New Wires and Plugs, Will not turn Over

[Oscar Levine]

Hi all I’m new to the forum and I’m happy I found y’all because a lot of older posts have already answered my other questions.

I put in a new coil, spark plug wires and spark plugs in my 1999 Ford Explorer XLT, 4.0 OHV. The stock plugs were heavily corroded and rusted along with the wiring connection. The old plugs were gapped between .6 and .7 and most were like .65. I installed new auto lite double platinum plugs from Napa and they were pregapped. The Napa guy said the stock gap is .52. So I put these .52 plugs in along with the new Napa brand wires and Napa coil. I turned the key after a long day, the longest spark plug install of my life, and the engine did not turn over. I only heard a repitisous knocking sound and the engine did not turn over.

Also, I wanted to say that previous to my install the car ran and drove with misfires though it wasn’t too terrible.

Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[crunchie_frog]

Have you triple checked that the wires are going to the correct plugs? Have you triple checked that all plug wires are seated on the plugs? Do you have a spark tester and are you getting a spark to all 6?

 

[Oscar Levine]

Have you triple checked that the wires are going to the correct plugs? Have you triple checked that all plug wires are seated on the plugs? Do you have a spark tester and are you getting a spark to all 6?

I made sure to get the plug wire order correct and they are all seated correctly. I do know that in the future I will do them one at a time.
Thanks for your ideas though

 

[EB4X]

Check/ recheck the coil connections.... this sounds somewhat lame but due to the coil terminals design you have to REALLY cinch plug wire ends down on them...they can seem like they are engaged when they are not.

 

[C420sailor]

We need to verify definitions. “Turn over” “crank/crank up” etc all mean different things to different people.

I’m assuming you mean the crankshaft is spinning, but the engine will not start/fire/etc.

1) what units are you using for your gap spec? Millimeters or inches?

2) plugs torqued properly, no issues installing?

3) as mentioned above, check wires to the correct plug and spot on coil. Getting them to seat fully and stay on the coil (and the plug for that matter) can be a PITA.

4) check to make sure the harness connector on the coil is seated fully

 

[1998Exp]

All good comments. Just one more: there is a chance that while struggling with the plugs you disconnected something (the crankshaft position sensor or the power connection to the coil assembly come to mind). So check if you have spark at all. Just disconnect one wire and use an old plug, with its body touching the block, while a helper turns the key to the start position. Caution: don't hold the plug or the wire in your hand, just let it sit there, or you will get a painful shock from the high voltage.

 

[boominXplorer]

What part number plugs?

 

[user3665]

1) what units are you using for your gap spec? Millimeters or inches?

 

[user3665]

Inches?? Is there such a thing as inches on passenger engine plugs?

 

[J_C]

^ Yes, these were spec'd in inches like 0.052 in. In the opening post where "Napa guy said the stock gap is .52" had to mean 0.052 in, as 0.52mm would be far too small a gap.

 

[C420sailor]

I figured it was a typo, but I’ve learned to never assume anything on here haha

 

[Oscar Levine]

We need to verify definitions. “Turn over” “crank/crank up” etc all mean different things to different people.

I’m assuming you mean the crankshaft is spinning, but the engine will not start/fire/etc.

1) what units are you using for your gap spec? Millimeters or inches?

2) plugs torqued properly, no issues installing?

3) as mentioned above, check wires to the correct plug and spot on coil. Getting them to seat fully and stay on the coil (and the plug for that matter) can be a PITA.

4) check to make sure the harness connector on the coil is seated fully

 

[Oscar Levine]

We need to verify definitions. “Turn over” “crank/crank up” etc all mean different things to different people.

I’m assuming you mean the crankshaft is spinning, but the engine will not start/fire/etc.

1) what units are you using for your gap spec? Millimeters or inches?

2) plugs torqued properly, no issues installing?

3) as mentioned above, check wires to the correct plug and spot on coil. Getting them to seat fully and stay on the coil (and the plug for that matter) can be a PITA.

4) check to make sure the harness connector on the coil is seated fully

Yeah it sounds like the crankshaft is spinning but it’s not firing. I’ve ordered all new motor craft plugs and wires and I’m going to try again while also using your tips. I’ll gap 0.052-0.056 on the spark plugs and torque them down 10-15 foot pounds. I’ll install wires tight to plugs. Make sure wires are tight in coil and are in order from back to front:
3 4
2 6
1 5

I’ll let you know how it goes, I appreciate the help as I’m a newbie and still learning.

 

[Oscar Levine]

What part number plugs?

I already threw out the packaging so I don’t know. But I just asked the Napa guy for the oem spec ones and I got auto light platinums. I just ordered motor craft ones though and I’ll try again. And I verified compatability with my vin. Thanks

 

[Oscar Levine]

Also, when I put in the motor craft plugs I’ll use car cleaners in and around the spark plugs holes because there’s a lot of crud

 

[Oscar Levine]

Have you triple checked that the wires are going to the correct plugs? Have you triple checked that all plug wires are seated on the plugs? Do you have a spark tester and are you getting a spark to all 6?

I’ve checked everything except the spark tester, if the new plugs and wires I ordered don’t work I’ll do a spark test. Because maybe I have a defunct coil from Napa

 

[Oscar Levine]

Check/ recheck the coil connections.... this sounds somewhat lame but due to the coil terminals design you have to REALLY cinch plug wire ends down on them...they can seem like they are engaged when they are not.

Thanks I’ll try that

 

[C420sailor]

Do you still have the old coil? I missed that detail. I’d swap that in before you replace anything else. Motorcraft plugs are preferred, but it should run fine on Autolites.

It wouldn’t be the first time someone received a new in box coil that was DOA. The factory ones are very robust, and often last for many hundreds of thousands of miles. They usually fail by cracking open. It’s not like the old days where replacing a coil is a somewhat regular thing.

 

[1998Exp]

Do you still have the old coil? I missed that detail. I’d swap that in before you replace anything else. Motorcraft plugs are preferred, but it should run fine on Autolites.

It wouldn’t be the first time someone received a new in box coil that was DOA. The factory ones are very robust, and often last for many hundreds of thousands of miles. They usually fail by cracking open. It’s not like the old days where replacing a coil is a somewhat regular thing.

There are actually three coils in that assembly. Even if one of those is defective, the o/p should have noticed at least an attempt to start. And needless to say, I see no point in wholesale replacement of every component of the ignition system before diagnosing the problem.

 

[salvaje]

Hi all I’m new to the forum and I’m happy I found y’all because a lot of older posts have already answered my other questions.

I put in a new coil, spark plug wires and spark plugs in my 1999 Ford Explorer XLT, 4.0 OHV. The stock plugs were heavily corroded and rusted along with the wiring connection. The old plugs were gapped between .6 and .7 and most were like .65. I installed new auto lite double platinum plugs from Napa and they were pregapped. The Napa guy said the stock gap is .52. So I put these .52 plugs in along with the new Napa brand wires and Napa coil. I turned the key after a long day, the longest spark plug install of my life, and the engine did not turn over. I only heard a repitisous knocking sound and the engine did not turn over.

Also, I wanted to say that previous to my install the car ran and drove with misfires though it wasn’t too terrible.

Thoughts?

Thanks

I think it was already mentioned, but double check the Crankshaft position sensor...may seem like it has nothing to do with a plug and coil change...but I've had mine fail for no apparent reason after an oil change....