like to see if the ones I'm not using are for sure bad.

At least once a year I have to replace 2 or 3 of them! Usually cylinders 4 & 8...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Derek

 

Do you get the engine wet allot? that would kill them. There really isn't a reliable way of testing them..

 

I have never sprayed my engine to clean it.

I use dielectric grease & everything! When I pull the one that is misfiring it usually has condensation around the bottom of the COP boot as well as evidence of rust/corrosion on the plug as well. I blow it out with air & clean it as best I can & it's usually good till next time :-(

 

Yea, if you have Primary failure, the PCM will point to which one and Primary failure WILL fail resistance testing.

BUT! It's like Mr. jethat posts above. Unfortunately, these coils don't usually fail this way. They develop shorts in the windings which result in "low grade misfiring". You can't pic that up unless you have the capability to stress test each coil, - with the Rotunda WDS kit.

 

I pressure wash my engine regularly (I do it to my helicopters, why wouldn't I do it to my truck?...), and I've had no problems since new ('05 5.4).

Keeping the engine clean helps identify leaks, prevent corrosion, and when it comes time to work on it, I don't walk away filthy. I have not had a CEL (or more specifically, a failed COP) in 80,000 miles. Food for thought.

 

DON'T do this, - unless you know what your doing. This is a dumb *** post above, -one that could care less that you screw up your trucks ignition system or leave you stranded at a care wash.

You have to protect your coils and plug chambers. There is know way for the chambers to bleed, - other than blowing them out w/compressed air.

Keep in mind, once you get the coils wet, it's real easy to hurt them. You don't always know right away.

So take precautions when washing the engine bay.

 

There are other ways of getting the engine wet. Make sure your rubber inner fender skits are in place and avoid big puddles and stuff like that. I killed a cop going through a big parking lot puddle really fast..

 

Ya, I might need new fender skirts....I'll order me some! That might help a lil!

thanks!

 

I was not throwing caution to the wind, nor trying to lead a fellow owner down the wrong path. ("one that could care less that you screw up your trucks ignition system or leave you stranded at a care wash").

No, it's not as easy as the old days of putting a plastic bag over the carb and the distributor...but the concept, intent and end result is undisputed.

I guess before providing any advice, I won't assume the OP would take the appropriate precautions that most any mechanically-minded person would.

 

i have a 2002 f-150 4x4 if this thing can't handle a little water i really don't want it. my truck is not a black top baby if i have to go in the woods down a logging road through a puddle in a parking lot it better go there 110,000 miles no problems yet. so did i buy a car or did i buy a truck? if it has to stay dry and on the street i'll sell it and buy one that will!

 

No one said it has to stay dry, - it just can't prevent stupidity. So maybe you should sell it, iduno lol.

 

That's exactly what i was thinking as i read this thread.

If the engine bay on my 4x4 can't stand a little water, I may as well drive my Lexus. I didn't buy a truck to treat it like a collectible car -- i bought it to take off road, on the beach, and to haul big, heavy crap.

I sure hope that my engine can stand being gently spray cleaned from time to time, or it's going to get really, really dirty. Either that, or it's gonna be a shop queen.

 

Fill the spark plug chambers up with water on ANY vehicle and it's eventually going to have problems. It doesn't matter which.

Continuously forcing pressured water into your connectors WILL eventually bring on even more.

Common sense does play a role here. This doesn't happen unless you make it so.

 

The COP's are designed to handle reasonable amounts of moisture meaning moisture in the form of rain, snow, water blown over the engine from the cooling fan etc. When you force water through high pressure at various downward angles and from very close distances at them then you can have problems. I think what happens here is that over time the original COP's can simply fail from getting old or the boots deteriorate allowing moisture in some form into the sparkplug well. In the process of replacing these COP's the mechanic, vehicle owner, or whoever pulls the old boot looks inside (sometimes) maybe pulls the plug and changes it. Then slaps some dielectic grease (sometimes) on here and there, sticks the COP back in and figures its good to go and in most cases it will be good to go. However if there happens to be a little dirt that dropped down into the well preventing a good seal allowing moisture in or moisture that was not completely removed before the COP was reinstalled there is potential trouble brewing. It is a lot like putting a top on a pot of boiling water. The water evaporates rises to the lid on the pot cools and drops back into the pot. This same thing happens in the sparkplug well when the engine gets hot. The moisture becomes captive and eventually will rust the plug and distroy the COP. Sometimes this moisture will damage the COP within a very short time sometimes longer either way a miss developes. Auto manufacturers have no way of controlling how owners or mechanics service their vehicles after that vehicle leaves the factory. Most of the time if repeat failures are happening with COP's its because the sparkplug well was contaminated with dirt, water, or coolant when the new COP was reinstalled. It really doesn't take much captive moisture or dirt to cause problems as you can see. When changing the plugs or COP's you have to take a little time and clean the plug well out and make sure it is COMPLETELY dry. You wouldn't install a head gasket or any gasket without making sure the surfaces were completely clean and dry before the installation and there is really no difference when installing the COP's. A few extra minutes of preperation can save a lot of headaches later.

 

I had a cop fai when the dealer high pressure cleaned the engine awhie bac. Havent had one fail since. But today i can feel a slight shuddet at top end. Not bad for13 years later.