Use the firing pattern listed on the coil pack. I swapped my 4.2L V6 from my old 97 F150 (just had the engine rebuilt and then totaled the truck) and put it in my new 97 F150 and reversed the 5 and 6 plug wires.

My engine ran really rough and had no power. Once i brought it back in and double checked the wiring, i switched them to the way they were supposed to be it was a significant increase in power.

 

Well, I just read your first post, - you already changed that Crap, my bad.


But, I still say it's the gasket, -the new one.

Well okay, maybe .

Answer, this, - how did you tighten the intake bolts down ?

Do this, - blow the plug chambers out with compressed air , - particularly the misfiring (only).

Just checkin your work man

Oh hey, what plugs are you runnin ?

 

Thank you everyon for all the responses I posted on a diff site as well and the only response I got back was "Fords run rough man"

I'll cry if it's the gasket, it looked and felt like it sealed so nicely when I put in on. Intake bolts were tightened to specs with an inch/lbs torque wrench.
The plugs are motorcrafts. When I changed them out I cleaned out as best i could without sacrificing getting anything in the ports.

 

I think its a combination. I agree with the chris that the coil pack could definately be an answer, I also think the intake could be an issue. Is your intake manifold composite? If so did you change the isolator bolts to it. As far as your lean codes go, the v-6's are notorious for having that problem. When you change your intake manifold gasket Ford says to also change those bolts. I cant tell you how many intake gaskets i went through before I finally got clued in on that. I even had a shop do one of those services and they didnt know to change the isolator bolts either so Im guessing its not a well known thing unless you own a Ford and have dealt with the issue before. I really hope this helps.

 

Whoops, the plugs are Motorcraft Platinums.

Sigma, thanks for bringing that up. Actually, I did not change out the isolators bols/gaskets as they looked really clean and nice. I have the gaskets themselves, but since I saw the leak on the manifold iself, I figured changing out those should be fine. Also, considering the plenum is that cheap plastic, I figured leaving them in would be more suitable then the possible damage of changing since they looked ok. Since I have the gaskets I could go get new bolts. Do you have any advice on changing them out without damaging the plastic? They seem to be pretty well put in there.

I looked up your thought and I noticed there was a Ford issue about this awhile ago and it mentioned the issue could be lessened on a warmed up engine. It seems as mine warms, it gets worse!

PS. I just ran out on my break and pulled all the wires and redid them. They are all in the same place as when I started and all correct. There goes that hope of doing something incorrectly the first time :P

 

Well I went to fire it up so I could Put it in the garage and pull the coil off but now it won't start at all. Getting better and better....

 

Well I changed out the coil folks and it did absolutely nothing. The truck won't even start at this point.

 

Sheesh. It won't even turn over now? You're not getting any spark whatsoever?

 

I'm moving backwards here. Now I have to find some time to check the spark on each of the plugs. And it's outside so no nice dry garage. Just cold wet

 

Heres another thought. On the back of the engine theres a small screw in the firewall and a small strap that to me looks like a shoelace with 2 crimp-on "eyes". Check that ground strap. I forgot to attach that when i dropped the engine back into my truck and it would not run or when it did, it ran like absolute s***.

If its not starting at all check the ground connection on the starter and the starting solenoid. If you can arc the 2 posts on the solenoid with a long screw driver or something you can eliminate the starter.

I must say that the 4.2L V6 is a testy s.o.b when it comes to grounding and starting.



(ill try to take a pick of my ground strap and post tommorrow)

 

Why not just throw it in neutral and give it a push?

 

Yea, I mean based on the new symptoms, it has got to be something electrical. Good luck.

 

I wonder though if it's just not getting fuel somehow. Then again I'm frazzled on this thing and losing patience and fOcus I think

 

Well, since you not helping me help you, I can't do much for yuh. From what I gathered per your response, you installed the manifold incorrectly. That's just one thing. Actually, that tells me quite a bit right there lol. Just givin yuh a hard time, but you didn't give me much to go on and I hate repeating.

Good Luck all the same, you'll get it right eventually. Yea, sometimes we are forced to, - but that's how we learn I expect.

 

Jbrew, I'm a bit perplexed by your response as I answered your questions. The head was tighted down with a torque wrench to specs in cascading order as shown in the manual. And I also mentioned the plugs are Motorcraft Platinums. If you want the exact part number, that would be Sp-504. The ports were blown out and I went and did them again today after I got it to fire up. Everything is blown out now and there has been no change in the way it is running, but at least it is running.

tom: LOL normally pushing would be what I would do, but uphill in gravel sucks alone lol. I'll use my lawn mower to pull it in when I have someone to get in and steer for me.