I was on my way home today when my truck started running real ruff.... and then the engine light came on, so i checked the diagnostics with my edge programmer, and it said Code: P0356 Ignition coil 6 Primary/Seconddary Circuit

i have true duals and if u put my hand over my left exhause i can feel i missing....

Has anyone else had this problem? how ofter do the ignition coils go bad, or is mine even bad?

 

35x codes are usually connection plug or injector but it could be a coil they are usually 30x codes though. Have you ever changed the plugs? How many miles does it have on it? if they never have been changed I'd start there. You can get coils on E-Bay from global or Uneek supply for under $100 so you might as well get those to. Global and Uneek both have good track records with board members so find those sellers. If you do the plugs yourself make SURE to follow the TSB on plug removal to a tee otherwise you may have all kinds of problems with that engine.

 

It has 121XXX miles, i have only owned it since 117XXX miles.... so i have no clue if the plugs have been changed.... im scared of what might happen if i do them myself, also im wondering if i can swap #5 coil with #6 and see if #5 starts missing, if so that would tell me if the #6 ign coil is bad?

 

You need a plug change. Yes you could swap the coils to see if the miss moves.

 

yup swaping coils aint uncommon. recely just did my frist COP removals on a buddys truck not nearly as bad as i thought them to be. but i still like my wires on my 4.6

you could just need a tune up. make sure to only use motorcraft plugs *some people get lucky with autolites i did not i had bad luck motorcraft only for me*

as for COP's people on here love global stuff and i think the last i saw someone post they were 85 bucks shiped for all 8

 

Ok so i swapped #6 (the one misfiring) with #5, and now the darn thing is saying misfire on cylinder #2 (P0302) and getting Code# P03160; Something about misfire within first 1000 revolutions!!!! this is killing me

 

How safe is it to drive with this code problem?

 

Since you don't answer questions in your own thread, what makes you think this will help. Questions presented to you are so you can be helped correctly. Not sure what your attempting to do here, but it would be faster just helping the people who are trying to help you.

I'll answer it tho. - Safe ? Yes, just wear your seat belt. For the engine, no. The more this goes on, the harder it will be on it and costly..

 

P0356 indicates that the CoP on Cylinder #6 is not creating a ground so its not operating at all. It's a problem with the wiring, or a catastrophical failure in the CoP. It has nothing to do with the spark plugs nor the injectors.

P0306 would be the misfire code that could be spark plug, injector, or normal failure of the CoP.

P03160 just means you had a miss right when you fired up the truck, rather than a coil short under load. It's being caused by the P0356.

All you needed to do was check the wiring harness plug, clean it, add some di-electric grease for good measure, and make sure it snapped firmly into place on the CoP. If the connector is faulty, cut it out and solder/heat shrink a new one in. If that doesn't fix it, swapping #5 and #6 CoPs is correct, but that is independent of the issue on #2.

Drivng like this makes your engine have to drag the dead cylinder, fouls the plug, trans needs a lower gear to compensate, and unburnt fuel is going through the exhaust system. Missing on two or more cylinders will shake the truck constantly, beyond what most parts are engineered to withstand. Your truck won't explode driving like that to the parts store and back, but you don't want to do it long-term.

Bottom line, clean your wiring connectors, add a little di-electric grease, and make sure they firmly snap in place on the CoP.

 

Stupid question probably, but can spark plug boot rotector grease be used as a di-electric for this purpose?

 

They are one in the same..unless your referring to a silicon, which your not or a dryer.

There is different grades of dielectric though. You want wet or non solidifying.