Rough run at idle and sometimes stumbles on acceleration

Tiny
DICK JOHNSON2
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 FORD TAURUS
  • 3.0L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 65,557 MILES
I was a mechanic for over forty years, now retired and seventy five I do not know much about these newer cars.
This car has a rough idle and sometimes stumbles on acceleration, once popped back through intake and almost stalled.
What I have done so far is I found the battery ground cable was not connected to the engine and must not have been since new as there has never been any work done on this car until now. I connected the cable, the only ground has been the smaller wire going to the inner fender panel and it was loose, I wonder how the car ever started or ran like this.

I replaced the plugs and wires, the egr valve and egr tube, the pcv valve and elbow, intake plenum oring seals, fuel filter and used seafoam in the tank with premium fuel. The car runs worse now than before even after all this done.

I bought the FIXD module and it gave me two codes when the check engine light was on P0303 number three misfire misfire and code P0316 misfire detected first 1000 revolutions on startup. This was before I found the ground wire off so I connected the ground wire and cleared the codes and so far no new codes or CEL.

Could that ground wire being off done damage to any part of the electrical system?

Thanks for your help.
Thursday, July 19th, 2018 AT 12:21 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
DICK JOHNSON2
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Where battery ground cable was not connected and the cable end was taped back into the wire harness so it made it very hard to find. And I posted the wrong mileage, it should be 95,557, sorry.
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Thursday, July 19th, 2018 AT 12:31 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good afternoon.

The 316 code usually indicates a bad ignition coil.

The 303 is miss fire on number three wire.

The first thing I would do is to perform a compression test. See if they are all the same.

Roy

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-engine-compression

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-backfires-while-running
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Thursday, July 19th, 2018 AT 12:57 PM
Tiny
DICK JOHNSON2
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Thank you and it may be awhile before I can do this as I am having surgery and will be down for a while.
I will try to install a new coil before my surgery just to make sure that is new.
I hope to keep the car running for my wife and not have to be concerned about it.
Did you note my correction in the mileage?
Thanks for your help.

Dick
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Thursday, July 19th, 2018 AT 1:31 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Yep, got it.

Take your time. We will be here for any other follow up questions.

Take care of yourself.

Roy
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Thursday, July 19th, 2018 AT 1:33 PM

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