HELP!!! SES light P0305 liquid in Spark Plug well

[gtbutler]

HELP!!!!

I have a 2005 Explorer Limited with a V8. 125,000 miles, and I have owned it since it had 69,900 miles on her.

Everything was running fine. Just took a 8hr trip each way to the mountains and ran into some really cold weather (double digits below zero) this past weekend and this vehicle has spent the majority of its life in the warm weather of the south. Not sure if cold has anything to do with it, but wanted everyone to know about that.

Driving home last evening and got a SES (Service Engine Soon) light flashing. I drove aprroximately 10 miles after getting the flashing SES light. The vehicle was running a little rough, especially at idle. Put my diagnostic tool on her and pulled the codes. I had P0305 (Cylinder 5 misfire) and P0355 codes (Ignition Coil E Primary/Secondary Circuit). I was relieved because I was planning to do a full tune up and already have new Motorcraft COP's, Motorcraft Plugs, and new Fuel injectors sitting on the bench ready to install.

Here's my dilemma. I did the first 4 plugs and new COP's and when I pulled the COP on #5 cylinder spark plug well was filled with an 1" of liquid (I'm assuming this was coolant). The COP boot was wet at least an inch up the rubber. I now know where the misfire was coming from.

I looked around the engine and didn't pay enough to see if there was any coolant anywhere. Trying to vacuum the well out didn't work, so I blew what liquid I could out, which put liquid on the valve covers and most of the surfaces around #5 spark plug well (which makes it harder to diagnose how that well got filled).

Any ideas? Maybe a coolant leak from thermostat housing (which is right in front of and above #5 cylinder?

Any help is welcome

 

[lincolnshibuya]

intake manifold issue (time to replace),
the #5 cop/plug is closest to the thermostat housing which could crack/leak.

i'd say clean it first and observe if you have leaks in the next few days/weeks.

https://www.facebook.com/diyfordexp...0528882348605/360366024031555/?type=3&theater

 

[gtbutler]

Update. I went ahead and cleaned the #5 Spark Plug well out. Then changed the plug. Spark Plug looked good. #6 Cylinder was dry. #7 had a half inch of fluid in it. Cleaned and replaced the plug (which looked good). #8 Cylinder had two inches of fluid in it and was surprised that it didn't throw a misfire code (guess the boot was sealed well to the ceramic). It appears that the fluid was there for a while since it actually stained the walls of the Spark plug well. In all cases the fluid was orange (the same color as PB Blaster).

Since bank 0 (cylinders 1-4) were all dry and not throwing any codes I'm thinking of putting the used COP's from 1-4 into cylinders 5-8 until I can verify there is no leak. I really don't want to ruin a brand new set of COP's. I'll check the wells after some miles to see if there is a leak, and if here isn't then I'll put the new COP's in 5-8.

Thoughts?

 

[Number4]

If the tstat housing leaks, it runs along the intake and will dump right into the plug wells. Has the tstat ever been changed?

 

[gtbutler]

I've not done any coolant system work on the vehicle. The coolant looked good and cooling system values were well within specs from diagnostic sensors (I use AutoEnginuity).

I'm going to watch the coolant/intake a little closer over the next few weeks though.

Thanks for the input.

 

[pet575]

gtbutler I hate to tell you this my friend but you need to replace the intake manifold. It isn't a bad job at all, just the time to do it. See this thread:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=361187

You don't need to replace the COPs right now. Just get them dried out. Wait until you get the manifold changed out. They'll survive if you clean out the coolant and dry them out. The coolant will eventually kill them but you shouldn't need to swap out the others right now.

You might have to go through the coolant removal process a few times while you're monitoring it, but I'm going to save you some time. Do the following in this order:

1. Check the tightness on the end of the top hose clamp that leads into the thermostat housing. A few months back my spark plug wells started filling up with coolant and I couldn't figure out WTF was happening since I got a replacement intake manifold in there. I finally figured out that the clamp had some how loosened enough to cause a tiny trickle of coolant to come out and run down the thermo housing and onto the valve cover. Acted exactly like the leaky manifold did back before I changed it.

2. If #1 does not reveal a loose hose/connection, just order the Dorman replacement unit and do the repair. The time you waste repeatedly removing COPs/plugs/cleaning up coolant could be used to do the job.

Good luck!

 

[rocco123]

Intake manifold is leaking. The manifold needs replaced

 

[intelisevil]

Although the original post said "I'm assuming this was coolant", later on he said "In all cases the fluid was orange (the same color as PB Blaster)".

Do you all still think his intake manifold needs to be replaced?

 

[pet575]

I do. That coolant runs in there after it comes into contact with many things. I've had mine come out looking like brand new motor oil before, which definitely has that orange/carmel/tan-ish color to it.

 

[gtbutler]

I really believe it is coolant too. It has that ethylene glycol smell. Since I've never done any cooling system work (since there were no symptoms that work needs to be done) I may just have the original coolant in it. If I'm not mistaken it would have the Ford Extended life which was yellow. Maybe a previous owner dropped some of the Orange coolant in there, who knows.
I had trouble finding a replacement Intake manifold for the 4.6l. Virtually everyone's vehicle database for the 2005 Ford Explorer doesn't even list/offer the 4.6l, so there seems to be a "vehicle fit" issue. I finally went "vehicle-less" and ordered a Dorman 615-175 (the pictures seem to be an exact match) from RockAuto. It has all the gaskets, thermostat and everything ready to install.
Should be in early next week. I'll let everyone know how things work out.

 

[pet575]

That 615-175 should be right. It is the same as the 2003 and 2004 if you look it up that way. I know some others have had a similar question in these models and it ended up fitting perfectly.

 

[mall]

I had the same problem with my F250. I had water in every spark plug hole. I decided to try a temporary fix with stop leak, and that was two years ago. If you don't have time to fix it right now it might be worth a shot.

 

[rocco123]

I used the dorman 615-175 too. Although dorman rep and website say it won't fit I had absolutely no problem with it.

 

[Number4]

Is the color not simply due to rust? The steel on the spark plugs would rust if wet.