My truck is missing and i checked the code that where in the computer. the ones that came up where P0302 (cylinder 2 misfire) and P0303 (cylinder 3 misfire). I was looking through the hayne's repair manual to see if there was a way to test the COP and see if it was still good. I didnt see anything. I was wondering if there is a way to test it. i have a 2000 with the 5.4 if it matters.

 

Do a search under "Misfire" and you will see my post about misfire with no code as well as others. i took it to the Ford dealer and they tested all 8. they found #6 bad. They took it in back, I didn't get to watch or talk to the Ford technician, just the Asst service mgr. Paid $106 for one hour diagnosis.
So I went home and replaced it with an extra coil i had.


Are you suppose to put the Dielectric grease on the outside of the rubber boot or inside (with the wire coil) before inserting into the sparkplug hole?
Last fall 2007 I thought I put a liberal amount inside the rubber boot before placing the coil on the plug and bolting it down with the 7mm bolt. But now with the heavy rains, I'm having trouble with misfires again after installing everything new last Sept. (Motorcraft plugs and aftermarket coils)

 

The ford procedure is to switch coils, put the two coils that misfire in other cylinders and the good ones in 2 and 3. Check the plugs while you have the coils out as well. If the misfire goes from 2 and 3 to the cylinders you switched them into replace the coils.

 

Hi,
Been there fixed that... There is a tool made by WAEKON which is a very easy to use tester, look into it.I have one myself. Cost about $75. If your loosing a coil or two now, the others will follow soon. I'm also on the NLOC forum, where other members purchased from Global Automitive off Ebay, new coils. I purchased sets for mine and my wifes truck. I never installed mine, I'm now doing an engine swap to a 4 valve, so I wont be using them. I also have a set of MotoBlue solid stainless connectors with silicone boots for them. If your interested shoot me an email,
ksilibovsky@hotmail.com

I use this same user name on Ebay with over 850 feedback.

 

How long since your last tune up? Maybe you ought to just bite the bullit and tune up your truck if you aint ever done it.

 

COP's can pass Primary and Secondary testing all day long and still be bad (been their done that). Total P&S failure produce a MIL anyway.
Easy solution is just to replace all if their fairly old, when problems begin.- Low grade miss fires are a PITA. If your running stock units, only costs $75 for a complete set - Cost effective for COP issues.

The options get more expensive and time consuming if the drive cycle misfire monitor fails to reveal the faulty coil. That's just a part of the reason why I suggest replacing all COP's with high mileage .

A favorite low grade misfire point is @ 45 -50 mph usually following the shift into OD under normal acceleration.

Stress testing at the dealership is another option. Mode 6/cylinder history extraction is another - Both are pricey.

Stress testing under load can be done by the DIY'er . Similar to what I think lowflyingbird is thinking of above, it involves a Coil probe clamped to the side of one of the eight and be tested individually. Lengthen the probe light wires through the firewall to monitor your converted low voltage to pulse signals during the drive cycle -via, blinking probe light. That's the only way I could load test, that actually worked.

COP windings break down with age and become weak. The cost of a fresh set today makes said testing just about obsolete. It's just easier/cheaper to purchase a new set. That way, the problem is solved promptly, cheaply and this also keeps ignition integrity @ par.

 

I have, and have had a total of 7 cars which have had COPs. So, the trial and error method is a joke. I have a box of used, but still good working cops in the garage to prove this. AND, this tester (WAEKON) shows you when you have a weak, but not missing cop as well. Other testers I have seen are junk, which might be what your using? And only a really bad COP throws a mil code. By the time it comes on you know you have a miss for days.
SO... like I said, "Been there, fixed that".
If your experiencing bad cops, the chances are good that you will be experiencing more of them soon. They get weak to a point before they start missing. Like I stated already, even weaker before throwing a MIL code. Think about it, while idleing all might seem fine, but when accelerating or under a strong load they miss. The ones that seem to go first on our vehicles are the rear passenger side, that's because its tight and confined and get hotter because of that. Also sometimes coolant can drip on them if you have a leak, It kills them like RAID on a bug.
Like , jbrew said, It pays to change them all if they are old. and while your there, CHANGE OR CHECK PLUG TIGHTNESS!!!! You will kick yourself if you launch a plug shortly after replacing coils, if you dont.

Also take a look at RPM Outlet who carry the MotoBlue solid stainless -0-ohm connecters. They do make a difference. Like I stated already, I have a N-I-B set of coils and these connecters if your interested, or anyone else?

Lowflyingbird

 

A joke i don't know about that. The coil swap is the Ford way, Im a Ford Tech. And the tester you reccommend may work, but for free and in just a few mins, you can swap coils and get the results.

 

I have the Motoblue cops on my truck one was shipped defective and I never could get them to honor there guarantee.
I would not buy from them again and would not recommend them either.

 

Is there a way to bench test a dedicated cylinder coil. I'm not talking resistance, primary and secondary.

It must be next to impossible to thoroughly check a coil. Ford has reported (thru ALLData.com) that over 75% of coils returned to the manufacturer are good!! That's nice - So tell us how to prevent that from occurring.. How?

After market HO coils with their fancy coloring have a high rate of failure when new and fresh out of the box. It's a pretty big problem.

The cheaper coils, without the fancy colors/stickers have a much higher percentage as being good.

The OEM coils aren't much better, if at all. Hard to say, they make them so damn expensive, not many can afford, their a big question mark- BUT, I know they have there share of problems as well.

AFAIK, the ONLY way to test thoroughly, is in Real-Time, which sucks just as much as Flip Flopping the damn things around

So much for Quality Control -Innovation Blows Sometimes. Sorry , just venting...

 

There is a way to "benchtest" in a sense, Ford makes a COP kit for the WDS/IDS, you do stress tests, and tests on the IDS. All the stuff I have heard, Ford sends 50% of the coils they get back for warranty, back for dealer pay. The swaping method is not the best, but it is about just as fast as running all the IDS tests. Ford claims that if the tests are done just right, mainly ensuring that the coil is out of the cylinder and not able to ground to any thing, the tests will ALWAYS find a bad coil.

 

OK, dont believe me about the tester. but you should really find one that someone has or buy one, and then you will see for yourself.

I'm feeling like a salesman here.

Hey guess what I just heard, there is this new scanner that reads the OBDII, NO!!!??!! I think I'll just keep replacing random engine parts instead.

I used to play the swap game myself. It's a whole lot of fun with those rear cylinders, and many times it was not a matter of minutes, rather hours. And lets not forget about how nice and cool the engine is when your playing around. Then the next few days it happens all over again with another COP.

As for the Solid coil connecters, YES RPM Outlet has a bad rep, luckally I had no issues with them. I purchased the set I'm selling, a set for my wife and a set for my DOHC. Note: I only buy the connecters from them, I buy my coils on Ebay ,and ONLY from Global.
Who has a very good rep.

 

i got the problem fixed. I changed the coils and plugs on the #2 and #3 cylinder and it is runnin good now. Lowflyinbird, yur right it was the rear passanger side that went first. The #4 went out a few months ago. I think i may go ahead and replace the others from what uall where sayin. Low flyin bird ill send u an email about the ones u have. thanks for the help
CJ

 

This is going to be the second new cop I put on the #4 cyl. The one that is the biggest pain in the neck. Is there something that could be going wrong that causes them to go out, or did I screw up buying a bargain cop?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

You may have water or coolant leaking on it.