2002 Windstar 3.8L changed spark plug wires
CheeseHead1
08-31-2014, 11:07 PM
I was working to chase down and resolve a runability problem with a P0306 code. See related post at http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=7141862#post7141862
As a first step I changed my spark plug wires. I purchased AutoLite Professional Series wires at Advance Auto Parts, part 97047. I think I had read that those were recommended elsewhere in this forum. This was the first time I changed the spark plug wires, and the car has about 165k miles on it.
These are the connectors on the coil:
COIL
3 6
2 4 >>> Front of vehicle
1 5
On the engine itself, the cylinder numbers are
ENGINE
3 6
2 5 >>> Front of vehicle
1 4
The first challenge was to figure out which wire was actually the longest one - before removing them. Another post had recommended just change one wire at a time, that way you don't get confused and connect them to the wrong place on the coil.
I thought initially that #4 would be the longest wire, because I thought it would have the longest run. The wires run around the engine toward the driver's side.
But I was wrong. It turned out that #5 should be the longest wire, then #4 was the second longest. And #6 was the third-longest.
I also guessed wrong on the back. I thought #3 would be the longest wire of the three in the back. Wrong again! #1 was the longest wire, #3 was second longest, #2 was shortest.
I was replacing the spark plug wires without removing the cowl. I know some other posters like to remove the cowl. I was able to access the top of the coil and the clips by reaching around the top of the engine. I was able to access the connectors on the spark plug wires by jacking up the car (using jack stands) and then working from underneath. It was not easy and it took some reaching, but I got it done. It was a slow process. So if you like room to work, removing the cowl is probably a good way to go.
There are clips securing the wires in different locations, both front and rear. I am guessing they are to keep the wires separated, to protect them from touching hot surfaces (exhaust manifold) and also to protect them from rubbing against other surfaces. The clips are a little hard to open. I was surprised, I thought I could just pry on them and they would pop open - wrong. Use a small flat-head screwdriver and you need to pry them open from the bottom. Some are mounted on posts, those you can just lift off of the post to get more freedom of movement. There is a small clip that holds the #4 wire in place close to the exhaust manifold - that one rotated from the top to be able to remove/insert the wire.
The clips in the rear are: one with all three wires, one with two wires (#1 and #2) that pushes onto a post on top of #2, and one with one wire (#1) that pushes onto a post on top of #1. The routing in the rear seemed a little tricky, take a good look at it before you start taking things apart.
With the limited room to work, it was easiest for me to remove all three rear wires at once and leave the clips attached to the wires. Remove the top connectors from the coil. Remove each from the spark plugs. Pull the two clips off of the retaining posts. At that point you should be able to slide all 3 wires out.
I tried connecting the clips before I installed the rear wires, but not clipping them closed (to allow for minor adjustments). Bad idea. They weren't secure and one fell off, and I was lucky not to lose it. Another was falling off the wires. I should have probably just installed the wires first, and then messed around with the clips afterwards. I tried to measure the initial clip locations by using the clip positions on the old wires as an estimate.
The wires seemed to come with a small amount of grease on the connectors, so I did not add more.
I had a little trouble getting the wires onto the spark plugs in the rear (working mostly blind and by feel). The first one, I had lined up, I could feel the spark plug connector, but when I was trying to shove on the spark plug wire, it wouldn't seat in and lock in. What the heck??? Well... turned out there are a couple of bolts that stick out from the exhaust manifold in that same area - they are above the spark plug on both sides - and I was trying to force the spark plug wire onto one of the bolts... Oops! :grinyes:
Hope this is helpful to others, good luck!
As a first step I changed my spark plug wires. I purchased AutoLite Professional Series wires at Advance Auto Parts, part 97047. I think I had read that those were recommended elsewhere in this forum. This was the first time I changed the spark plug wires, and the car has about 165k miles on it.
These are the connectors on the coil:
COIL
3 6
2 4 >>> Front of vehicle
1 5
On the engine itself, the cylinder numbers are
ENGINE
3 6
2 5 >>> Front of vehicle
1 4
The first challenge was to figure out which wire was actually the longest one - before removing them. Another post had recommended just change one wire at a time, that way you don't get confused and connect them to the wrong place on the coil.
I thought initially that #4 would be the longest wire, because I thought it would have the longest run. The wires run around the engine toward the driver's side.
But I was wrong. It turned out that #5 should be the longest wire, then #4 was the second longest. And #6 was the third-longest.
I also guessed wrong on the back. I thought #3 would be the longest wire of the three in the back. Wrong again! #1 was the longest wire, #3 was second longest, #2 was shortest.
I was replacing the spark plug wires without removing the cowl. I know some other posters like to remove the cowl. I was able to access the top of the coil and the clips by reaching around the top of the engine. I was able to access the connectors on the spark plug wires by jacking up the car (using jack stands) and then working from underneath. It was not easy and it took some reaching, but I got it done. It was a slow process. So if you like room to work, removing the cowl is probably a good way to go.
There are clips securing the wires in different locations, both front and rear. I am guessing they are to keep the wires separated, to protect them from touching hot surfaces (exhaust manifold) and also to protect them from rubbing against other surfaces. The clips are a little hard to open. I was surprised, I thought I could just pry on them and they would pop open - wrong. Use a small flat-head screwdriver and you need to pry them open from the bottom. Some are mounted on posts, those you can just lift off of the post to get more freedom of movement. There is a small clip that holds the #4 wire in place close to the exhaust manifold - that one rotated from the top to be able to remove/insert the wire.
The clips in the rear are: one with all three wires, one with two wires (#1 and #2) that pushes onto a post on top of #2, and one with one wire (#1) that pushes onto a post on top of #1. The routing in the rear seemed a little tricky, take a good look at it before you start taking things apart.
With the limited room to work, it was easiest for me to remove all three rear wires at once and leave the clips attached to the wires. Remove the top connectors from the coil. Remove each from the spark plugs. Pull the two clips off of the retaining posts. At that point you should be able to slide all 3 wires out.
I tried connecting the clips before I installed the rear wires, but not clipping them closed (to allow for minor adjustments). Bad idea. They weren't secure and one fell off, and I was lucky not to lose it. Another was falling off the wires. I should have probably just installed the wires first, and then messed around with the clips afterwards. I tried to measure the initial clip locations by using the clip positions on the old wires as an estimate.
The wires seemed to come with a small amount of grease on the connectors, so I did not add more.
I had a little trouble getting the wires onto the spark plugs in the rear (working mostly blind and by feel). The first one, I had lined up, I could feel the spark plug connector, but when I was trying to shove on the spark plug wire, it wouldn't seat in and lock in. What the heck??? Well... turned out there are a couple of bolts that stick out from the exhaust manifold in that same area - they are above the spark plug on both sides - and I was trying to force the spark plug wire onto one of the bolts... Oops! :grinyes:
Hope this is helpful to others, good luck!
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