check engine light

[ir1680]

i have an 03 lincoln ls v8 w/ 80k miles
i've scanned the car with my otc scanner and i'm getting a code for ignition coil primary/secondary circuit error. or malfunction? cant remember. cylinders c,f,g,h. i can post the actual code numbers once i go check my scanner.

first off the valve cover gaskets were leaking. i've replaced the gaskets and spark plugs, and cleaned up all the oil. i clear the codes and the same ones come back. i tried replacing the last coil, which should be h. the code for that coil comes back on when i fire up the car????????? it runs ruff at idle and has a noticable miss. i checked the voltage at each coil and get 14.06volts with the car running.

i've been working on cars for over 10 years and i'm stuck. please help. guess i'm just an old school car guy. this is the first coil on cylinder car i've owned

 

[ir1680]

i've been reading some of the older post on here, it looks like coils are a pretty regular problem on these cars. i'm thinking i'll just replace all the coils and hope for the best. is there a better than oem coil out there or is motorcraft (the ones in my car screwing up right now) the best i can use?

 

[nickandersonLS01]

Read around, a few guys have posted about coils. What gaskets are you using to replace the bad ones? You have to get a certain kind, someone else posted that too, I'm sure quik_ls could help you out.

 

[Mr.USA2005]

I hate these freakin' engine coils man, as I've gotta take my ls in tomorrow morning for the third time for this problem. I've gotta get some answers as to why this happens so often or I'm gonna consider getting something else because this is becoming a headache.

 

[Quik LS]

well - there are two problems with the coils.

1) they can just go bad
2) the 2000-2002 have bad valve cover gaskets which allow oil to leak into the spark plug wells and short the coils out

when you remove the coil covers - if there is oil present in the spark plugs wells - then you have to do the gaskets as well.

the good news is that the gaskets where redesigned - and once you repair them - they seem to last.

when I did mine - I did the gaskets, coils and plug - no sense trying to skimp and then have to go back in for something I missed (IMHO)...

 

[02V8Sport]

ir1680 what is the production date of your 03?

Just curious as to why your 03 valve cover gaskets are bad, my impression was they fixed the issue on the newer motors, but they may still have used th 02 gaskets in the earlier production models of the 03. Thanks.

 

[beaups]

early 03's still had the crap grey gaskets...I know this beacause mine went bad on my 03 v8

 

[02V8Sport]

whats your production date beaups?