F150 5.4L Triton Coil on Plug (COP) Woes

[Grandpadave52]

(or don't try this at home kids)...

 

Bit of a back story. 3+ weeks ago during a return trip from the vet, maybe 10 miles from home, my '04 F150, 5.4L, ~176k miles threw a hissy fit and began to miss thus setting the CEL. Based on previous similar occurrences, I suspected (hoped) a plug coil had failed. So, I switched-off AOD and limped home. Grabbed my scanner, read the code; sure enough P0301 Misfire (=#1 cylinder misfire). Two (well 3 actually) ways to validate by a shade tree, w/o leaves, mechanic; swap the coil with known good cylinder, see if miss stays or moves, scavenge through my hoarded 'er used inventory for a known good coil and try that or get a new one at ~$55 and hope it works. I went with option 2. Problem solved for now.

 

Page 2 of the back story. I had replaced all coils on this truck over time. The 1st failed, February 26th, 2017 on the way home from church. I remember that because my mother passed the next morning. Weather was nasty, too much to do, so I rented a car for a week. Finally replaced it several days later. That was cylinder #5. The next failed in May of the same year. That was cylinder #1. A few weeks later the truck threw a real hissy fit. Wasn't coil(s) this time. Cracked intake manifold (plastic) plus the electronic throttle positioner thingy (technical term). Since the shop who was doing the work was going to have a lot of access to cylinder #4 & #8 with the manifold off, I bought two coils and had them install for just in case. So now, 4 of 8 had been replaced.

 

Paranoia set in a couple years later, so I replaced the remaining 4 coils. I use a yellow paint stick marker putting date/ plus mileage so I knew exact mileage/date of replacements. All the replacement coils came from Advance Auto mainly because of my discount there. Their "brand" but only carried a 1 year warranty). All has been good until 3 weeks ago. Stopped at Advance Auto. Coils have gone up a bit. For same as before about $95 for two; ~$110 for their "brand" but w/ limited lifetime warranty before discount applied. Ouch...well it's running OK now, so decided to order (4) replacements from Rock Auto. Four Bosch, limited lifetime warranty with shipping to my mailbox, cheaper than 2 from Advance even with the discount.

 

Why four you ask? (1) known bad; #5 cylinder was older than #1 cylinder so replace it too. Might as well replace cylinder #4 & #8. Not much newer than the other two. Shouldn't take more than an hour or so start to finish including getting all tools out, put back etc.

 

Cylinder #1 & #5 easy peasy; front cylinders on each bank, not much in the way. Took longer to get all my tools, work platform, etc. than those two. Now cylinder #4. All the way in the back, right bank. Gonna' have to be another day. My bi-focals wouldn't focus back there plus looks like the P(E)CM has to come off to access for my fat hands. OK, #8 shouldn't be too bad. And that's where the  started.

 

Removed a couple of items for easier access. Finally found the right combo of extensions, 8mm socket and ratchet. Removed the bolt...magnet to prevent dropping into the abyss; next, Grab the coil, twist as much as I can, try to pull it out...ain't coming....twist a bit more more, give it a big yank. coil comes out but not the boot plus some DNA remains. OK, calm down this has happened before. Go get a pair of duck bill pliers, finagle those in, get a grip on the boot like always before...not this time bucko...1st piece tears off; more DNA deposited; try again, next piece shreds off Try needle nose pliers; more rips off; running out of DNA. Look up a You-tube solution.; found a great tip that might have worked before I had ripped most of the top of the boot away a piece at a time so...

 

Next experiment, try getting a socket over the remaining portion of the boot, not break the spark plug (they do that on their own on this engine series) and get ALL of the remaining boot out. Several attempts/sockets no luck. What do I have or can I make to remove it? Dug around tried a few different approaches. Then I spied the possible solution. After a couple of modifications, and 3-1/2 hours overall, tah-dah it's out and appears to be intact. If you've read this saga to this point, below are a few pics to support the misery.

 

So here's where we're working. #8 Cylinder. Looks like a lot more room that it actually is. All the "oil spots" are really WD40 over-spray and first pass of Electrical contact Cleaner sprayed into plug well to clean WD40 then blowing out the plug well. More on the "special extraction tool" following. You can see the remaining portion of the boot (gray) in the top.

 

Extraction tool is 3/4' rigid copper. Lessl chance for damage to the plug well with non-ferrous material Iteration #1 was just the dimples.

Iteration #2 was addition of more dimples plus making the first deeper. Final iteration was to cut 2 slots about 180* apart, then turn edges in to

grip (or slice, whatever) the boot.

  

 

Left picture shows what was left of the boot once removed. Right picture shows all the other pieces of the boot next to what the boot SHOULD

look like. Also coil w/o boot on the left as well as what the assembly should look like. Small tube is dialectric grease to use on the boot to help release.

