Coming back from Lexington on Sunday, it started misfiring badly and threw code P0303 (thank you ScanGauge) and I had to nurse it home. Tried switching coils to see if it followed and it did not. I have the extraction tool on the way and the plugs sitting in my garage. Right now I'm going to focus on plug #3 and hope to get it running well enough till it warms up a little. It's 18 degrees out now and don't have a place big enough to get it warm. Meanwhile my front left window regulator went out again and the window is taped up. Wish me luck.

 

Plug well cleaned out and it's soaking.

 

good luck! did mine at 70k. let them soak over night and still had 7 of 8 break on me.

 

I am going to let it soak until friday when I'm off work.

 

Did you crack it loose 1/4 turn and are you soaking with carb cleaner? If you don't crack it loose, the soak will do absolutely nothing.

 

Of course I cracked it loose. I think I may have read every spark plug thread around here trying to figure out the best way to go about it.

 

Easy there - just checking. No way to tell when this is all you said:

 

Personally - I think 1/4 is too much. Likley already broken at that point.

When I see 'crack' I think just enough to break the gas seal is plenty ( with a tapered plug seat it will not be much of a rotation at all ).

The carb cleaner will then capillary all by itself given enough time.

Good luck, OP. Hope it's the plug and not the injector.

MGD

 

No hostility there, it's all good. I was just in a hurry before work. I see your point though.

I simply broke the plug loose. It's still soaking.

I tried a new coil on it and the misfire was a little less frequent so hopefully it's the plug. It's due for plugs anyway. Even if it's not the plug, I'll still fix it. After a new exhaust manifold, two new window regulators and now this I still love this truck.

Could be a good thing I have a three day weekend.






MGD, could a misfire like symptom and a misfire trouble code actually be a faulty injector? I had codes p0303 and p0316.

 

Might try using a cordless impact gun, i took all eight out doing it that way and didn't break one, and mine had 103k on it.

 

I don't have access to a cordless impact but I do have a 3/8" impact to use with a relatively low psi. The lisle tool should be here tomorrow.

 

Plug is out!

Now I just need to roll the motor over a few times to get that carb cleaner out.





What I find odd is that the end of the plug looks different.

Edit:

I checked Oriley's site and that is the way both of the motorcraft plugs look.

It's all buttoned up and running smoothly. Just waiting on the ice to melt off before going on a test drive.

 

The new plug is the "improved" plug - less likely to stick (slightly smaller sleeve), and it's 1 heat range hotter.

 

No luck on fixing the misfire.

 

Have all the plugs not been changed previously? If not, change them all as they would be putting a strain on the COPs. You probably need to replace the boots, too. And use dielectric grease.