At wits end

[Scooby0048]

Driving on highway cruise set to 80, flashing check engine starts. It was late and I was 77 miles from the closest town so I just kept going. I got home and pulled the codes and of course, it's a misfire. (cylinder 2) as well as 174 and 171.

The injector sounds like it is working but I have no way of knowing if it is spraying like a mist or dripping into the cylinder flooding it out. I replaced the coil and plug to #2 and still runs rough and is missing. I have spent days and hours searching with no real definitive answers. I'm trying to go cheapest fixes first before throwing parts and $$ at it.

Any other ideas that have worked for others?

 

[Bill MacLeod]

Possible dirty air filter?
Possible bad thermostat and running too cold?

 

[Scooby0048]

Possible dirty air filter?
Possible bad thermostat and running too cold?

You lost me on those two. Dirty MAF? Pulled the plug, no change in performance.

 

[Bill MacLeod]

Concerning the lean codes, if you still have them:
Severely dirty/clogged air filter can cause a lean condition.
A thermostat that is not allowing the engine to run at normal operating temps can cause a lean condition.

You have a v8, correct? What brand plug and coil did you use?

 

[boominXplorer]

Is the #2 plug wet with fuel after running?

 

[Scooby0048]

Concerning the lean codes, if you still have them:
Severely dirty/clogged air filter can cause a lean condition.
A thermostat that is not allowing the engine to run at normal operating temps can cause a lean condition.
You have a v8, correct? What brand plug and coil did you use?

Ok, I see where you were going with those two. It is a V8 and I used MC586 plugs and DG511 COP

 

[Scooby0048]

Is the #2 plug wet with fuel after running?

Are you thinking leaking injector? I have to admit, I was so worried about the whole broken plug deal I forgot to look at the plug when it came out and I might have wiped it off without paying any attention to it. Good idea, I'll have to go back out and let it run to norm temp then cool it down and pull the plug again to check.

 

[Bill MacLeod]

It's very important that you provide all necessary info when you post a thread. Otherwise we have to guess what engine or trans you might have or what code was pulled, etc. (tripplec will agree with me on this)

Motorcraft SP514, Autolite HT-1 or Champion 7989 (not recommended) are the correct plugs for early 3v motors. Can you advise who makes an MC586 plug ?

Motorcraft DG511 is the correct coil.

 

[PotatoExplorer]

It's very important that you provide all necessary info when you post a thread. Otherwise we have to guess what engine or trans you might have or what code was pulled, etc. (tripplec will agree with me on this)

Scooby, you can place all your vehicle info in your signature. It'll make it easier for folks to help you in the future. Make sure it's not in red though! Some people might mistaken it for an emergency and call 911.

 

[D Hook]

Scooby, you can place all your vehicle info in your signature. It'll make it easier for folks to help you in the future. Make sure it's not in red though! Some people might mistaken it for an emergency and call 911.

Dang funny stuff right thar!

 

[tripplec]

Yeah, wrecker will be sent to pickup the problem vehicle.

LOL

 

[Scooby0048]

It's very important that you provide all necessary info when you post a thread. Otherwise we have to guess what engine or trans you might have or what code was pulled, etc.

Your reply from two posts up is where I listed the engine as V8. My mistake, I assumed saying V8 would be enough info that it was the 4.6L and R60 trans since that was the only combination for the V8. My first post I listed the codes I pulled but for future, I guess I can list them again. PO302 PO171 PO174.

Motorcraft SP514, Autolite HT-1 or Champion 7989 (not recommended) are the correct plugs for early 3v motors. Can you advise who makes an MC586 plug ?

I had to go back and read what I wrote. I misspoke as I AM using SP514. I was right in the middle of switching back and forth on other sites and I was just reading about the MC586 replacing the SP515and noticed it got into my head and hence was typed here.

you can place all your vehicle info in your signature

Done

 

[Bill MacLeod]

The common links to a misfire code and lean codes, is a fuel or emission issue.( evap, egr)

You may be right about a fuel injector, but before you go too far, when was the fuel filter last changed?

If the fuel filter is good, then thoroughly check #2 injecter. Probably had to disconnect the wire connector to access the cop, so give that a good inspection.

How may miles on your ride?

 

[Bill MacLeod]

The common links to a misfire code and lean codes, is a fuel or emission issue.( evap, egr)

You may be right about a fuel injector, but before you go too far, when was the fuel filter last changed?

If the fuel filter is good, then thoroughly check #2 injecter. Probably had to disconnect the wire connector to access the cop, so give that a good inspection.

How may miles on your ride?

 

[Scooby0048]

The common links to a misfire code and lean codes, is a fuel or emission issue.( evap, egr)

You may be right about a fuel injector, but before you go too far, when was the fuel filter last changed?

If the fuel filter is good, then thoroughly check #2 injecter. Probably had to disconnect the wire connector to access the cop, so give that a good inspection.

How may miles on your ride?

143k. Changed out fuel filter today. No change..

To check the injector, I'm going to have to pull the intake manifold. So that brings me to my next though,
either a vacuum leak
IAC problem
Intake gasket leak
or injector problem but when I removed the plug, it did not appear to be soaked in fuel.

 

[boominXplorer]

Any noise leading up like a ticking? I've seem the roller bearings on the cam follower fail as early as 80k and they will spit out and lay inside the valve cover.

I wouldn't think intake manifold or vacuum leak would cause your #2 miss but would cause your lean codes.

 

[Scooby0048]

Any noise leading up like a ticking? I've seem the roller bearings on the cam follower fail as early as 80k and they will spit out and lay inside the valve cover.

I wouldn't think intake manifold or vacuum leak would cause your #2 miss but would cause your lean codes.

No noise that's the problem I can't quite grasp. I was just at cruising speed literally with cruise set at 80-84 and then the flashing check engine. Drove it home 70+ miles and only when I got into town off the highway did I notice it running rough. At a stoplight it was just bogging down and felt like it would stall.

A compression check was my next step on #2 and of course the rest. That night, I only got the #2 misfire but the next day I replaced just the plug and COP and then it kicked out random misfire AND #2.

 

[Explorer_PL]

So when you drive on the highway, it's OK, when you are slowing down, or at a stop light, it wants to stall and shakes and makes a ticking noise like that ?


That was my 4.6 few years ago.

 

[boominXplorer]

Just a heads up a normal compression tester kit doesn't include an adapter to fit the 3v plug holes. You have to buy it separately.

 

[Scooby0048]

So when you drive on the highway, it's OK, when you are slowing down, or at a stop light, it wants to stall and shakes and makes a ticking noise like that ?


That was my 4.6 few years ago.

It really bogs down when the RPMs drop under 1k which is somewhat expected but to re-accelerate it wants to bog. Today, it popped a few times before getting up to 30mph. Wasn't as loud as the old backfires were from carburetors but it popped enough for me to hear it in the cab. Ran the scanner again and this time I still get the 302 #2 misfire as well as 307 #7 misfire along with the 171 and 174 again.

Your ticking sounds way louder than anything going on in my engine bay but that could just be the camera playing tricks on me. So what caused your ticking and what did you do to solve your issue>?