   

 

Bosch coils have the grease pre-applied on the inside of the boot. The Advance Auto, did not. I suspect the repair shop I used failed to apply any

before installing the coils I furnished. That's a BIG NO-NO!

 

Last shot. Tightening the hold-down bolt. My right hand still has a bruise

and nicks from this job. Took 2 days for my back, legs & knees to get

over it too. I have one of those drywall, fold--out work platforms so I can

be tall enough to hang over the fender. BTW, once the plug well was clean

& dry, I was able to get a small mirror positioned and with directing a

light into the bore, verified no debris remained.

 

[Headhunter]

FIX or REPAIR DAILY!

 

Nuff said.

[Grandpadave52]

31 minutes ago, Headhunter said:

FIX or REPAIR DAILY!

 

Nuff said.

I've only owned one non First On Race Day truck in my life beginning with the 1954 I bought back in 1972. No current or future plans to deviate from that pattern in this lifetime..

[lew]

If and when I ever get the Maverick I ordered, it will make FOMOCO vehicle #6. None of them ever left me stranded 

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

As I recall, Dave, you and I are about the same height. I have that same problem (and solution) leaning over into the engine room on my truck (also an F150). But at least you got it licked (seemingly). But as hard as that access was, it's easier than trying to get to the driver side back plug on the Dodge 5.7 Hemi engine. The genius engineers put the master cylinder right above it, and the plug is abut 6" down in the hole. You need a trained ferret to get in there and replace it. Plus, one the one I had...they spec'd plug replacement every 35K miles.....who does that anymore?

[Gene Howe]

We've had our share of GM and Chrysler  products. But, we've  always had at least one Ford as a back up. Often needed,  too.

[Larry Buskirk]

12 hours ago, Headhunter said:

FIX or REPAIR DAILY!

 

Nuff said.

Flip Over Read Directions

11 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

I've only owned one non First On Race Day truck in my life beginning with the 1954 I bought back in 1972. No current or future plans to deviate from that pattern in this lifetime..

I always heard it as First Out Race Day. 

1 hour ago, Gene Howe said:

We've had our share of GM and Chrysler  products. But, we've  always had at least one Ford as a back up. Often needed,  too.

Yep, the Dodge is waiting for me to get around to replacing that leaking steering box now. Not happening in the .

[Cal]

I feel for you there Dave.  With about 176,000 miles on it - when do you expect to look for the replacement?

Maybe one of those new Lightnings?

[Grandpadave52]

3 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

But as hard as that access was, it's easier than trying to get to the driver side back plug on the Dodge 5.7 Hemi engine.

About the same on a Durango with the 5.7 Hemi too. Two foot between front of engine to front of vehicle, and the stuff the engine back into an alcove pounded out of the firewall. Not looking forward to helping daughter's fiancee change plugs on his 5.7 hemi in his Dodge Charger. 16 plugs.

[HandyDan]

To me the name on a vehicle is all it is, a name.  I have owned many of them and they all have problems.  I favored GM but currently driving a Jeep Wrangler.  Jeeps are just fun to drive. 

[Grandpadave52]

1 hour ago, Cal said:

I feel for you there Dave.  With about 176,000 miles on it - when do you expect to look for the replacement?

Maybe one of those new Lightnings?

IDK Cal. Not soon with current market. Should have replaced it a couple years ago during height of pandemic. However with both girls in college, it gets driven very little now. I've already replaced most common problems; cam phasers/timing gears+chains; intake manifold, transmission; it has near new dual exhaust system, shocks, front springs/struts, f&r brakes/rotors; newer tires; worse thing now is typical Indiana salt induced body cancer. Some weeks it sits all week until Sunday.

[HARO50]

4 hours ago, HandyDan said:

To me the name on a vehicle is all it is, a name. 

A local farmer mentioned that he had to replace his vehicle soon. His friend asked what he was planning to get. His reply? "A green one. I've had good luck with the green ones!"

[Gene Howe]

5 minutes ago, HARO50 said:

A local farmer mentioned that he had to replace his vehicle soon. His friend asked what he was planning to get. His reply? "A green one. I've had good luck with the green ones!"

Not an International fan, I guess. 

[HandyDan]

My old neighbor worked at the GM plant but preferred the International Scouts.  His father-in-law was a big wig for International so he may have gotten a good deal on them but never said so.

[Larry Buskirk]

IDK have close to 275K miles on the 06 Honda Pilot and it runs, and runs, and runs....

Don't want a new vehicle, just more electronics to deal with.

Would have to take out another mortgage for a new one. 

Heck helped the neighbor wire up an AM/FM/CD/Cassette Player Radio for his 2000 Express Van yesterday, we're just finally getting caught up to 20-year-old technology. Don't want to rush into anything.