Hi,
I had two coil packs fail te the same time. Replaced them and it runs a lot better, but still has a miss on one cylinder. I thought I should get a code for a cylinder missfire but instead am getting this "ignition primary/ secondary circuit malfunction" Can anyone put this into english for me ?
Thanks
Guy

 

The last digit in the code is the cylinder number - cylinder 4 coil 4, primary and secondary means total failure, could be the plug(doubt it) or not plugged in well (it happens) - most likley the coil, especialy No.4 which is well known to go bad. Passenger side below the heater lines - check your heater lines fro signs of leakage, a common problem that will short out No.4 coil.

So what did you do to make your coils go buggy? Get it wet?

WAIT!!!! I just noticed you have a 97 - You have COP's? 1 coil per cylinder? I don't think you do so, most of the info that I gave you may be incorrect!!! sorry - disregard..

 

No, I did't take the hose to the engine. I went throught that fiasco several years ago ! It's a daily driver for the wife, and after she told me a dozen times that it needed work, I listened. There is a COP on every plug. (5.4 engine) The codes came up for coil packs on number 2&4 cylinders, and I replaced them .It's possible that I messed up plugging in the number four new coil. It's sure a bear to work with. About 6 months ago, I took 8 hours and changed the spark plugs and it was running great. Thanks, for the advice. I trhink I'll pull the coil pack, check the plug, and then put it back together. More of a report later
Thanks,
Guy

 

Come to think of it I forgot to plug one in once and recieved similiar codes and at the time I wasn't to code savy. I've been through it all myself as well and I'm very suprised you have coil packs on a 97 5.4 , I thought it was late 98 they started that? Well , I've learned something else here. ( : Anyway , now you metioned the word "multiple" that is usually in my experiance a 0350 reading on the OB2 - did you get more than one fault code ? otherwise it's not making sense... did you reset you computer after the work you have done already? Well, after you figure out you misfire there's a trick (on my 98 anyway) that I have to do to optimize air / fuel mixtures which works really well after computer reset, haven't heard it here though. I'll post it later.

Let us know what you find.

PS- I'm curiose, the boots on your original coil packs, do they say Ford on them ? If so, then you don't have a spring that contacts the plug directly, you have a copper conductor that contacts only the top of the plug - correct?

 

Yep ,the old boots say Ford and the coil packs say Motorcraft part number
EE03A F7TU-12A366-AB. The spring and the coil packs are made so that once the spring is inserted at the factory on the coil pack it is never going to come out again. Then the boot attaches to the coil pack. I see where these packs are used on everthing from 302 to this engine. I had one fail last year and replaced it and all was well. I always thought devices like this did not have a definite life span, but am begining to think I'm wrong. Perhaps they can only stand heating and cooling for a certain ammont of cycles. If this is true, I should replace the remaining 5 coils. I really hate working on this engine. Ford might as well have gone all the way and put it under the drivers seat as to bury the back 4 cylinders under the windshield...
Thanks again for all your input, Im going to double check my work tonight.

Guy

 

Forgot to mention I did reset the codes after the work !
Guy

 

If your boots do infact say Ford on them, then look inside the boot from the bottom where the plug slides in you should see a flat type washer with an 1/8 inch copper conductor in the center. The springs will come out with a little finness, but you may not need to do this, if you look where the spring connects inside the coil pack - look for corrosion, moisture is the biggest enemy here and condinsation will happen rapidly(over night) on new coil pack installations if don't grease up both ends of the boot w/dielectric. Anti-sieze on threads should be done aswell - more for a good seal and thread saver. I learned the hard way, these froums streightened me out. Personaly I prefer Fords manufactured boots pre-1999 There a heavier gage rubber with the copper and brass inserts that plug into shorter springs. My opinion is that these boots are better insulaters and I know copper will produce a hotter charge than the replacments, why would they change a good thing I'm not sure. Like I said "my opinion". Sorry for the long post.

 

These boot are different than what you describe. The are just a hollow tube at an angle, that ist in the coil. You an look right throuh the tube.
Thanks,

Guy

 

No kidding, I wonder why my truck has these ? I had coil problems after washing my motor some time ago and finally just replaced them all. I didn't like motocraft boots that came on the new coils and thought the Ford stamped boots were much more durable and better, they don't sell them anymore. I found some from a mustange same year in good shape and replaced the motorcrafts with the one's I'm refering to. It didn't run any different or anything like that so I can't say that they are infact better. From the way there made it just seems that way to me. Well, good luck with your truck..

 

Well it was just as the forum told me. Total coil failure on # 4 piston. .Bad conection to coil from wire harness. Fixed and runs great .
Thank you,
Guy