02 LSV8 New coils. Wont start unless switch coils around

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qwanomi

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Hi and thanks in advance for any useful advise. I've been going thru the forms and have yet to find any info on this cars current main issue.

Cylinders 1-4. Car had multiple CEL issues and now has news plugs and coils, car "runs" fine. Now after about 4-5 start ups it wont start unless I flip some coils. Doesn't matter which ones. Thought some oil might be in the plug area and the is a slight burnt oil smell in the cabin after the engine is warm and you come to a stop.

I decided to replaces the valve cover seals on the passenger side and now Im dealing with previous service (someones else ****ty work) stripped bolts holes and figuring out how to remove a snapped valve cover bolt. But this is a different frustration

As for the electrical issues with the coils I had the car at the Ford Dealership in SiouxFalls and they failed to find the correct issues along with a smaller local shop also failing (nice waste of time and money). So I went from having little to ZERO faith in professional shops to fix my car.

Any clues to why the no start with new coils?
 
What brand of coils did you get?
Did you verify that the gaps on all of the plugs were exactly 1.0mm?
Does it really run good when it does start? Did anyone check the condition of the chains and tensioners on bank 1?

When it does this, have you ever pretended to swap the coils, but not do it? Wait exactly as long as it takes you to swap the coils and then try to start it again. Have you tried clear flood mode? (Press the gas pedal all the way to the floor and try to start it.)
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/170798698815?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Same coils on both sides. Gaps on plugs are .045ish. No one has check any chains or anything on that yet. When its running its great. A side note on the coils is with the "old" coils, I flip those when the starting issue arose and the engine started up fine so I had to assume one or some coils had been faulty (the new ones we're already in the mail when the starting issue happen). Im 90% sure the starting issue will pop up again but for the time being I need to figure out how to remove the valve cover stripped bolt or make it drivable enough to take it to a shop and have them take the head off and heli-coil all of the valve cover holes :frown:
 
joegr said:
Did you verify that the gaps on all of the plugs were exactly 1.0mm?
Click to expand...

qwanomi said:
Gaps on plugs are .045ish.
Click to expand...

so for anybody wondering, 1.0mm does not equal .045". also the ish part sounds like nobody really know what they were gapped at, usually people don't throw out a ball park number and talk about thousandths of an inch at the same time...
 
1LoudLS said:
so for anybody wondering, 1.0mm does not equal .045". also the ish part sounds like nobody really know what they were gapped at, usually people don't throw out a ball park number and talk about thousandths of an inch at the same time...
Click to expand...

So for anybody wondering 1.0mm = .039 according to google
.045ish = .043 to .045inch which is about the same as the old ones

So to back up a little. Error codes p0320-0340. Shop 2 said cam sensor voltage was normal and I changed out the crank sensor. Codes still present till I put new coils packs in cylinders 5-8. Engine started and ran fine till a day later the engine would turn but no start, no CEL. Flipped #2-#4 coils and started up, ran fine. Day later no start again but new coils came in. Changed coils NOT plugs. Start and ran fine. Next day no start. Flipped #2-#3 and engine started and ran fine. I thought maybe there was oil in the spark plug area and I already bought a valve cover set. Maybe a drop of oil on #3 plug. New plugs came in. New plugs and coils and got a no start.
 
Hmm small fuel leak. Replace and/or is this a sign of something else? this thing.jpg

this thing.jpg
 
That's just an impulse damper.
In case it's not clear, 0.043 to 0.045" plug gap is well out of allowed spec. The bigger the gap, the higher the coil voltage. The higher the coli voltage, the more likely that some of it will "leak" to the primary side and burn out the FETs in your PCM.
 
About the computer, when I had the car at Ford, the service tech mention the pcm as one of the possible reason the car kept getting CELs. This was of coarse before the no start issue and before any changing of plugs/coils.

If the impulse damper is leaking fuel would there be a fuel block after?

Debating on trying the old coils again.
 
joegr said:
I'm not understanding the question. Damper leaking = replace damper.
Click to expand...

Thats about what I thought. Wasnt sure if that leaking meant there was pressure backed up by the engine somewhere (maybe an anti-theft thing idk).

Since the no start issue arose previously to installation of new coils/plugs Im finding it kinda hard to believe new "over gaped" plugs would fry the pcm. Could the no start issue come from something anti-theft?
 
qwanomi said:
Thats about what I thought. Wasnt sure if that leaking meant there was pressure backed up by the engine somewhere (maybe an anti-theft thing idk).

Since the no start issue arose previously to installation of new coils/plugs Im finding it kinda hard to believe new "over gaped" plugs would fry the pcm. Could the no start issue come from something anti-theft?
Click to expand...

PATS is the only anti-theft on it. It won't let the starter engage if it doesn't see a valid key, and will flash the PATS light rapidly. If the starter is engaging when you turn the key, then PATS is not your issue.
 
Ok good. Valve cover is back on. New coils and plugs in. No start. Switched #2-#3 back to old coils engine started up. Switch 2-3 back to new coils and the engine started up. (so basically I used two old coils to start the engine and then put all of the new ones back in). Wondering about the wire harness with the four coil connectors.
 
Thanks. Ive been skimming the forums for something like that. First coil I needed to change 30 seconds after purchasing the vehicle was #3 cylinder. Bought the $45 coil from advance auto, went home and installed. Drove the car for a year and put less then 20,000 miles on it with no issues. The first coil the shop takes out is number #3. Car is currently at 145k miles if that matters to anyone.

So its clear when the engine is running its great. According to digital read out its @24ish mpg highway and 20mpg average (i live in a small town and slow down thru stop signs).
 
*update* Never did figure out the issue with the faulty starting but after new coils/plugs its back to "normal" and the FI damper hasn't been leaking... Now its on to fixing other minor issues. Wanting trade it in for a subaru.
 
Who me? I've had OEM in mine shortly after I took possession on it, 8 more Visteons as backups on the shelf. +1
 
I'm real interested in how replacing coils caused the damper to stop leaking.

I woulds also probably want to trade if for a subaru...
 
BigRigLS said:
Ain't that something!
Click to expand...
This doesn't explain why new plug/coils would need to be switched around to start the engine. I can understand this with the oil coils being age which then leads one to purchase new plugs and coils but having the same issue with new hardware doesn't instill confidence. I now have a Flat head screwdriver and 7mm socket in the car at all times now. :Bang

Not really sure what to think about these cars being there is fair amount of post on this forum about coils and I see alot of LS's going for cheap on Craigslist, hard to argue with the resale value.

The damper was leaking pretty good then after the flip flop to start and 20 miles later no more dripping?!?! The only thing I can think of was some type of backed up fuel pressure (the driving of it not the coils to start).

As for the Subaru thing, I asked the shop who had my car and they said "we hardly see those in here". This was a busy ass mechanic shop. So im getting from that and the parts store I've visited that they (subaru's) are more reliable. But thanks everyone for the information in this situation
 
qwanomi said:
...The damper was leaking pretty good then after the flip flop to start and 20 miles later no more dripping?!?! The only thing I can think of was some type of backed up fuel pressure (the driving of it not the coils to start)....
Click to expand...

You need to give up this theory. That's just not how it works at all. You must have bumped or twisted the line to the damper a bit when you changed out the coils again.
 
Nope aint fixed. Trying the battery next. Theory is this cold is F'kin with the battery and while trying to start the engine, it (battery) dies out after 4-5 tries. I completely overlooked the weather aspect of these issues and a battery that my need to be replaced:drunk:
 
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