Skipping since tune up today

AlanEdwards

Registered User
I did the deed finally. It was my 1st time replacing the spark plugs on an SC. 3 hrs, so not too bad. My problem is that when I pulled one of the wire boots off of a plug, the wire came loose from the, uhh, metal thingy, that attaches to the plug itself. I pulled the boot off the wire, greased up the wire, and pushed the wire back through the boot. I then cut the wire back a bit and reinserted the plug wire in the, uhh, metal thingy, with the "wire" itself folding back around the rubber insulator, between it and the, sigh, metal thingy (anyone know the freakin' name of it?) and then squeezed it to secure the wire. I then pulled the wire back inside the boot, where it should be. Well, afterwards I test drove it of coarse, and found that I have a skip at some speeds. I think it's one of 2 things. The "jerry" rigging I'm talking about above, or maybe I didn't secure one of the wires on a plug like I should have. I've got Motorcraft wires. Can anyone tell me if what I'm describing here is acceptable with the OEM wires?
 
Plug wires

You repaired the plug wire the same way one would have to assemble a custom set of plug wires, so that shouldn't be the problem (unless you got some grease in there?) Most likely you didn't get a plug wire pushed on all the way, or where it connects to the plug is spread too wide. Use a plug wire puller (it grabs the boot), and pull off the plug ends and tighten them up a bit. Also, my book say to use some non-conducting electrical grease where the boot goes over the glass part of the plug (don't get it where you need to make a good contact!) And, also some of this stuff where the other end of the plug wire connects to the coil pack. I've read here on the forum that cracking a plug is common due to the tight angles when wrenching. Shouldn't cause a slight stumble at idle though. You would notice it at higher RPMS, I would think. The book also calls for double platinum plugs, which I think that is what you installed, so you're good there too. There is a possibility that when you pulled on the plug wire itself, that you broke the inner core elsewhere in the wire. You should ohm out all the wire to see if they are still within mfg. specs for your set of wires. If they are stock wires, then it should tell you in your book what it should be.
 
Back
Top