V-6 skiping

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Pete 2004 LS V-6

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My 2004 LS V-6 will skip at times when under any load. This car has 41,000 miles on it. We just don't drive much. It will set two or three months without being run. We took a 400 mile trip this weekend and as I was going over it for the trip (had not been run in three months) I found a squirrel nest on the intake, no damage at all, cleaned it up and good to go. Car was in the carport covered. I have been going under the assumption that the ****ty ethanol gas was causing moisture in the tank (I live on a large lake) and that was my skip, it was not giving a code. This has been going on for a while, but this weekend it finally set a code, can't remember the numbers, gave my printout to my mechanic. They were excessive skip cylinder #2 and one was something about (I think, sorry) the ECM not communicating with the transmission and another about some communication problem. Anyway the guy that will work on it if need be said he would have to check the vin #, he said that he had a 3.0 V-6 in last week that had a bad coil, the bad coil (he said it would be swollen) would damage the ECM, he said there was a service bulletin out on the problem. He said that he would have to change all the coils and the ECM and plugs, I would think the plugs would be well while I'm here we should change them, not a problem for me!! Does anyone know anything about this? Thanks in advance for any info.
 
Just read the first few threads on the main LS page. Coil failure (or becoming marginal) is very very common. Yes, it will damage the PCM, and your catalytic converters. Change all the coils (must use Motorcraft) and all the spark plugs. I've never seen a coil swell up on the LS. You will not be able to tell a failed coil by appearance or by simple electrical tests. The stress testing required is more expensive than the coils. Just replace them all, along with the plugs.
 
joegr said:
Just read the first few threads on the main LS page. Coil failure (or becoming marginal) is very very common. Yes, it will damage the PCM, and your catalytic converters. Change all the coils (must use Motorcraft) and all the spark plugs. I've never seen a coil swell up on the LS. You will not be able to tell a failed coil by appearance or by simple electrical tests. The stress testing required is more expensive than the coils. Just replace them all, along with the plugs.
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What do the coils cost?
 
joegr said:
Usually around $50 each, so $300. However, it looks like you can still get Visteon coils for the V6. (They stopped making them, but some places still have stock.) Visteon seems to be as good as Motorcraft (they used to make them for Ford). Amazon has a set of six for $125. I'd jump on it.

http://www.amazon.com/Visteon-60-10...438109714&sr=8-3&keywords=lincoln+ls+v6+coils
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I don't know anything about them but are you saying you would not have a problem using them on your car? Thanks for the tip.
 
joegr said:
Usually around $50 each, so $300. However, it looks like you can still get Visteon coils for the V6. (They stopped making them, but some places still have stock.) Visteon seems to be as good as Motorcraft (they used to make them for Ford). Amazon has a set of six for $125. I'd jump on it.

http://www.amazon.com/Visteon-60-10...438109714&sr=8-3&keywords=lincoln+ls+v6+coils
Click to expand...

So they made the ones that are failing... is that a good thing? Just thinking, thanks for the info.
 
If you're concerned about using the existing brand, Delphi makes quality parts. I've also had great success with BWD in the past, although I've not used BWD on my LS.
 
Telco said:
If you're concerned about using the existing brand, Delphi makes quality parts. I've also had great success with BWD in the past, although I've not used BWD on my LS.
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I think I read here to use only Motorcraft but he was talking about the people that made the Motorcraft for Ford.
 
Pete 2004 LS V-6 said:
I think I read here to use only Motorcraft but he was talking about the people that made the Motorcraft for Ford.
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You did. However, the Motorcraft COPs are not always available for purchase. Delphi is primarily a General Motors OEM supplier although they make parts for all makes. Since Delphi is an OEM provider they make OEM quality so I wouldn't think anything of using them if Motorcraft are not available. Or, if as you say you're concerned about using the brand that came in the car and has a high failure rate. On BWD, as I said I don't know how they'd do on the LS but I've used them in the past for coils and they worked well.
 
Telco said:
You did. However, the Motorcraft COPs are not always available for purchase. Delphi is primarily a General Motors OEM supplier although they make parts for all makes. Since Delphi is an OEM provider they make OEM quality so I wouldn't think anything of using them if Motorcraft are not available. Or, if as you say you're concerned about using the brand that came in the car and has a high failure rate. On BWD, as I said I don't know how they'd do on the LS but I've used them in the past for coils and they worked well.
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I have not been here in a long time but it seems like parts are getting more difficult to get, is this true? I only have 41,000 miles on this thing and it is worth next to nothing so I would like to drive it for a lot longer but damn if you can't get parts. I have never run into this with a car before.
 
Pete 2004 LS V-6 said:
I have not been here in a long time but it seems like parts are getting more difficult to get, is this true? I only have 41,000 miles on this thing and it is worth next to nothing so I would like to drive it for a lot longer but damn if you can't get parts. I have never run into this with a car before.
Click to expand...

yes... its an old car that has been discontinued for a long time and very few were made to begin with... that means that some parts are hard to get now, but this problem will only get worse as time goes on...
 
1LoudLS said:
yes... its an old car that has been discontinued for a long time and very few were made to begin with... that means that some parts are hard to get now, but this problem will only get worse as time goes on...
Click to expand...

Nice, not worth anything and now will have parts problems. Last Ford for me.
 
Pete 2004 LS V-6 said:
I don't know anything about them but are you saying you would not have a problem using them on your car? Thanks for the tip.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have a set in my 06 (V8) right now. They've been in for about 40K miles, and no problems so far. The originals lasted 90K+ miles, so I don't feel too badly about them.
 
