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Help! Sudden miss in 4.6 (97 T-Bird)

2K views 15 replies 0 participants last post by  JR 
G
#1 ·
While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.

Frank
 
G
#2 ·
On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 22:25:03 GMT, "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net>
wrote:

>While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
>engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
>now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.
>
>Frank

fucked spark plug

hurc ast
 
G
#3 ·
you have a bad coil. to find the bad one, unplug each coil till you do not
notice a difference , that is the bad one
"F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:39j4e.23467$k66.15421@trnddc03...
> While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
> engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
> now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.
>
> Frank
 
G
#4 ·
tom wrote:
> you have a bad coil. to find the bad one, unplug each coil till you do not
> notice a difference , that is the bad one


If I get someone to hook up a computer will it diagnose the problem?

> "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:39j4e.23467$k66.15421@trnddc03...


>>While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
>>engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
>>now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
>> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.
>>
>>Frank
 
G
#5 ·
hurricane 575 @ihotmail.com wrote:
> On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 22:25:03 GMT, "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net>
> wrote:
>
>
>>While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
>>engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
>>now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
>> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.
>>
>>Frank

>
> fucked spark plug
>
> hurc ast


Less than 2000 miles on this set and it just passed smog.
 
G
#6 ·
On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 23:40:01 GMT, "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net>
wrote:

>tom wrote:
>> you have a bad coil. to find the bad one, unplug each coil till you do not
>> notice a difference , that is the bad one

>
>If I get someone to hook up a computer will it diagnose the problem?
>



read codes and preform a power balance test

hurc ast










>> "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
>> news:39j4e.23467$k66.15421@trnddc03...

>
>>>While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
>>>engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
>>>now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
>>> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.
>>>
>>>Frank
 
G
#7 ·
<hurricane 575 @ihotmail.com> wrote in message
news:veh351lm8vfqt6fofei705696oddmgdaeq@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 22:25:03 GMT, "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net>
> wrote:
>
>>While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
>>engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
>>now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
>> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.
>>
>>Frank

> fucked spark plug
>
> hurc ast


Surely, some villiage is missing their idiot!
 
G
#8 ·
On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 19:49:44 -0700, Scott wrote:

>
> <hurricane 575 @ihotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:veh351lm8vfqt6fofei705696oddmgdaeq@4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 22:25:03 GMT, "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
>>>engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
>>>now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
>>> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.
>>>
>>>Frank

>> fucked spark plug
>>
>> hurc ast

>
> Surely, some villiage is missing their idiot!



Well Scott, I would not say they are missing him.

Rodney

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G
#9 ·
On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 23:40:01 +0000, F.H. wrote:

> tom wrote:
>> you have a bad coil. to find the bad one, unplug each coil till you do not
>> notice a difference , that is the bad one

>
> If I get someone to hook up a computer will it diagnose the problem?
>


Probably not, unless it is a true miss. Best approach is what Tom
suggested to you.

Rodney


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
 
G
#10 ·
the village is definatly not missing their idiot scott, that is why he is
here. they don't want him back.

has anyone else noticed that since we got our own private resident asshole,
that the number of posts has risen from around 10 per day to around 40-50
per day???
"Scott" <homealone.com> wrote in message
news:1153v5kf6l4j9af@corp.supernews.com...
>
> <hurricane 575 @ihotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:veh351lm8vfqt6fofei705696oddmgdaeq@4ax.com...
> > On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 22:25:03 GMT, "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net>
> > wrote:
> >
> >>While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
> >>engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
> >>now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
> >> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.
> >>
> >>Frank

> > fucked spark plug
> >
> > hurc ast

>
> Surely, some villiage is missing their idiot!
>
>
>
 
G
#11 ·
tom wrote:
> the village is definatly not missing their idiot scott, that is why he is
> here. they don't want him back.
>
> has anyone else noticed that since we got our own private resident asshole,
> that the number of posts has risen from around 10 per day to around 40-50
> per day???


I've noticed a lot more "crankiness" also.
 
G
#12 ·
Scott wrote:
> <hurricane 575 @ihotmail.com> wrote in message


>>On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 22:25:03 GMT, "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net>
>>wrote:


>>>While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
>>>engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
>>>now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
>>> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.


>>>Frank


>>fucked spark plug


>>hurc ast


> Surely, some villiage is missing their idiot!


Wouldn't want to have bet on this but after a fuel filter, two new coils
(one to be returned after the check clears) a lot of cussing and a
couple skinned knuckles I replace the plugs and it fixed the problem.
The old plugs were Bosch Platinum and I can't tell anything from a
visual but maybe I can test them somewhere. As far as burn goes they
look perfect (always have with this engine) and I just put them in a
couple months or so back just before a smog check. Is this rare? Seems so.

Frank
 
G
#13 ·
F.H. wrote:

> If I get someone to hook up a computer will it diagnose the problem?



