Postal_Dave
Active Member
- Joined
- July 14, 2021
- Messages
- 93
- Reaction score
- 98
- City, State
- Greenville, SC
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1996, Explorer, 4.0
Background:
I broke a the #2 spark plug while changing my plugs in my 1996 4.0 XLT Explorer. I had to take off the exhaust manifold, the air intake, and a lot of the radiator hoses to get to this thing and to clean out the cylinder after getting everything out. I also used an endoscope to make sure I got everything out of the cylinder.
BTW: A reducer on a shop vac and a small clear tube that fits inside a spark plug hole and is flexible to coil around inside the cylinder is great for cleaning out a cylinder.
Today:
I finished changing the plugs and the wires, put the radiator hoses back on, filled the radiator, put the exhaust back on, and then the air intake. I then turned the key and it started right up. It ran fine, no clunks, no hesitation, nothing. The best it sounded is ages. I let it run so that the new thermostat would open and get coolant running through the system. (BTW: There are only two gallons of coolant in it right now, I was going to top off the radiator after the thermostat did it's thing and moved more of the coolant around.)
After idling for 5 minutes, I watched the temp gauge go up, then I heard the thermostat open and the temp gauge started to drop. I then turned on the heat and 5 seconds later the engine stopped like it was turned off. I checked the oil and it was fine, I turned the ignition off then back on and I heard the fuel pump. I tried starting it but it just kept turning over without even a hint of firing.
I took an old plug put it in the new wire for cylinder 4 and put it against the engine block and tried to start it but there wasn't a single sign of a spark. The check engine light is on when I turn the key to "On" and while the engine is cranking. I don't have a way to read the codes at home.
Any ideas?
Thanks for reading this and for your help.
Dave
I broke a the #2 spark plug while changing my plugs in my 1996 4.0 XLT Explorer. I had to take off the exhaust manifold, the air intake, and a lot of the radiator hoses to get to this thing and to clean out the cylinder after getting everything out. I also used an endoscope to make sure I got everything out of the cylinder.
BTW: A reducer on a shop vac and a small clear tube that fits inside a spark plug hole and is flexible to coil around inside the cylinder is great for cleaning out a cylinder.
Today:
I finished changing the plugs and the wires, put the radiator hoses back on, filled the radiator, put the exhaust back on, and then the air intake. I then turned the key and it started right up. It ran fine, no clunks, no hesitation, nothing. The best it sounded is ages. I let it run so that the new thermostat would open and get coolant running through the system. (BTW: There are only two gallons of coolant in it right now, I was going to top off the radiator after the thermostat did it's thing and moved more of the coolant around.)
After idling for 5 minutes, I watched the temp gauge go up, then I heard the thermostat open and the temp gauge started to drop. I then turned on the heat and 5 seconds later the engine stopped like it was turned off. I checked the oil and it was fine, I turned the ignition off then back on and I heard the fuel pump. I tried starting it but it just kept turning over without even a hint of firing.
I took an old plug put it in the new wire for cylinder 4 and put it against the engine block and tried to start it but there wasn't a single sign of a spark. The check engine light is on when I turn the key to "On" and while the engine is cranking. I don't have a way to read the codes at home.
Any ideas?
Thanks for reading this and for your help.
Dave