Pete 2004 LS V-6 said:
Nice, not worth anything and now will have parts problems. Last Ford for me.
Click to expand...

technically its more of a jaguar, most ford designs are high production cars that share a whole lot of parts with other cars... finding true ford parts for cars is extremely easy to do.
 
Pete 2004 LS V-6 said:
Nice, not worth anything and now will have parts problems. Last Ford for me.
Click to expand...

It's really more of a Jaguar than a Ford. It didn't sell like they needed it to and it didn't share many parts with any other car. All brands have something similar now and then, and if you are unlucky enough to buy a short run car with few shared parts, you will indeed have trouble getting parts for it by the time it is ten years old.

On the other hand, go out and buy a Crown Vic or a Grand Marquis. You'll probably be able to get parts for those forever...
 
joegr said:
It's really more of a Jaguar than a Ford. It didn't sell like they needed it to and it didn't share many parts with any other car. All brands have something similar now and then, and if you are unlucky enough to buy a short run car with few shared parts, you will indeed have trouble getting parts for it by the time it is ten years old.

On the other hand, go out and buy a Crown Vic or a Grand Marquis. You'll probably be able to get parts for those forever...
Click to expand...

Yes I know, just sux. I guess you have to do what you can.
 
joegr said:
It's really more of a Jaguar than a Ford. It didn't sell like they needed it to and it didn't share many parts with any other car. All brands have something similar now and then, and if you are unlucky enough to buy a short run car with few shared parts, you will indeed have trouble getting parts for it by the time it is ten years old.

On the other hand, go out and buy a Crown Vic or a Grand Marquis. You'll probably be able to get parts for those forever...
Click to expand...

Your explanation is correct and I knew it was a different beast when I got it but didn't know they would sell so few and stop making it so soon. Stuff happens.
 
joegr said:
Usually around $50 each, so $300. However, it looks like you can still get Visteon coils for the V6. (They stopped making them, but some places still have stock.) Visteon seems to be as good as Motorcraft (they used to make them for Ford). Amazon has a set of six for $125. I'd jump on it.

http://www.amazon.com/Visteon-60-10...438109714&sr=8-3&keywords=lincoln+ls+v6+coils
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for your trouble, just ordered them. All the Ford dealers around here wanted $80 ea for them.
 
I ordered the coils from Amazon, $131 vs $480 from dealers, thanks Joegr. a friend and I will do it, he knows cars but nothing about the LS. I looked at it yesterday and I see the intake has to be removed, is this bad and will I need any parts like gaskets? I really do like this car and will be glad to get it back on the road. Everyone says not to drive it, is this while the check eng light is on or if it is blinking. It has only come on once and then the next day it was gone, also I only saw it blinking once for just a few seconds then nothing. Car runs good but at times under a load it will skip. Hopefully I have not hurt the PCM or ECM (not sure which one) or the cats. So he lives about 30 miles from me, should I have him come get it with his car trailer or can I drive it? Thanks in advance for your help.
 
I would not drive it now that the light has flashed. Every minute is runs, more damage is probably being done to the catalytic converters, and they are expensive.
The gasket between the two manifold halves can be reused, but I usually replace gaskets if I can. If you disconnect the throttle body hoses, you may have to refill and bleed the cooling system. It should be possible to set the upper half of the manifold to the side without disconnecting those hoses.
 
Pete 2004 LS V-6 said:
I ordered the coils from Amazon, $131 vs $480 from dealers, thanks Joegr. a friend and I will do it, he knows cars but nothing about the LS. I looked at it yesterday and I see the intake has to be removed, is this bad and will I need any parts like gaskets? I really do like this car and will be glad to get it back on the road. Everyone says not to drive it, is this while the check eng light is on or if it is blinking. It has only come on once and then the next day it was gone, also I only saw it blinking once for just a few seconds then nothing. Car runs good but at times under a load it will skip. Hopefully I have not hurt the PCM or ECM (not sure which one) or the cats. So he lives about 30 miles from me, should I have him come get it with his car trailer or can I drive it? Thanks in advance for your help.
Click to expand...

joegr said:
I would not drive it now that the light has flashed. Every minute is runs, more damage is probably being done to the catalytic converters, and they are expensive.
The gasket between the two manifold halves can be reused, but I usually replace gaskets if I can. If you disconnect the throttle body hoses, you may have to refill and bleed the cooling system. It should be possible to set the upper half of the manifold to the side without disconnecting those hoses.
Click to expand...

I did that..... Just be very, very careful to protect the gaskets if you plan on reusing them.
 
Also, be aware that removing the throttle body water hose from the cooling system plastic manifold sometimes causes the entire nipple of that plastic manifold to break off. If you do as Joe suggests, you should be able to avoid that problem. If you do end up having to pull that entire upper intake assembly off, simply leave the hose on the manifold (that is the plastic part that all the hoses at the top of the engine connects to front center top of the engine) and disconnect the end that goes to the throttle body instead. Put a bolt into the hose as soon as you take it off the throttle body and you won't let much air into the system. If you are successful with that, when you replace the hoses, work quickly and your only bleeding will be automatically done through those hoses and into the degas bottle. You may want to have one of these around in case you end up breaking anything on that plastic manifold. http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=2017412&cc=1363621&jnid=428&jpid=0 The last one I bought came from Ford and now costs around $250. It didn't even last 4 years before the bleed port on that piece broke internally. You may want to order upper intake gaskets from Rock Auto as well. Typically, the upper intake gaskets are cleanable with carburetor cleaner, as they have silicone fused on gaskets that actually do the sealing, but they get very coked up with the residue that forms inside the intake. The intake bolts are torqued to 80 inch lbs, or around 7 ft lbs.
 
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