Question for you car type people

[C(Sea)Bass]

I drive a 2001 F-150 (5.4 V8) with about 143,000 miles on it. Sometime early in January I went out start it to go to work. I noticed it was vibrating really bad as soon as it started. We had it towed tot the mechanic and he said a cylinder was misfiring due to a broken ignition coil. So they replaced the ignition coil, problem solved.... for 2 weeks. Same thing happened again, replaced another coil. 3 days later same thing happens again, so they replace all the ignition coils. Problem solved... until last night, coming home from work, the thing starts vibrating again. I'm taking it back the the mechanic today, I have a feeling its the same thing that happened before. The guy is a friend of the family we have been going to for 30 years so I doubt he is messing with us. Anyone heard of this before? or know what the heck is going on?

And I am fully prepared for all the "ford's suck" jokes about to come my way.

[Coog03]

My brother has gone through 6 coils in his and i think it's a 2001. The rest of the family drives chevy's.

[Cougar68]

I assume that plugs and wires have been swapped out as well?  Friend of mine has the same truck and 150,000 trouble free miles so far.

[Treize69]

If you can afford it, swap them all out.

I drive a Ford, but I'll be the first to say how badly they're made- mines got 70,000 miles and the entire suspension (shocks, struts, and springs all around) just had to be replaced, as well as one of the sway-bar arms (left front) and a ball join (right front). Even with most of the parts previously purchased, my bill came to almost $500 for parts and labor.

[C(Sea)Bass]

If you can afford it, swap them all out.

I drive a Ford, but I'll be the first to say how badly they're made- mines got 70,000 miles and the entire suspension (shocks, struts, and springs all around) just had to be replaced, as well as one of the sway-bar arms (left front) and a ball join (right front). Even with most of the parts previously purchased, my bill came to almost $500 for parts and labor.

All 8 of them got replaced last month.

[Treize69]

Hmm...

Something else related causing the vibration but not getting picked up? Maybe something with the ignition or wiring?

[CAP1]

I drive a 2001 F-150 (5.4 V8) with about 143,000 miles on it. Sometime early in January I went out start it to go to work. I noticed it was vibrating really bad as soon as it started. We had it towed tot the mechanic and he said a cylinder was misfiring due to a broken ignition coil. So they replaced the ignition coil, problem solved.... for 2 weeks. Same thing happened again, replaced another coil. 3 days later same thing happens again, so they replace all the ignition coils. Problem solved... until last night, coming home from work, the thing starts vibrating again. I'm taking it back the the mechanic today, I have a feeling its the same thing that happened before. The guy is a friend of the family we have been going to for 30 years so I doubt he is messing with us. Anyone heard of this before? or know what the heck is going on?

And I am fully prepared for all the "ford's suck" jokes about to come my way.

was it the same coil every time? and which one? the 5.4's are notorious for blowing spark plugs out of their holes. you may have one going bad like that.

[C(Sea)Bass]

was it the same coil every time? and which one? the 5.4's are notorious for blowing spark plugs out of their holes. you may have one going bad like that.

It was different coils each time.

[trukjr]

Some trucks with the 5.4 and expeditions were bad for having water run off the wiper cowl and onto the engine causing coil problems.

[CAP1]

It was different coils each time.

OK..then you probably want to replace the rest...........they tend to go bad. I HAD A 5.4 VAN, that i had to replace all 8 of them. back then they were somewhaere around $150 each or something like that....they've come down a bit since then though.

[eagl]

I'd look for another electrical problem.  Bad grounding wire might arc and kill the coils, bad voltage regulator might do the same, even a bad computer with a short might be killing them.  If it's intermittant, you'll need to check all the wiring and connectors under the hood.

A trick - run the car at night when it's really dark, and look for little blue sparks or arcing under the hood.  Have someone rev the engine while you look for little blue glowing spots.  Remember it takes 30 minutes in total darkness for your eyes to fully adjust...

[Spikes]

I drive a 2001 F-150 (5.4 V8) with about 143,000 miles on it. Sometime early in January I went out start it to go to work. I noticed it was vibrating really bad as soon as it started. We had it towed tot the mechanic and he said a cylinder was misfiring due to a broken ignition coil. So they replaced the ignition coil, problem solved.... for 2 weeks. Same thing happened again, replaced another coil. 3 days later same thing happens again, so they replace all the ignition coils. Problem solved... until last night, coming home from work, the thing starts vibrating again. I'm taking it back the the mechanic today, I have a feeling its the same thing that happened before. The guy is a friend of the family we have been going to for 30 years so I doubt he is messing with us. Anyone heard of this before? or know what the heck is going on?

And I am fully prepared for all the "ford's suck" jokes about to come my way.

Get a Chevy.

[CAP1]

I'd look for another electrical problem.  Bad grounding wire might arc and kill the coils, bad voltage regulator might do the same, even a bad computer with a short might be killing them.  If it's intermittant, you'll need to check all the wiring and connectors under the hood.

A trick - run the car at night when it's really dark, and look for little blue sparks or arcing under the hood.  Have someone rev the engine while you look for little blue glowing spots.  Remember it takes 30 minutes in total darkness for your eyes to fully adjust...

he won't see anything. this is a COP.....coil on plug setup. the plugs are in wells that are about 2 inches deep. the boot(which is part of the coilpack) is down in that well, with 2 bolts holding it down, and then a 2 wire connector.

 these types of coil packs have been historically bad problems for ford. it only takes a very very tiny nick in the boot, and it'll arc. the voltage output is that high.

 if he wants to check them himself, he can pull them one at a time, and look very closely at them. there'll be a light white almost transparent powdery look around where the voltage is leaking.

 other than that, the only other option is to replace the rest of them.

it is very rare for a ford computer to cause this/

[stroker71]

I have a 99 F-150 with about 150k on it and had to replace one coil-pack so far.  Been a great truck....coil-pack and EGR sencor have been the only things I have had to replace.  

I would have him look deeper into the ignition system.  Plugs, wires..ect.  Does it do it when it's damp/raining out only or all the time?  

[CAP1]

I have a 99 F-150 with about 150k on it and had to replace one coil-pack so far.  Been a great truck....coil-pack and EGR sencor have been the only things I have had to replace.  

I would have him look deeper into the ignition system.  Plugs, wires..ect.  Does it do it when it's damp/raining out only or all the time?  

there are no wires. C.O.P. system.

the ECM is the ignition system. it's an EEC5 setup.


and ya.....the DPFE sensors go bad on almost all fords all the time too


just for the record, i still like fords better. 

another thing to look for is oil or antifreeze in the spark plug wells. this'll trash a coil pack fast