Hey folks, so on my way home from work today, I was at a stop light and out of nowhere my truck started running choppy. When I put it in neutral, it runs much better. When in gear and accelerating it shutters BAD! It's never done anything like this. I made it home, and started looking for vacuum leaks, but to no avail. It's raining now, so I'm kind of limited as to the taring into it that I can do. It's supposed to be really nice tomorrow, so I'll be able to tell you more then. I'll see if I can nurse it down to the schucks and pull codes in the morning. I know it needs new plugs and wires, but I don't think that's what's causing it, because it runs fine till in gear.

Have any of you guys heard of or had the same issue? Any opinions would be great. Thanks

-Chris

 

EDIT: This works only if you have individual coil over plugs.(cop's)

Yeah...you have a bad cop more than likely....go out and start the truck then unplug each coil one at a time and listen for a change in the way the engine runs...if you come to one and there is no change when you unplug it then that is your bad cop brotha....

 

4.6 has 2 coil packs, no COP.
If you know it needs plugs & wires bad, it prolly is your plugs & wires. Once you pull the code(s), you will know for sure. But if one or 2 let go finally, while in neutral it could run fairly sooth, then when you put a load on it, (placing it in gear), it will miss like a stubborn mule.
Fuel filter as well

 

True therefore the edit...anyway the 2 coils can go bad as well...they have to be tested with a ohm meter.Also the cps crank position sensor can cause similer conditions.

 

If the cps is bad it wont run at all, It will just die. at least thats what the powerstrokes do.

 

Thanks guys! I've talked to a few people that had pretty much the same thing happen, and it turned out to be a spark problem of some sort. I feel kind of relieved about that. Tomorrow FX-all-4-me is gona come over and give me a hand. Pull codes, and wrench on what ever it turns out to be. The odd part is, if it was missing wouldn't my dummy light (check engine) come on? Or any time a code is thrown?

 

Yup, the CEL sure would be on if spark plug dies, coil pack gone bad, or anything like that.
If your CEL is not on you cannot pull codes and the fun begins

Good luck

 

My 97 150 is doing something very similar but it is intermintent. I changed the plug wires this week (because they were under warranty) but not the plugs(platinum +4). It did something just like this back in the winter but seemed to "fix itself" somehow. When I checked it for codes back then I got a random misfire on one cylinder. I pulled that plug and it was covered in oil and I thought I was screwed. But now that I have had time to think it over, I think the oil was surrounding the plug and when I removed the plug the oil simply ran down and covered the plug. This old warrior has 275k+ miles on it and other than a fuel pump, starter and Alternator it has been a CHAMP!!!

Guess I didn't have any helpful information other than your may "fix itself" too!!

 

chris, didnt you say the dummy light doesnt even come on when you start your truck?

 

I have seen them start to go out and act that way...some just go out without warning. I keep forgetting that the old 4.6 dont have cop's like my new one does