2.3 Running Rough

[chazhead]

Hi all

 

My 98 2.3 has suddenly started running very rough on tick over and through the rev range, power is down as well.

 

Pulled off the coil pack cover (is that what it's called?) and the two low voltage wires that provide power (I guess + & -) to the left hand coil pack where very badly worn, all the insulation had broken away and the copper wires were actually touching in places. I have replaced these wires back to a good point in the loom.

 

Started the car up and it is exactly the same symptoms, now my question is as the LV wires to the coil pack were actually touching could this have blown the coilpack or somthing else?

 

Or any other ideas, please, as we are meant to be off visiting family tomorrow.

 

Thanks

[bigdaddy]

Sounds like a bad spark plug

[chazhead]

Hi

 

Checked all the plugs, all looked good with correct gap & colour, I know it don't mean that they are OK but they are only about 5000miles old.

[chazhead]

FYI - This is what the LV wires to the coil pack were like before I replaced them. (Not mine, but were exactly like this)

 

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/images/old%20loom%20011.jpg

[chazhead]

Bit more info.

 

Sounds and feels like it is running on 2 cyls only.

 

If I remove the HT leads from the plugs with leads on ( 1 or 3 ) there is no diff to the way the engine runs.

 

If I remove the LV connector to either coilpack the car spluters and dies.

 

Now would I be wrong to assume that this points to the HT leads breaking down, i.e the cyls with the coilpacks connected direct are firing but the leads are FU'd probably due to age and the foggy/damp weather.

 

Wadda ya reckon??

[Mauser]

Bit more info.

 

Sounds and feels like it is running on 2 cyls only.

 

If I remove the HT leads from the plugs with leads on ( 1 or 3 ) there is no diff to the way the engine runs.

 

If I remove the LV connector to either coilpack the car spluters and dies.

 

Now would I be wrong to assume that this points to the HT leads breaking down, i.e the cyls with the coilpacks connected direct are firing but the leads are FU'd probably due to age and the foggy/damp weather.

 

Wadda ya reckon??

Wouldn't have thought that 2 leads would have failed at the same time ?, would this maybe point to the electronic ignition unit ?. Not had much to do with these for many years but they used to have an amplifier unit & an air gap which used to be in the distributon cap ?. Sorry cannot be much help but maybe worth checking in there, I always find it's never the obvious thing like leads or plugs.....:(.

Happy Christmas to you all

Simon

[chazhead]

Right, changed leads no diff.

 

It is deffo cyls 1 & 3 with no spark, these are the ones that are run off the leads from the coilpacks. I have had it all apart and have swapped working plugs with non working plugs to dbl check and there are visable sparks at the plugs on 2 & 4 (when connected direct to the coilpack) but none on 1 or 3.

 

IMHO the likelyhood of both coilpacks failing at the same time is not that great....is it??

 

So what is it that sends the signal to the coilpacks that fires cyls 1 & 3.

 

Any ideas anyone?

[chazhead]

Right, it was both coilpacks that had failed, weird symptoms, but for future ref, they can fail both at the same time.

 

Paid