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1997 Ford F-150 Repair Question


Topics covered: Engine, Catalytic converter, Mechanic.
Mileage: No information provided.

Asked on April 9, 2006

1997 F-150 4.6 liter missing and service engine light on

Truck has had three sets of plug wires and plugs (best wires the ford place had and the best platinum plugs), new fuel filter and one new coil pack installed in the past year. Each time the service engine light would go off and stay off a few days before coming back on. After the light comes on the truck starts to miss at idle and while in overdrive and the truck is under a load such as pulling a hill at cruising speed. if truck is run for a couple of weeks the miss gets worse(runs like it is hitting on four cylinders instead of eight) and mechanics report that the plug wires and plugs are bad and need to be replaced. This has happened three times so this leads me to believe that the plug and wires are not the problem. Computer says that the code indicated the plug wires and plugs but a lot of money and time seems to disprove the diagnostics. Seems like the truck is firing way to hot or something and burning up the plug wires! Any ideas?
Avatar Asked by JTM80

Answer

Replied on April 10, 2006

The actual codes will help the search for an answer. Many chain autoparts houses will do this for free. A code scanner will soon be the first tool in the old tool box so might be a good investment. http://www.eautoelectronics.com/

Post back with codes. :)

Tiny Answered by peppermrj
19 questions asked
Replied on April 11, 2006

have not been able to get the exact codes but mechanic says that the codes point to the plug wires or plugs but something is messing up the plug wires each time they are changed.

Tiny Response from JTM80
1 question asked
Replied on April 11, 2006

after putting on new plug wires this weekend the service engine light was turned off and the truck ran great for a day and half then the service engine light came back on. Took it back to the shop and the machine said that the truck had a bad catalytic converter on bank one. Does this make sense? the truck ran good for a few miles then it starts missing and this is becasue of the catalytic converter? Could this cause the plug wires the have trouble on the three sets that i pt on it in the past few months? HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

Tiny Response from JTM80
1 question asked

Replied on April 11, 2006

Don't know about causing the plug wires to fail but as backpressure builds performance deteriorates.

Tiny Answered by peppermrj
19 questions asked