What's wrong with my car?

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When I unplug both coil packs, It does not want to crank. When I plug in front it doesnt want to crank also. But when I plug in the rear one it cranks. But I still have the syptoms. I need help going further.


Front coil pack is most likely dead and back pack is on the way out.


To verify the front coil pack is dead versus the DIS, get an 8 mm socket, and remove the 4 bolts to the front coil pack and the rear coil pack. swap them (front pack to the rear and rear pack to front). plug in the front pack only ( the previous rear pack) and crank the motor. If the engine kinda runs then DIS is good and coil pack is starting to fail. unplug the front pack and plug in the rear pack (original front pack). If it don't fire then this verifies the coil pack is shot and you need a new one. if it runs fine, then most likely the DIS is bad.
 
Front coil pack is most likely dead and back pack is on the way out.


To verify the front coil pack is dead versus the DIS, get an 8 mm socket, and remove the 4 bolts to the front coil pack and the rear coil pack. swap them (front pack to the rear and rear pack to front). plug in the front pack only ( the previous rear pack) and crank the motor. If the engine kinda runs then DIS is good and coil pack is starting to fail. unplug the front pack and plug in the rear pack (original front pack). If it don't fire then this verifies the coil pack is shot and you need a new one. if it runs fine, then most likely the DIS is bad.

Where is the module at? On the rear firewall or on the sides?
 
Where is the module at? On the rear firewall or on the sides?


It is bolted by 3 tiny bolts - I think they are 6 mm, to the front side of the lower intake manifold - right behind the alternator. the link below shows what it looks like:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories


you can get if off without removing the alternator - but it is much easier to remove it if you atleast undo the belt and the bolt closest to the valve cover and rotate the alternator toward the driver's fender.
 
It is bolted by 3 tiny bolts - I think they are 6 mm, to the front side of the lower intake manifold - right behind the alternator. the link below shows what it looks like:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories


you can get if off without removing the alternator - but it is much easier to remove it if you atleast undo the belt and the bolt closest to the valve cover and rotate the alternator toward the driver's fender.

Is it a easier way to test it like unplug it?
 
the module itself!


only way to test the module - other than starting the car - is to pull the unit and take it into autozone - they can test them for free.

but based upon what symptoms you describe - i'm fairly confident you coil packs are the source of your problem. remember - one coil pack could have been shot for a long time but you would never know it because the other coil pack was firing all 4 cylinders. since you said that it doesn't fire when the back coil pack is unplugged, and does fire when it is - that tells me that the back coil pack is atleast firing most of the time and the front one doesnt at all.
 
only way to test the module - other than starting the car - is to pull the unit and take it into autozone - they can test them for free.

but based upon what symptoms you describe - i'm fairly confident you coil packs are the source of your problem. remember - one coil pack could have been shot for a long time but you would never know it because the other coil pack was firing all 4 cylinders. since you said that it doesn't fire when the back coil pack is unplugged, and does fire when it is - that tells me that the back coil pack is atleast firing most of the time and the front one doesnt at all.

Ok I Switched coil packs. Front to back and back to front! It isnt even shaking anymore....... So I have to replace coil packs right?
 
Ok I Switched coil packs. Front to back and back to front! It isnt even shaking anymore....... So I have to replace coil packs right?



interesting. it runs fine now? unplug on of the coil packs and see if it runs smooth. then plug it in and unplug the other. if they both independently run smooth, then maybe it was a bad connection. if it runs smooth with one and doesn't on the other then one of the coil packs is bad.
 
interesting. it runs fine now? unplug on of the coil packs and see if it runs smooth. then plug it in and unplug the other. if they both independently run smooth, then maybe it was a bad connection. if it runs smooth with one and doesn't on the other then one of the coil packs is bad.

Yes it runs fine now. When I unplug one it runs rough. Its so funny what little things piss these cars off! :rlaugh:


What can I do to make it quieter now?
 
sounds like some of the coils in each pack are bad. but run it the way it is till they crap oout.

as for quieter? humm. new muffler i suppose.


It still runs smooth, but now if i dont go a high speed it kind of bucks with the gauge like it want to cut off and it cut off one time and i was able to get it to crank i had to step on gas and hold the key a while. so it have to be the coils right? And Thank you so much for helping me.:D
 
It still runs smooth, but now if i dont go a high speed it kind of bucks with the gauge like it want to cut off and it cut off one time and i was able to get it to crank i had to step on gas and hold the key a while. so it have to be the coils right? And Thank you so much for helping me.:D


That symptiom sounds much more like the DIS or the computer going bad. Mine did very similiar things....hard starting - but stepping on the gas caused it to fire and after it warmed up ran fine. See if you can hear the fuel pump when you turn the key on to the on position (but dont try to crank the motor). you should hear it buzz (very faintly) for no more than 5 seconds and then cut off. If you hear it running for 10 to 30 seconds and then cut off, then your computer is going bad. This happened to me. And I would listen for the pump to cut off and then turn the key and it would fire up fine - turned out the computer was bad.

