Was close to getting rid of this POS before I put around $3k into it...now I'm stuck with it for a while

Problem is:

Driving home through fog it started misfiring on 2+ cylinders. As the fog lessened, it went down to one, then full power again.

Went through some rain, and it started up again.

The CEL is flashing and the plugs and wires are fairly new, as I've been battling this problem for 3 years now.

Think it could be the coil packs?

i really don't want to put any more money into this thing...hoping to unload it next spring/summer. Its a 97, 4.6

 

use a code scanner and find out what code its throwing. that will help you decided what needs to be fixed

 

P030X

Substitute whatever cylinder feels like misfiring today for X

 

Water in coilpak.. You could try greasing the coils and wire with dielectric grease to water proof them. You just might need a new coil pak.

 

hmm. what kind of plugs and wires do you have?

 

Where abouts for the dielectric grease on the coils?

I know I have put it on the wires where they plug into the coils several times...is there any other place I should be putting it?


I'm getting the feeling I'll just have to buy a pair and throw them into this thing.

 

Waiting for more info lol - It's a friggin 97 , not a POS .. 10 years old and he's b^tching? I'm not helping this whiner sell it..

 

anywhere moisture could get in.

 

Brew, I have no choice but to sell. Its been a POS since I got it. I think Ive even emailed back and forth with you about it and the troubles Ive had, mainly with the engine.

If the misfire were just a one time thing caused by one problem, no big deal...but hell, I even had to replace the exhaust manifolds because they rotted out after 60k. That led to lean codes and yup, more misfires.

It has been far from a reliable truck, and Im looking to patch it up until the spring when I can get a new one.

Help me or not, but don't call me a whiner. I'd gladly trade this truck for yours.

 

Thanks. I guess I'll give it a shot. I tested the coil packs a few months ago (checked resist I think) and they turned up OK. Never had them load tested though.

 

Your not going to like parts of my answer but you have to get in there and seal up and be sure the plug boots are as water tight as can be done and that the boots have no splits etc.
Use the dielectric grease inside the boot tips, make sure the boots seal against the top of the well.
Make sure the coils have no open cracks.
You really have some condition that is so bad the moisture being pulled in by the fan is raising hell with open ignition.
If you take some time to try a water bottle spray of one small area at a time while the motor is running, you may be able to find the worst offening areas.
I feel for you because of the area you live in and what it does to motors and the undercarrage of a vehichle.
I bought a 5L out of the Albany areas and saw the awfull corrosion it had for having just 50k miles running in that area. One plug is behind a funny shaped exhaust manifold and had never been taken out and was froze in place such that I didn't know if it would come out in one piece.
Beside the winter climate, If you can't get hold of the ignition issue, you need to consider another make of truck with a different configuration, otherwise these motors run as good as any other if reasoable effort is taken to understand their unique configuration, do good work on the system and consider where you live as a source of making some problems worse.
It is a well known problem with the exhaust manifolds cracking, mounting bolts rusting off, EGR tubes rusting etc. even in other parts of the world.
Good luck with it.

 

I don't recall helping before , I just hate it when people call it a POS over maintenance issues - Bluegrass covered everything it looks like .

Good Luck..

 

built told me it could be spark plug gapping if you chaged the plugs and there gapped at .54 or higher it runs really really bad with moister. built says .43-.47 gap i belive. book says .54 just another thing to check

 

You're right, it may have been bluegrass I contacted. I know it was one of the guys who posts a lot in the engine forum.

Anyway, the POS is a POS not because of maintenance issues. Its a POS because I think the only thing original on it is the antenna.

 

i think thats exactly his point