Need help with spark plug issue on my 99
08-25-2018, 09:46 PM
#1
Need help with spark plug issue on my 99
I bought a 99 XLT with the 5.4 V8 for $1800 just to haul stuff in. The clock is at 187k miles and all things considered it is not a bad truck for the money. The service engine soon light has been on in the 50 days I have had it so I finally connecetd a reader and found misfire codes for cyl 4 and 6. I got in there today and when looking to replace all of the plugs I found that someone has screwed in a bolt in both #4 and #6; there was no spark plug at all. My guess is both these plugs belw out at some point and rather than fix the problem right they just forced the bolts in to keep the compression from leaking out and making noise.
Can this be repaired by a shop wihout pulling the head or engine? If so what is a reasonable price to pay to have them drill, drop in an insert, and button it up/?
Right now I left the coils for #4 and #6 uninstalled and the truck drives the same as before but the a/c is not working. Is this because the PCM is not alloing more engine load when it “knows” something is majorly wrong with 2 coils abset? I am kin dof freaking out over the a/c being out.
I have 3 options:
1. Get the a/c working and use it as is running on 6 cylinders.
2. HIre a shop to fix the plugs
3. Junkyard engine install
Option 3 is remote unless I find some remarkable deal.
I woul really like info on the a/c being disabled due to missing coils. I’m thinking if this is the problem I will just hook up the coils on the dead cylinders and unplug the fuel injectors to keep raw fuel from getting into the exhaust and hurting the cat. Will unplugged injectors disable the a/c?
Pleas post on the a/c issue only if you know for sure the ECM looks to see if the engine is able to handle additional load by looking to first see if all coils are present.
Can this be repaired by a shop wihout pulling the head or engine? If so what is a reasonable price to pay to have them drill, drop in an insert, and button it up/?
Right now I left the coils for #4 and #6 uninstalled and the truck drives the same as before but the a/c is not working. Is this because the PCM is not alloing more engine load when it “knows” something is majorly wrong with 2 coils abset? I am kin dof freaking out over the a/c being out.
I have 3 options:
1. Get the a/c working and use it as is running on 6 cylinders.
2. HIre a shop to fix the plugs
3. Junkyard engine install
Option 3 is remote unless I find some remarkable deal.
I woul really like info on the a/c being disabled due to missing coils. I’m thinking if this is the problem I will just hook up the coils on the dead cylinders and unplug the fuel injectors to keep raw fuel from getting into the exhaust and hurting the cat. Will unplugged injectors disable the a/c?
Pleas post on the a/c issue only if you know for sure the ECM looks to see if the engine is able to handle additional load by looking to first see if all coils are present.
08-25-2018, 10:53 PM
#2
Senior Member
No more calls please.... we have a winner. That is the most redneck, half-assed thing I've ever heard of.
Serious though..... did the bolts come in contact with the pistons? And probably even more importantly, did this wizard unplug the fuel injectors at least? If not, I am betting you've got a lot more going on than you realize.
Serious though..... did the bolts come in contact with the pistons? And probably even more importantly, did this wizard unplug the fuel injectors at least? If not, I am betting you've got a lot more going on than you realize.
08-26-2018, 01:40 AM
#3
You got hosed.
Dont know what's wrong with the AC
but AC repair can easily run $1, 500 if you had a compressor failure and everything needs to be completely replaced.
Off the top of my head I'd say you paid about three times what that truck was worth with those issues.
that's probably not the end of the Hidden issues would be my guess.
If injectors wasn't unplug than your cats are melted also.
Are you sure the plugs aren't just broken off? And that it's actually bolts installed?
AC might be simple, or $$$. But it's a seller can't demonstrate that it's a simple problem than you always assume the worst as far as pricing goes. Because some people are wrong, stupid or liars.
But no the computer is not keeping your AC from turning on on your 99.
Dont know what's wrong with the AC
but AC repair can easily run $1, 500 if you had a compressor failure and everything needs to be completely replaced.
Off the top of my head I'd say you paid about three times what that truck was worth with those issues.
that's probably not the end of the Hidden issues would be my guess.