The "computer" will only identify the cylinder(s) that are not firing, either
through a misfire code or a power balance test. Once the "bad" cylinder(s) is
identified, you will have to check for compression, spark, and fuel supply to that
cylinder.

If the miss started suddenly, the problem is likely a dead spark plug, a dead coil,
or a dead injector. Another possibility, if the miss developed over a period of
time, is a spark plug wire arcing through the spark plug boot.

You can identify the missing cylinder by unplugging the electrical connector on the
injectors one by one with the engine running. You will notice an RPM drop or a
worsening miss. If you find one that makes no difference, that's your dead cylinder.
Pull your spark plug wires off of the spark plugs and check for oil on the boots and
for signs of arcing, usually grey spots and pinholes on the side of the boots or grey
pencil like lines out of the boot opening. If there is oil on the boots, the valve
cover seals are leaking and will need replaced along with the wires.
Remove the spark plugs and look at them. The plug in the dead cylinder may look
either cleaner or dirtier than the rest. You can rule out the spark plugs by
replacement, they are inexpensive and probably needed anyway. About $16 max.
You can test for spark at each wire with an inexpensive Spark Tester. It looks like
a spark plug with a clip on the side. No spark points to a dead coil pack. (This will
usually cause a miss on 2 cylinders).
If the plug wire and spark plug on the "bad" cylinder are ok, and there is spark
present, you likely have a dead injector.
The above steps should locate your miss. Low compression will cause a miss, but it
is uncommon. If you have access to a compression tester and know how to use it, it
can't hurt to check. Another possibility is a PCM not triggering a section of a coil
or an injector, again this is not common.

Hope this helps, Tom
 
G
#14 ·

> Wouldn't want to have bet on this but after a fuel filter, two new coils
> (one to be returned after the check clears) a lot of cussing and a
> couple skinned knuckles I replace the plugs and it fixed the problem.
> The old plugs were Bosch Platinum and I can't tell anything from a
> visual but maybe I can test them somewhere. As far as burn goes they
> look perfect (always have with this engine) and I just put them in a
> couple months or so back just before a smog check. Is this rare? Seems
> so.
>
> Frank
>


Not rare at all. Bosch Platinum plugs seem to cause driveability concerns in Ford
products. I can't speak for other vehicles, although I will not use them in anything.
For all of the promotion, hype and cost Bosch plugs are IMHO worthless. If you had
mentioned this in your first post you would have probably been bombarded with replies
about it.. I hope you used Motorcraft plugs as replacements :)
Glad you found the problem.
 
G
#15 ·
Tom Adkins wrote:
>
>> Wouldn't want to have bet on this but after a fuel filter, two new
>> coils (one to be returned after the check clears) a lot of cussing and
>> a couple skinned knuckles I replace the plugs and it fixed the
>> problem. The old plugs were Bosch Platinum and I can't tell anything
>> from a visual but maybe I can test them somewhere. As far as burn
>> goes they look perfect (always have with this engine) and I just put
>> them in a couple months or so back just before a smog check. Is this
>> rare? Seems so.
>>
>> Frank


> Not rare at all. Bosch Platinum plugs seem to cause driveability
> concerns in Ford products. I can't speak for other vehicles, although I
> will not use them in anything. For all of the promotion, hype and cost
> Bosch plugs are IMHO worthless. If you had mentioned this in your first
> post you would have probably been bombarded with replies about it.. I
> hope you used Motorcraft plugs as replacements :)
> Glad you found the problem.


Thanks for your input and taking the time to analyze in detail. I once
was pretty sharp, blueprinted a few engines but I haven't kept up with
the technical stuff over the years. Retired on fixed income and this
N/G has come in mighty handy over the last couple of years.

Frank
 
G
#16 ·
Had same problem on my '93 Crown Vic w/4.6L, bad plug , or plugs.

"F.H." wrote:

> Scott wrote:
> > <hurricane 575 @ihotmail.com> wrote in message

>
> >>On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 22:25:03 GMT, "F.H." <connectu2@verizon.net>
> >>wrote:

>
> >>>While driving it just started to miss a little then got worse. Service
> >>>engine light started blinking. Made it home OK but it's not drivable
> >>>now. You could nurse it along for a few blocks but it shudders and pops.
> >>> New one for me. Bad gas? Fuel filter? Any help greatly appreciated.

>
> >>>Frank

>
> >>fucked spark plug

>
> >>hurc ast

>
> > Surely, some villiage is missing their idiot!

>
> Wouldn't want to have bet on this but after a fuel filter, two new coils
> (one to be returned after the check clears) a lot of cussing and a
> couple skinned knuckles I replace the plugs and it fixed the problem.
> The old plugs were Bosch Platinum and I can't tell anything from a
> visual but maybe I can test them somewhere. As far as burn goes they
> look perfect (always have with this engine) and I just put them in a
> couple months or so back just before a smog check. Is this rare? Seems so.
>
> Frank
 
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