I did have bad coil packs that i replaced, it ran great for a few months, then started missing again - thought it was coil packs - put on a set known good spare coil packs i have, was not the problem. The tach started reading funny (like at idle was reading 2500 RPM and the engine was misfiring a bunch. Replaced the DIS and it ran great for 6 months. Then it started with the hard to start but eventually did - keeping my foot on the gas until it fired. Thats when i noticed the fuel pump running with key on no start for an extended period. found a nice computer in the junkyard - you could tell it was a new replacement one, plugged it in and been happy cruising since then. (I tried other things 1st, from thinking it was a clogged fuel filter (well it needed replacing), to a new fuel pressure regulator, and new fuel pump. None solved the problem until i replaced the computer. But I think your problem is either the DIS or the computer.

Hope this helps.
 
That symptiom sounds much more like the DIS or the computer going bad. Mine did very similiar things....hard starting - but stepping on the gas caused it to fire and after it warmed up ran fine. See if you can hear the fuel pump when you turn the key on to the on position (but dont try to crank the motor). you should hear it buzz (very faintly) for no more than 5 seconds and then cut off. If you hear it running for 10 to 30 seconds and then cut off, then your computer is going bad. This happened to me. And I would listen for the pump to cut off and then turn the key and it would fire up fine - turned out the computer was bad.

I did have bad coil packs that i replaced, it ran great for a few months, then started missing again - thought it was coil packs - put on a set known good spare coil packs i have, was not the problem. The tach started reading funny (like at idle was reading 2500 RPM and the engine was misfiring a bunch. Replaced the DIS and it ran great for 6 months. Then it started with the hard to start but eventually did - keeping my foot on the gas until it fired. Thats when i noticed the fuel pump running with key on no start for an extended period. found a nice computer in the junkyard - you could tell it was a new replacement one, plugged it in and been happy cruising since then. (I tried other things 1st, from thinking it was a clogged fuel filter (well it needed replacing), to a new fuel pressure regulator, and new fuel pump. None solved the problem until i replaced the computer. But I think your problem is either the DIS or the computer.

Hope this helps.

The ECU?
 


yep. Go to Autozone - they can check the DIS module and i think the computer too. I'd have them check the DIS 1st - they are known to go out - but then again the computer (or ECU) is too.


The ECU is located on passenger side footwell. remove the kick panel and it is behind that panel in front of the door. I think you need a 10 mm for the bolt that secured the harness and an 8 mm for the bolt that holds it in the bracket. fairly easy to get to once you get the kick panel off.
 
yep. Go to Autozone - they can check the DIS module and i think the computer too. I'd have them check the DIS 1st - they are known to go out - but then again the computer (or ECU) is too.


The ECU is located on passenger side footwell. remove the kick panel and it is behind that panel in front of the door. I think you need a 10 mm for the bolt that secured the harness and an 8 mm for the bolt that holds it in the bracket. fairly easy to get to once you get the kick panel off.

now it wanna die at idle but it doesnt like it pops..... My Computer is good. So its either coil pak or dis is this syptoms from that?
 
now it wanna die at idle but it doesnt like it pops..... My Computer is good. So its either coil pak or dis is this syptoms from that?



been thinking about this - if it runs fine off idle and just doesn't want to idle smooth - a good chance that the Idle Air Control Valve is stuck and needs replacing or cleaning. Sometimes you can pop it off and clean out the passages with carb cleaner or brake clean and put it back on and it fixes it - but eventually you will need a new one.
 
been thinking about this - if it runs fine off idle and just doesn't want to idle smooth - a good chance that the Idle Air Control Valve is stuck and needs replacing or cleaning. Sometimes you can pop it off and clean out the passages with carb cleaner or brake clean and put it back on and it fixes it - but eventually you will need a new one.

And then It took a while to crank today.... I had to hold my foot on the gas and it would chuggle and try to crank and finally it cranked took about 30 min.....
 
i vote for the DIS being bad. they do act fine sometimes then crap out other times




I just wont to make sure because I was going to get a brand new one..... I took it to get it tested vut they said they couldnt test it.....




But now when i accelerate going up a small hill it cutts off...... It took about 15 min or less to crank it up..... It almost acts like it doesnt have fuel but it does..... I finally got it crank though...... And the ECM is good.....