Hey all been ages since I've posted here but I know where to come for good info. Anyway, yesterday out of the blue my number 7 (3rd back on driver side) spark plug wire popped off and will not stay on. I had the plugs changed almost 30,000 miles ago now with Motorcraft plugs but did not change the wires. I checked the plug and it is tight. Could this be just a bad wire. I have 97K on my truck now so should I just replace all of the wires or is this something further up in the system? Anybody with similar experience would love to get some advice on this.

 

Yea this has happened to me since I replaced my plug wires with Jacobs wires. The only advise I can give is use plenty of dielectric (spark plug) greese and you almost have to stand on your head to try to get it pushed all the way down until it clicks over the spark plug.
Have fun...

 

WLF,

Thanks for the advice. Yeah I've been pushing on it. I'm going to totally pull that wire out and make sure the clip is still in good shape maybe it is to "open" and won't clamp anymore.

Dave

 

This usually happens when your engine overheats, the wires expand and pop off, I see it happen all the time.

-Kelly

 

Every 4.6 will experience this. Just a long boot surounded by hot engine. Eventually the boots give out.

At 60k, (i bought it used) this happend to mine. I took the Car Quest wires off (read: they were replaced once already at 60k) and put on NAPA Belden wires. They have a lifetime warranty so i won't have to pay again. $60.

The looms are a pain. I thought the spark plugs were much easier than the wires.

As mentioned above, lot o di-electric greese.

 

Well I went home and pushed it back on again and this time I felt a very positive lock. So far it hasn't come off driving into work this morning. I'm going to still pick some up and replace them anyway before anymore problems.

Thanks for all the help. Appreciate it.

 

If its always the same plug wire popping off make sure the plug is tight and if it is replace that plug. I have seen plug wires pop off after the engine is hot due to the plug leaking compression from the cyl. I had a mustang with brand new bosch plugs that had one plug that leaked compression through the electrode just last week, you could actually hear it.

 

Had the same problem with my 97 when i changed the plugs and wires. BUt when the wire popped off the check engine light came on showing a misfire on cyclinder #7. Come to find out that the plug wire boot had a hole on it and it was arcing out the side of the boot.

 

Got new plug wires yesterday got them on and the truck runs great! Seems that maybe a few more were ready to go as well. Engine runs real smooth. Yep check engine light came on as well when all this happened. So I reset the computer and everything is great.

mxracer yeah I had checked the plug and it was tight. I had an experience with another car where the plug would back out.

Mickey_shouse, after removing the offending plug wire I found a crack in the rubber down near the spark plug. Probably same thing was happening.

Thanks all for the help!!