xekrubx
Active Member
- Joined
- January 18, 2009
- Messages
- 52
- Reaction score
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- City, State
- Nashua NH
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1997 Mercury Mountaineer
This isnt really a thread asking for help. More a thread sharing my experience.
This morning I remote started my Merc and when I finally went outside to get in I noticed quite a stench. I got in the truck and immediately noticed an awful shake and a CEL.
A couple days ago I put about 1/2 of a bottle of lucas injector cleaner in about a 1/2 tank of gas.
I let the tank run low.
As i drove to work the CEL started to flash. The odd running and smell immediately told it was a misfire. This has happened before in my V8 SHO. But in that car i had a flowmaster exhaust so the bad exhaust tone in that made it even more noticeable. I have yet to put an exhaust on my 5.0 Merc.
After work I brought it to autozone for a free scan. Exactly as I thought it was a misfire. Misfire on cylinder #4.
So I purchased 8 Motorcraft platinum spark plugs. The box reads SP-432 and beneath that it reads AGSF32FM.
I had to adjust the gap on almost every one. Didnt have to do that with my previous Eagle Talon.
So I start (and end) with the passenger side plugs. Something ive been dreading doing since I bought the truck 4 weeks ago.
I have a friend with a 2001 Explorer XLT 5.0 AWD. He has 113k miles on his rig. Went to change his plugs and snapped 3 of them. So Ive been expecting much breakage.
I of course started with cylinder #4.
This is what I found. Tons of rust.
So I blast it with some PB, let it soak, and it ended up coming right out.
But once its out this is what i find.
About 1/2" of buildup and the short threads. If im not mistaken arent the short threads an indication of original spark plugs because of the way they are installed by a machine?
Oh by the way my 1997 Mercury Mountaineer has 156 THOUSAND MILES.
And of course the original wires.
Once I got plug #4 swapped out I pulled the wires for 1-3 and PB sprayed the hell out of the plugs.
I was in my driveway in about 20°F with a droplight. With a flathead I had to scrape the rust away from the plugs. After about 4 sprays and scrapings Im still not able to seat the socket onto plug #3. #2 I just cant wrench on enough to get it out and I didnt even try #1.
Didnt even bother with the drivers side yet.
I put it back together with the one new plug and started it.
The shake and smell seems to be gone but the CEL is still on. I havent had a chance to drive it yet. I will again tomorrow morning.
Does the CEL need a few miles before it shuts off?
I believe when i replaced the coil pack on my SHO it was almost immediate.
I guess Ill find out tomorrow.
Oh and before any of this I was averaging about 13mpg. Maybe when I get the rest of the new plugs in ill get 14.
I also need an alignment. Bad.
Anyways thanks for reading.
This morning I remote started my Merc and when I finally went outside to get in I noticed quite a stench. I got in the truck and immediately noticed an awful shake and a CEL.
A couple days ago I put about 1/2 of a bottle of lucas injector cleaner in about a 1/2 tank of gas.
I let the tank run low.
As i drove to work the CEL started to flash. The odd running and smell immediately told it was a misfire. This has happened before in my V8 SHO. But in that car i had a flowmaster exhaust so the bad exhaust tone in that made it even more noticeable. I have yet to put an exhaust on my 5.0 Merc.
After work I brought it to autozone for a free scan. Exactly as I thought it was a misfire. Misfire on cylinder #4.
So I purchased 8 Motorcraft platinum spark plugs. The box reads SP-432 and beneath that it reads AGSF32FM.
I had to adjust the gap on almost every one. Didnt have to do that with my previous Eagle Talon.
So I start (and end) with the passenger side plugs. Something ive been dreading doing since I bought the truck 4 weeks ago.
I have a friend with a 2001 Explorer XLT 5.0 AWD. He has 113k miles on his rig. Went to change his plugs and snapped 3 of them. So Ive been expecting much breakage.
I of course started with cylinder #4.
This is what I found. Tons of rust.
So I blast it with some PB, let it soak, and it ended up coming right out.
But once its out this is what i find.
About 1/2" of buildup and the short threads. If im not mistaken arent the short threads an indication of original spark plugs because of the way they are installed by a machine?
Oh by the way my 1997 Mercury Mountaineer has 156 THOUSAND MILES.
And of course the original wires.
Once I got plug #4 swapped out I pulled the wires for 1-3 and PB sprayed the hell out of the plugs.
I was in my driveway in about 20°F with a droplight. With a flathead I had to scrape the rust away from the plugs. After about 4 sprays and scrapings Im still not able to seat the socket onto plug #3. #2 I just cant wrench on enough to get it out and I didnt even try #1.
Didnt even bother with the drivers side yet.
I put it back together with the one new plug and started it.
The shake and smell seems to be gone but the CEL is still on. I havent had a chance to drive it yet. I will again tomorrow morning.
Does the CEL need a few miles before it shuts off?
I believe when i replaced the coil pack on my SHO it was almost immediate.
I guess Ill find out tomorrow.
Oh and before any of this I was averaging about 13mpg. Maybe when I get the rest of the new plugs in ill get 14.
I also need an alignment. Bad.
Anyways thanks for reading.
