Ok, so driving along no problems, engine humming along fine, when all of a sudden theres a dead spot, once to about a dozen times, every so often. You know not anything solid you could put your finger on and say "I can fix that when i get home in a few mins and all will be right with the world again" kinda thing. So then Im on the way home from work one morning sitting at a stop light and this thing is loping like a hot rod waiting for the tree to go green. I take off from the light and it runs like pure doo doo for about half a mile and then it clears up, back to purring like the kitten she normally is. Until the next day when it gets way worse and it runs like that all the time now, I went to O'Reileys and had them read the engine code and it was which is:
IGNITION COIL C PRIMARY/SECONDARY CIRCUIT
*COP3 connector is damaged (nope, checked it)
*COP3 driver circuit is open(???), shorted to ground, or shorted to voltage.
*COP3 has failed
*COP3 ignition (12v) circuit is open (check power from fuse and related relay)
*PCM has failed (My personal favorite)

REPORTED FIXES
*Repair ignition coil wiring
*Remove add on accesories w/P0351 P0352 P0354
*Repair Coil on Plug (COP) wiring w/P0351 P0352 P0354...
*Replace ignition coil(s) (Did that...didnt help at all)
*Replace Powertrain Control Module (PCM) w/P0351 P0352 P0354...
(again the last one is my personal favorite)

My truck is a 2001 F150 with the 4.6L V8. Pretty much the household daily driver and grocery getter. PLEASE HELP. Any information would be useful and sincerely appreciated because at this point in time its whatever i have to do to keep it OUT of a dealership for repairs.
I am a mechanic by trade but i work on heavy diesel and big trucks, Im just comming out of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait where i have been for the last 5 years supporting our fine men and women (my brothers and sisters in arms) for the last 5 years. I am getting ready to go nuts cuz Im clueless here and my family needs this truck to run. Thanks in advance for any help that is given.

 

When you replaced the cop, did you replace the right one? #3 is 3rd one back on the passenger side. Did you use dielectric grease?

Why do you have to keep it out of a dealership? They have the proper equipment for troubleshooting it.

 

From Angelacres: I have a simular condiition. 2001 Ford F-150 XLT SCAB. When sitting idle in Drive, after it has warmed up, it will lope at will. Sometimes so bad, I place it in Neutral until I have to move. It has never stalled, but sure sounds like it is. I have consulted Dealership mechanics, and even the Ford Company to no avail. The mechanics claim "if we can't get it to lope while they have the machine hooked up to it, we don't know how to fix it, unless they systematically start swapping out parts." And of course the Ford Company "stands by it's mechanics" (meaning they are ignorant and stumped too). It only lopes while on the road, not a garage environment.

There's a gremlin in there that I just can't locate.