1997 5.0 died while driving, won't start back up

[allmyEXes]

I have one OEM coil pack that may be good. I have a 1996 T-bird out back but I don't know what kind of coils it has. My '99 Crown vic has coil on plug.
With the key off I unplugged the coil. Then I hooked up my scan tool and it read me one code. p0351.
Description of p0351

 

[CDW6212R]

I believe all of the V8 coil packs were the same, from the many models I have read about. I've had two Crown Vics and an extra set of coil packs from a 97 Explorer. I've swapped them around about three times while hunting a miss. Only once on my Mountaineer was a coil pack the issue(two new Accel units that one went bad). The Crown Vic both, were a bad wire and a bad plug. But the coil packs are very easy to swap happily.

 

[allmyEXes]

The coil pack split down the side and then looked like it was arcing before I shut down the engine. Tomorrow I will remove it and check all of the grounding surfaces. It looks like on all 4 corners are ground points. Maybe 1 for each coil? I couldn't imagine getting shocked by this thing.

 

[allmyEXes]

@donalds Any ideas? I hope that I just have a faulty new coil.

 

[CDW6212R]

Did you say that you also replaced the condenser, mounted to one of the coil pack bolts? That is rarely a failed part, but it's very important. I'd expect most aftermarket coil packs to be good quality, cheap brands will be hit or miss.

The Accel coils that failed me were a bad surprise that were the beginning of engine trouble for my Mercury. I had old gas that ate the tank inside which caused fuel pressure to drop, I can't blame that on Accel, but I forgot about the fuel tank for a while, and the miss got worse.

 

[donalds]

I have had bad stuff out of the box
So I'd ohm out the coil and compare to a known good one

 

[allmyEXes]

My 1996 T-Bird 4.6 car has a pair of coil packs on it and it also has dawned on me that it has an OBD2 PCM harness and more (that has the same firing order as the 5.0) that I might can use when I put the Mountaineer powertrain in my 1967 Mustang Fastback hopefully in 2027.
In the meantime I will be driving it daily.
Tuesday I'm going to clean the coil bracket and the backside of the used donor coil and backside of the bolts, then give it one more try.
Thanks for your help guys.

 

[allmyEXes]

At 2:35 today I burnt up my other new coil. I had installed it on the same side that I have been having trouble with.

 

[CDW6212R]

The coils that have died, they are all from the same place? That would aim at the circuit itself, but how is the question. I know having wildly huge plug gaps can kill a coil pack. Have you looked at any of those four plugs since installing those, the four fed by that one coil?

 

[allmyEXes]

New Motorcraft plugs at .054 and new Motorcraft plugs. Could I have a faulty new plug? The last two packs had trouble near the same cyl #6.

 

[CDW6212R]

I might take them out and be sure that they look like they are firing properly. Old plugs with huge gaps evidently can over work a coil, I doubt that one could do it. But it looks like you need to start tracing that coil's wiring, test for resistance and voltage etc. A plug check might not be that tough to do, and checking the coil using a big shop manual for step by step diagnosis, is the proper path.

 

[allmyEXes]

Thanks to all whom have helped along the way. I suppose many of you are as tired as I am reading this as I am working on it and trying to figure out what is going on with the '97 MM 5.0.
Late yesterday I burned up the 4th and new coil pack of a pair of cheap coils (Which I hope is really the present issue). I have one more old Ford coil pack available in a Ford that was running when parked.
1st I'm gonna look at the plug gaps again (4 to go) and make sure that somehow a plug gap didn't get closed up previously during install and then darn near take the new Motorcraft plug wires back off and inspect and measure them.
I have been reading about how a waste spark ignition system functions and it hasn't quite sunk in yet but as I study the firing order and function I see where the last coil cracked and blew itself out is in a spot that the #6 and #1 plug wires attack to the coil pack. I think that these are paired up in the waste spark system. Maybe the problem is a cheap coil and that is where it happened to give way or I have for some reason the coils are overheating and blowing out.
I am going to check the ohms of all the new parts and I read somewhere that double plantinum plugs are the best for waste spark systems and I have these plugs installed. Motorcraft spark plugs.

 

[CDW6212R]

If it is just one coil location that is failing, then ignore the four cylinders that the other coil fires. Only the four from the one coil could possibly be part of the problem. It's still unlikely at this point that the plugs or wires are causing it, I just mentioned them as easy to verify parts(new and recently installed(easy to R&R)).

Having any coil fail is rare, so that four have is curious given the new plugs and wires.

 

[allmyEXes]

@CDW6212R 3 original before the plug and wire change then 2 aftermarket cheapies after the new parts. I am currently cleaning another FORD coil as we speak.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yeah, the coil packs were probably all okay, something is killing them. The old plugs were a good first guess and you replaced them. But now it's going to be something else, I'd search online for other causes for a coil pack to crack and die.

 

[allmyEXes]

Well after my Mountaineer 5.0 has been sitting this last time for 10 months I've decided what will happen next. Ultimately the drivetrain will end up in my 1999 Ranger/F100 project with the Holley Terminator X system and the 5.0 totally rebuilt or exchanged for a big outfit reman type engine but for now it will stay in the MM until I can find an early '80s 5.0 to swap it out with.
I went through a lot with the breakdown then attempted to repair it and the end result was 7 burnt coils on the left bank. It is a problem with the PCM or main engine harness or both. I will have to strip the top of the engine off of it to diagnose. If I'm going to do that and let me say really quick that yes, the 1997 5.0 ignition system with the waste spark stuff is good but I'm tired of it and spent many dollars trying to fix this truck.
I have a 1989 AOD which is just a little bit shorter than the 4R70W, which may end up in the Ranger at some point. I have a 1984 Mustang 4bbl intake and a new Holley 600 with VS and a Ford kick down. I also need to go to the local auto parts store ang get a 1977 Mustang V-8 Ford Duraspark distributor, hot box and big dizzy cap. I will have to change the ends on my new $85- Motorcraft wire set. I've had good luck using the Accel Super Stock coil with these Ford components and the only other necessary thing to do is use the distributor gear off of the '97 camshaft position sensor. Install a Carter inline frame mounted fuel pump should get everything going.
Yes, going backwards and simplifying a bit but also more Highway repairable, not to mention repair parts are at Most AutoZone Parts Stores.
I think that my 15 YO grandson will be able to work on this too...
Added 1 hour later.
Drive shaft flange spacers
I will need 4 m12x50 for 3 stacked plates.

 

[CDW6212R]

I like the ideas for parts you are happier with and very available.

 

[allmyEXes]

I finally decided that I have a coil driver issue. I would give someone the SLL4 PCM to swap out on their early '97 (pre PATS) but I would hate for them to burn up a coil pack.
ADDED: Posted 45 minutes ago. That was a long read. I am reminded of the headaches.

 

[410Fortune]

Do you need a pcm?

 

[allmyEXes]

@410Fortune 4 weeks ago in the JY I saw a SLL4 and didn't get it. I'm beyond turning back on the coil-near-plug conversion using a 1999 Crown Victoria PCM and powertrain harness to mod the '97 MM 5.0. I have been talking to Don quite a bit about accessing and tuning these 1998 to 2004 PCMs. He mentioned that he had talked to you. My '97 harness is going to get cut up quite a bit to put the Explorer firewall connectors on the firewall end of the '99 CV harness.