Ok, still waiting on the COPs. But since then I have replaecd the fuel filter, ran 2 shots of injector cleaner through a half tank of gas, washed and oiled the air filter, and then cleaned the MAF a week later. So far the truck is much better and is doing its hesitation thing less and it feels more powerful as well. The stutter on hard accereration is still there, but seems to be less often or apparent. Hopefully the COPs will do the trick as the last job to be done.

 

As stated before use Motorcraft carb cleaner since you have the three valve the 97-03's are a lot different. The 04-07's plugs get carboned up alot and make them difficult to remove or possibly break off hence pre-soaking them with the carb cleaner. Mine is a 97 2 valve and I just shot a little Aerocroil in each chamber just to prevent gaulding the threads on removal. Follow the TSB it think this is the one mms://multimedia.ford.com/seopts/Tech26_250k.wmv

New plugs and cop's will make all the difference in the world so will cleaning the throttle body if you haven't done so already. Good Luck.

 

When I opened the package from Global Automotive, I noticed that there was (1) 3L3U-12A366-BB AND (7) 3L3E-12A366-CA. Are they all compatible with the 5.4-3v? or does one of them go in a specific position on the engine?

Also, I found this on Google somewhere, that kinda makes me feel better,
SC-9003 REPLACES: 3L3E-12A366-CA,3L3U-12A366-BB,3L3Z-12029-BA,DG511,FD508 APPLY: EORD 04-08

So apparently they are compatible?

 

Well, one and a half hours later, the coils are in. I must not have messed it up as it idles smoothly and there is no Check Engine Light. Problem is, the hesitation under hard acceleration is still there, like it is hunting for something. I then did the SeaFoam treatment into the intake per the instructions and then dumped the other half of the bottle in the oil so possibly help with anything funky going on with the cam phasers. After the 5 minute wait time, i restarted the engine and it ran a little rough, revved it up some and it got a little better so i decided to take it for a spin. about a half mile down the road, i goosed it and it seemed to clear out the remaining roughness, but then the check engine light went on right about then, I disconnected the battery when I got home and restarted, the light stayed off. Hopefully it will stay off. Anyone else have this happen to them?

Also, it knocks when you press the pedal quickly at certain RPMs, Could there be some sort of throttle position sensor or the actuator for the throttle that I could look into for this?

 

junior - Stop with the Seafoam already....Hell, you just used injector cleaner not to long ago. I'm tellin yuh, your really going to mess that engine up. Very very very bad for it.... Period. -Just remember I said this lol.

 

So you pulled the battery cable and wiped out the cel without reading it. I don't know how to answer that question. How about changing the oil and get the Seafoam out of it. Filling it up with good quallity gas, not Quik Trip and take it for about a two hour or 120 mile run on the highway at 70mph see how it runs when you get all of the chemicals through it and the pcm relearns it's stratagies and see if the cel comes back. Then let us know how it drives.

 

I had to chalk up the code to the O2 sensors detecting something weird in the exhaust because of the Seafoam being expeled. I had read it was common to get a temporary check engine light after doing the intake clean procedure. That is why I reset the PCM without reading. Plus, I had to wait till today to get a friends OBDII scanner and the code never came back so it had to be related to the cleaning.

In the end, I am gonna take it to the dealer Monday as I am getting no codes thrown even when the feeling best described as misfire are felt. I had talked to the service writer about my symptoms and his initial response was it was probably a COP, so that is why I replaced all 8 of them based on others having COP problems as well. Hopefully, the Ford scanner can read codes that are not offered up to the non-Ford scanner and they can give me an estimate. If it is anything over $300, I am gonna just trade this POS for a 2009, the engine has such a better design over the 2004 it is not even funny. And you get a 5/50 bumper2bumper,6/60 powertrain and a 5/50 roadside package, oh and 6 extra inches of leg room in the back seat. All I gotta do is get the service writer to write a HUGE estimate that I can show the wife and get her buy in. Truth be told, there may be a HUGE estimate anyways without even faking it

 

Well do whatcha gotta do. Sounds like you really wanna new truck. Me personally I'd like to wait until the 6.2L been out for a year at least. But that's just me. My wife unfortunatly just doesn't have alot of control over what I do she just has to respect my decisions and I have to respect her position. After all I provide the roof over our head and the power to keep the lights lit and environment comfortable. We share the responsibility to keep food on the table. She bought and paid for her own car as I have my truck, boat, other toys etc. When you get to be married as long as we have or as old as we are you sort of learn what the other one is thinking. I wanna get a new travel trailer and park out at Lake Fork for a weekend get away and she want to know now what am I waiting for.


Sorry to start twisting off in another direction. Question 1 you did change the sparkplugs with the motocrafts right? Question 2 when you replaced the cop's you used dielectric gease on the boots right? Question 3 after running the injector cleaner through it have you run a tank of gas through it? Question 4 after running seafoam through it you put a half of can in your oil? Question 5 Have you changed the oil yet? Question 6 did you clean the MAF with MAF or electric contact cleaner? Qustion 7 how nasty is the throttle body does it need to be cleaned? Question 8 you checked all of the obvious thing like vacum lines not loose or leaking. Question 9 if you've done all of these things have you filled it up with some good quality fuel and took it out and drove it like you stole it for a 150 miles or so? Question 10 thought about opening another thread? Question 11 picked out the new color truck you would like. Advisory 1 make sure new truck comes with towing package just for good measure hint: heavy duty alternator, cooling and trans cooling extra stuff. Oh well good luck. and enough preachin.

 

Wow, lots of questions...but this morning I had the computer in the car and finally got the check engine light to flash while on the way back from getting coffee. I got this.

P0308 Cylinder 8 Misfire Detected

To answer your questions, here they are.
1) Didn't change the plugs, just the COPs.
2) Didn't use the grease as there was none in there from the factory and didn't want to risk getting a non conductor on the plug or COP contacts.
3) Full tank of gas and then some after the injector cleaner.
4) Half can Seafoam in the oil yes, in an effort to clean anything out of the cam phasers if any.
5) Oil not changed yet.
6) MAF cleaned with CRC MAF cleaner.
7) Throttle body not inspected visually, only ran the Seafoam through it. I am not entirely sure how much I have to tear down to get to see the throttle body.
8) Vacuum system looks ok, checked it out as best I could.
9) Have been driving it like I stole it and that is why I am getting this misfire.
10) I think we are done on this thread if you think that replacing the plug in cylinder #8 now that I get a code for it.
11) I had a blue one with chrome package on it picked out, but it has since sold.

Which cylinder is # 8 anyways? drivers or passengers side rear plug? Could this be an injector problem instead?

 

Cylinder 8 is the rearmost drivers side.

 

So which side is the drivers side ? My father in-law use to drive from the right side, - every time we had to make a Home Depot run for supplies. Geeze, that's irritating

Firewall

Front End

 

Huh? QT is as good as any gas these days, they are part of the top tier initiative.

You should ALWAYS use dielectric grease when changing plugs/cops!