Almost every time I am driving when it is raining hard my truck decides when it wants to run off of all 8 cylinders, I'll be puttin' along and then all of the sudden I lose a cylinder or 2 or sometimes 3!!!
They usually come back in after a bit.

Then when I hit a big puddle of water all hell breaks lose, I have lost a cylinder for up to 45 minutes on my way home. (I hoped that it would blow and get another engine, but that's not my luck) I have already replaced # 4 cylinder coil pack!! Any ideas?

 

It sounds like you have a electrical problem that is in relationship w/ the coil packs and spark plugs. Sorry that I couldn't be of anymore help.

 

Had this problem in an older truck I had and found out it was a cracked distributer cap. Hope this helps you.

 

I hit a couple big puddles of mud/water and it shorted out my alternator. Had to get a new one. Ever since then, I'm afraid of the mud. I have to go around it.

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1999 F-150 XLT 4x4, Supercab, Deep wedgewood blue, 5.4L, 3.55LS. Astro Cap, Bugshield, Mudflaps, SS Nerf Bars, 1" Torsion Bar Adjustment, Stull Billet Grill, APC Clear Corners, Superchip, Airaid, Gibson Supertruck.

 

I had a similar problem. My plug wires had hire line cracks in them from the heating up then cooling down. It rained hard all weekend. I drove to work fine in the morning then on my ride home the turck ran terrible. Brought it into dealer and they found 3 of the wires had cracks. The truck has about 50k on it. I assume original wires. Hope this helps.

 

Next time it rain's try some WD-40 on coil
packs, (it displaces water) if that works
you found your problem..

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2000 f-150 XLT 4x4 Black W/black out package, K&N air and oil filters, Ravin Z55,
Wants:
Superchip
Okole wet seat covers

 

Change the distrubitor cap and if that is not the problem spray all electrical wires, coils etc.. with liquid wrench or a silcone spray. this will help!!!!!!!!!

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1997 F-150 XLT 4.6 REGULAR CAB, FLARESIDE PACIFIC CLEARCOAT GREEN 5-SPEED. WESTIN NERF BARS, POWER EVERYTHING,BUG SHIELD, EX-TANG SOFT COVER, BED LINER(FORD).

Better 1/2 : 92 Red T-Bird.

 

Nix the distributor cap or spark plug wire idea on a 5.4L engine; they don't have them.

[This message has been edited by max mitchell (edited 06-07-2001).]

 

Hey 5.4Lariat;
You have 2 posts on this site with similar problems. If you allready have a misfire (as per one post) and it gets worse when it's wet outside (as per the other post) it sounds like you definitely have an electrical problem. Go outside after dark, start your truck, open the hood and mist the engine with the garden hose. Look for any little arcs around the spark plugs and coil packs. If you see any, use a flashlight to identify which cylinder(s) that the arcing is occuring on. Also pay attention for any change in engine behavior when you spray it. This may help to pinpoint the problem. Good luck, GlennMc.

 

I keep calling my 2001 Screw (5.4L) an "otter" since it has no problems with the water crossings off road. You may have a plug wire problem.

Chuck

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2001 Gen I Screw Lariat
Air Raid, Superchip

 

hee, hee, distributor cap... haaaa, haaa, hooooh, stop it!.... you're killin' me here!.....

Definately an electrical problem, though....

All my tricks for diagnosing it have been mentioned already....

-Joe-


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98 Explorer (Lemon Law Case in Progress)

'00 F-150, X-cab, 4x4, Lariat, Off-road, Trailer Tow, Holandia Sunroof($1000), built 11/99 picked up 10/00!Clear Corners($36), Manik Stainless Steel 1-piece brush guard($700), Custom CB wiring, Uniden PC76-XLW CB radio($100) with K-40 Magna-Mount antenna (for now [$40]), 1 set of 165 watt KC Daylighters (for now... more on the way... $140) Fog Light Switch mod(free!!!), Custom switch mounting plate and overhead console, Bully Stainless Steel Trailer hitch drawbar w/ 2" stainless steel ball($80), Gray Tek Style Soft Tonneau Cover($250), Gray Line-X Bedliner ($450).
List of planned mods: Clear tails, torsion bar tweak, bug deflector, Chrome ORP rims.
93 Probe GT teal, OE rims painted to match, bone stock drivetrain, leaky exhaust.

 

If it was my truck, I'd take a spray bottle of water and spritz around under the hood with the engine running to see if the fault can be duplicated and pinpointed.

Isn't there some kind of sensor that tells the computer what postition the crankshaft is? I'm assuming this is what tells the computer which plug to fire. If this thing shorted out when it got wet while the engine was running or the water somehow caused the sensor to misread the position, would that cause the problem? I don't even know if it's exposed to the elements.

[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited 06-06-2001).]

 

Yes Dennis, there is a camshaft position sensor, on the 5.4's it's on the drivers side engine bank on the front of the engine, so with the 4.6, I assume it is the same.

But let's not make a *** out of you and me!

 

I was with you on the distributor cap but I am pretty sure my 5.4L isn't a diesel and therefor has spark plugs

For guys with water problems, check the sensors and wires that you may have relocated with engine modes, such as the MAF plug. It is possible that the leads into the connectors have bare spots and if the modified situation doesn't have a gasket around it, you may get intermittent shorts across the sensor leads. If this is happening with your MAF plug, you could get performance issues that seem like plug misfires.

Chuck

Chuck

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2001 Gen I Screw Lariat
Air Raid, Superchip

 

IMud- I meant spark plug wires, it was a typo, I corrected it.

It was for those like you that recommended checking spark plug wires on a 5.4L. "You may have a plug wire problem" was your response. Luckily mine was only a typo since 5.4L's don't have those either.

[This message has been edited by max mitchell (edited 06-07-2001).]