Tune up hell! :(

[daveydavido]

So i just recently got my 93 eddie bauer and i figured today id do a tune up. I take out the old plugs and wires and install the new ones. I double check them... runs rough at idle.. i take them all out and put them all back in... still runs rough. I don't know what else to do, i don't have a scanner and the people at autozone and murrays in my area (detroit) are worthless. I looked around to see if maybe i snagged something and it had a vaccuum leak but everything is good. I ran seafoam through fuel, bb and vaccuum line under throttle body last night, and through the crankcase. I also did an oil change to castrol gtx high mileage. I bought a new pcv valce i just haven't installed it.

What is the problem???? it's not the firing order i know that... please help

 

[Burns]

Double check the firing order. That was what i thought when i did plugs and wires. I checked it a few times and it was wrong

 

[IZwack]

Yeah you probably have two of the wires mixed up. Typically, when you replace the plug wires, you only replace one at a time so you dont get any of them crossed.

 

[03Kodiak]

just a thought,

when i did plugs and wires on my 98 f150, i accidentally popped off a fuel injector electrical plug... threw a cel and everything... i checked and rechecked the firing order then finally grabbed my flashlight and found the unplugged injector....
plugged it back in and it ran good as new...

again, may not be your problem, but worth a look...

 

[IZwack]

Oh and one more thing, make sure the wire is actually clamping onto the plugs cauz the thick rubber boots sometimes makes it difficult to do so.

 

[daveydavido]

ok, well i unplugged and replugged all the wires on the spark plugs to make sure they were on all the way, i triple checked the firing order, all the injectors are plugged in, and i took out all the spark plugs yesterday and made sure they are all good, which they are.
bosch platinum 2's were the plugs that were in the car when i bought them
i replaced them with autolite platinums, one of the piece of sh$t valucraft wires i bought broke so i just used the wires that came with the truck (which are only 2 months old)

do you guys think that maybe i'm having one of the same problems talked about in http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118931&highlight=spark+plug+wiring+diagram
maybe cause i didn't use motorcraft (doubtful{very})

also i tried both sets of wires i had

sigh* tomorrow im going to clean my maf and my iac, and put my new pcv on

i also reset the computer a couple times, i even put a few miles on it to see if it would adapt

and one of the clips that holds the wires in place behind the plenum for 4+5+6
was broken do you guy think that maybe them crossing a little or touching the plenum would make it run this rough at idle

once past idle it runs perfect so, i'm open to more suggestions

 

[daveydavido]

oh and one more thing, i do my wires one at a time

 

[Maniak]

Are you getting a code? (you mentioned no scanner).. If the CEL (Check engine light) is on then you have a code. In the Under the Hood, computer section for EEC-Iv is sticky that shows you how to get the codes w/out a scanner.

Also, if it runs rough you can run it with one spark plug wire off (keep doing that until taking one of the wires off does NOT affect the idle).. Thats the cylinder that is having issues.

~Mark

 

[daveydavido]

well when i woke up today, the engine ran perfect, (my power locks were frozen) they now work, no more rough idle or anything

i dont even know but its great!!! thanks everyone for your help

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

Since the PCM controlls the timing, it most likely had to re-learn as the new plugs and wires have a different resistance than the old ones did. Once the PCM figured it out, it was fine. It's always a good idea to reset the computer (disconnect the battery for at least 5 min) after doing anything with sensors and/or tuneups.

For example. Had a clogged EGR tube, kept throwing the Insufficient Flow code. After I replaced several part (lesson learned, clean first) I found the clog and after cleaning it, the engine would surge at idle. Reset the computer, problem solved. Hardest part was reprograming my radio stations back into my stereo

 

[daveydavido]

that's thing though, i reset my computer and i drove around for 20min every 5 min i'd stop at a parking lot and let it idle then id pop the hood and listen for vaccuum leaks. i used to flip cars all the time so regular maintenance was what i did everyday... i've never had an engine take this long to adapt

but it's all good now thank god, i stil get Shiffy gas mileage (well average)
and after i hooked my battery up i go to change the radio station and it's like NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, seeing as i have 3 sets of presets that's the worst