If injectors wasn't unplug than your cats are melted also.
Are you sure the plugs aren't just broken off? And that it's actually bolts installed?
AC might be simple, or $$$. But it's a seller can't demonstrate that it's a simple problem than you always assume the worst as far as pricing goes. Because some people are wrong, stupid or liars.
But no the computer is not keeping your AC from turning on on your 99.
Last edited by mbb; 08-26-2018 at 01:58 AM.
08-26-2018, 01:44 AM
#4
Senior Member
08-26-2018, 12:20 PM
#5
I disagree on the price.
In south Texas full sized trucks with a V8 run around $3K+ beaten to death, no a/c, and failed emissions. I turn key needs nothing 10th gen V8 is more like $5K. I really wanted a compact truck like a Tacoma but those are even more. Tacos with 300k miles and collision damage are north of 4 grand.
This F150 is a 12 month truck for me. If I sell it to the junkyard for scrap $300 I am satisfied spending $125 a month for a hauler. A/C was ice cold until yesterday when I did the plugs. I most likely loosened a plug or connector under the hood but needed to rule out the PCM first.
In south Texas full sized trucks with a V8 run around $3K+ beaten to death, no a/c, and failed emissions. I turn key needs nothing 10th gen V8 is more like $5K. I really wanted a compact truck like a Tacoma but those are even more. Tacos with 300k miles and collision damage are north of 4 grand.
This F150 is a 12 month truck for me. If I sell it to the junkyard for scrap $300 I am satisfied spending $125 a month for a hauler. A/C was ice cold until yesterday when I did the plugs. I most likely loosened a plug or connector under the hood but needed to rule out the PCM first.
08-26-2018, 02:31 PM
#6
Senior Member
You seem more worried about the A/C than the spark plug issue, which is what I thought the title of this thread was about.
Just be sure you're not dumping raw fuel into inactive cylinders. If this has been going on for a while, the A/C is the last thing you should be worried about. But simple things to check for the A/C would be the high and low switches. Did you remove or disturb either of those connectors?
Just be sure you're not dumping raw fuel into inactive cylinders. If this has been going on for a while, the A/C is the last thing you should be worried about. But simple things to check for the A/C would be the high and low switches. Did you remove or disturb either of those connectors?
08-26-2018, 04:04 PM
#7
Senior Member
That truck should have run like **** with two dead cylinders. I don't see how you didn't notice that before you bought it. Personally I wouldn't give $500 for it. Hell, it could have to have a head put on it.
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08-26-2018, 05:31 PM
#8
Senior Member
Post a picture. We need to see those bolts.
Look for loose wires in the area that you were working. Your AC uses a compressor with wires to actuate the clutch. Sounds like a loose wire. OR the engine control system went in to fail-safe mode because of your misfire problem.
Don't worry about the people saying you got ripped off. It's your money.
If you can get the bolts out there's always hope for a thread insert. There are many ways to do a thread insert. You can do them without removing the head at all, or you can take the engine out and do them as part of a complete engine and transmission overhaul, along with a new paint job, and sound system "while you're at it". You'll hear the whole range of opinions about that.
Still...we need to see a picture of those bolts in the head.
Look for loose wires in the area that you were working. Your AC uses a compressor with wires to actuate the clutch. Sounds like a loose wire. OR the engine control system went in to fail-safe mode because of your misfire problem.
Don't worry about the people saying you got ripped off. It's your money.
If you can get the bolts out there's always hope for a thread insert. There are many ways to do a thread insert. You can do them without removing the head at all, or you can take the engine out and do them as part of a complete engine and transmission overhaul, along with a new paint job, and sound system "while you're at it". You'll hear the whole range of opinions about that.
Still...we need to see a picture of those bolts in the head.
08-26-2018, 06:16 PM
#10
Senior Member
Originally Posted by 97XLT4x4longbed
Can we please see the bolts and the bottom of the bolt too - I wonder if they had the presence of mind to measure out the bottom so it didn’t need ping the piston?
X3 on post up pics