What a stupid design. I should've bought a Chevy, although they may have the design too. Coil over plugs. That is about the dumbest design and should be recalled. What a fricken hassle, and expensive. A mechanic says it's #4 and #7 cylinders with a miss, but doesn't show it to be a coil. Okay, so he doesn't know a lot about this motor. Autozone is out of the coils, but will order them. Meanwhile, I change the plugs out and switch #4 and #1 so it will be easier to replace the coil if it still misses after changing plugs. It still misses, so off I go to get the coil, but thanks to this forum, it was suggested that the parts stores loan out the code scanner. Cool, that saved me a lot of money, future knowledge on the scanner. Thanks for that info. So, I scan the codes and it says misfire on #6 ???. The parts guy pulls the info up on the screen, and it says there is a problem with moisture in and around the plug boots, so use dielectric grease. Gee, no jerry-rig there. So, I replace the coil @ $50 and it runs good..... for a while, then a slight miss, and then abig miss. So, back to autozone and scan it and #3 has a miss!!!! Go figure. Another $50 and a new coil and a lot of dielectric grease. It runs good now, with all that grease around the boots. What a joke. Did I mention recall yet? I guess it will be okay until we get more rain and more coils go out. Stupid design.

 

Over the course of 172K miles, I've replaced two coils on my '97 5.4, and one of them was when a plug popped out and broke the coil. Sounds like a misdiagnosis by "a mechanic" caused you more hassle than the design of the ignition system itself.

 

COP recall? I think not. Unless you want every manufacturer out there to go out of business so you can only buy and drive a renault for life. Izuzu, Chevy, Ford, they are all useing COP designs now. Get used to it.

 

Use the freakin' dielectric grease. That's what it's for.

Quit yer whinin.... or just buy a chebby and go away.

Steve

 

how many miles do you have on your truck?

It doesnt sound like a big hassle? A couple trips to autozone and 100 bucks?

 

doesn't sound like you know what what the heck your doing with your engine.

 

Thats funny coming from you

 

You can test the coils before you replace them. I had a 2000 w/ a 5.4 and had a moisture issue everytime it rained. I was pulling my hair out. Fix = use the motorcraft plat. plugs, replace the boots and springs, use the dielectric grease, and make sure to blow out around the plug w/ air (remove excess moisture) prior to changeing the plugs. FYI use autozone for the scanner but buy from O'Reilly's. Coil boots and springs 3.99 O'Reilly's, 9.99 autozone.

 

Is it possible that your mechanic is confusing the Ford cylinder numbers and the way Chevy does it? I took apart a Ford 351 that a Chevy guy put together. He reused the pistons and rods but put them back in Chevy style regardless of pin offset or the piston notch. Could explain why he had to throw parts all over to get it run right. 1234 5678 or 1357 2468

 

lots of self proclaimed Chevy experts out there. my wife's nephew is 30 and if it's a chevy he is an expert just ask him. course he has to call a ford guy when he gets in a jam and he call me often!

 

I had a miss and replaced all the plugs and boots and springs and used the greas like the book I use told me to. Oh and I used anti size on the plugs also. I was worried about the coils also. I did find when pulling the coil and boot for cylinder #8 the boot was not in quite right and was exposing the plug hole to the elemments. After placign every thing the truck runs great.