It all started Saturday... when vacation started. I had gotten some new coils and plugs from a member here and began the project.

With the heat, it continued into Sunday as the only coil left to do was the rear driver side but the fuel rail would have to be moved. Done with the coil/plug replacement... I continued on to clean the TB and upper intake while I was there. Sunday night all was back together and prepared for re-start. Then....
It has one heck of a miss So before posting here, I went back to check if I left a connector or vacuum hose off.. as I have read sooo many times before. My initial thought was the rubber gasket under the upper intake. This morning... took off TB/upper intake to check the gasket but dang... not the problem

All connections seem to have been reconnected as well as the vac lines. (unless I am seriously missing something) Sooo... just short of taking out all the COPs... again... any suggestions?

 

You have to tell us what parts you used. ?? I can't tell from here. Do you have a MIL ? How did you go about greasing and/or where did you apply it ?

Need some more info, -fill us in.

 

Coils from Uneek and factory Motorcraft plugs. No... dumb me did not use dilectric.. just installed. But going back and doing that now while re-checking it all. No CEL, but then again it's running so bad I didn't go far enough for the pcm to re-calibrate

 

Update... back together again after round 2, this time using dielectric on the tips of the boots. Did not come across any connectors that I may have missed yet no change in the miss. I suspect one of the new coils is faulty, yet without a code I can't pinpoint it.
It is sitting idle at the moment running to give the pcm a head start on re-calibrating

 

After round 2 and a few miles, she finally kicked a code but my Hypertech programmer... which is suppose to read codes.. does not. So I guess I am done for now till I can limp it to AutoZone later this week

 

A CEL is a major way you know an issue exist! Is the lamp on?
A solid miss is a hard fault so the CEL must be on. If yes, what code does it give, to ID the cylinder.
On the other hand a miss under certain driving conditions can be a faulty coil that in not a hard fault, the design of the diagnostic system fails to logic as a hard fault and set a lamp. This type fault is only seen with a scanner looking at stored history. Simple readers won't do the task of looking as stored history.
You must always use boot grease to allow the boot tips to "auto center" on the plug tip where you have no way of seeing. If not used, the boot can jamb off the top of the plug and cause a miss.
Also be sure the connecting springs is free inside the boot and not jamb up causing a gap to the plug tip and a resulting missfire..

 

Blue.. it now has a code, yes but I don't know what it is as previously stated. Is there a way to "jump" the DLC on these trucks so the CEL flashes the code on the dash as on other vehicles??? Thanks

 

If you dont want to go to autozone, you could always use the old trick of unplugging the cops one by one untill you hit the one that one that doesn't change the way the truck runs. what I had to do to find the bad one on my dads truck.

 

No, the days of doing that are long gone with modern PCM programs that have well more than 1000 possible 4 diget codes in their program.
You need at least a $50 +/- Reader to see the codes.
Maybe you can have a local parts store read the code.
Cylinder codes will be P0301 to 0308 for a V8 motor, with the last diget being the cylinder #.

 

Luke, thanks but as I think that may work ok on the passenger side... there is alot of crap in they way to get to most of the driver side. Guess I'll wait and get it to Autozone on Wednesday to get the codes.

What a way to spend vacation time :o Like I had nothing else to do besides this
Also .. thanks Blue.. I was hoping, but didn't think so since I couldn't find any info about the subject

 

Latest Update... thought my Hypertech programmer read codes but nooo.. not this version. It just reprogrammed the pcm and erased the code(s). Drove it for nearly 40 miles running rough but could not get the CEL light to kick back on. So today I put the old coils back in. It still has an issue when I'm pushing on the throttle either starting out or on the move but at least it is drivable till I get a code to pop. I guess Fords don't like getting their internals cleaned out, IDK

 

If you detect a miss under light load throttle in OD, there is high likelyhood you have a bad coil in both sets of coils you have tried.
It often misleads one into thinking a coil is not bad just changing them when another set also has one faulty in the group.
The faulty coil usually has shorted turns causing lower output.
Under the certain driving conditions, the coil can't fire the cylinder reliably and you feel it as a missfire that comes and goes with a change in throttle application.
If this discription fits your observence, I would be looking for a faulty coil.
Since you have a second set or spare coils, change one at a time with a "known good" coil.
You will wait a long time to see a code if there is a faulty coil like discribed, because it is not a hard fault that is detectable on an immediate basis.
A hard fault sets a code pointing to the cylinder so is not a mistery to see, once the code has been read.
Good luck.

 

Blue...
When I first started this project last weekend, it was more for preventative maintenance than anything else ( I know... if it aint broke, don't fix it), though at 116k I thought I was feeling a bit of a "something is not right" thing. When I got into it I noticed 2 coils had a ! mark on them and one had definitely been changed to an aftermarket.
Since going from all new .. aftermarket ebay UNEEK coils .. back to all previously installed coils (with new Motorcraft plugs rechecked and still in).. with virtually no change... Do you think it is possible that with the throttle body/upper intake/EGR/IAC being cleaned out with carb cleaner... combined with the Gotts intake mod... just be messin' with the Computers' mind for a while?

IDK... just a thought without a code to direct me

 

Carb cleaner will ruin both those sensors, in about 6 seconds flat.

 

jbrew, what sensors? all I did was interiors for the gunk. I have alot of general mechanic knowledge but I know you and Blue (and respect you both ) have a heck of alot more knowledge on these Fords, so please enlighten me. What sensors could be screwed up... TPS? IAC? only 2 affected that I can think of... and would that relate to my end result of 'on the throttle sputter' ?