'97 Taurus GL 85,000 miles. P0305

I just bought this car a week ago. I kept getting check engine light come on and got the miss fire on 5. I change out all the plugs and plug wires. new fuel injectores and all. Clear the codes out after driving for a while the code comes back. I do some more checking all the fuel injectores are working there is spark from the coil pack to all Cylanders. Fire at the the boot to the plug, and it fires at the plug it self. Clear the code out agine. Drive for about 60 miles the light comes back on with the P0305 agine. I take out the injectore and swap it out with the one next to it since it is working and get the same thing. Any ideas what this could be. I have checked all vacume lines. all fine. What elce could this be ?

IF you pull the wire on #5 while it is running does the engine slow down. If it does I would question a misfire code. Try a different plug.

I went out and did what you said to do. as soon as I pull the number 5 plug the engine starts to run a little rough. I replaced the plug and ended up getting the same results. I also pulled the 5 fuel injector and it started running rough agine. What could be going on ?

I'll have to check the service manual later, but I think cylinder #5 shares a coil pack with cylinder #2. You may want to try pulling #2 and see if that makes a difference in engine idle.

Which engine does your Taurus have, the 24V 3.0L or the 12V 3.0L?

-Rod

You know I am not sure about that one. I know its OHV V6 3.0 if that helps. It has a single coil pack with all 6 on them also.

Look at your engine, if it says "DURATEC" on the big plastic cover that goes over the engine or it's on the valve cover it's probaly the 24V engine. If you don't see that on anything, then you most likely have the 12V or more commonly known as the "VULCAN".

edit: It may not have a big plastic cover, I may be thinking of a different year or ford model with the same engine.

Look at your engine, if it says "DURATEC" on the big plastic cover that goes over the engine or it's on the valve cover it's probaly the 24V engine. If you don't see that on anything, then you most likely have the 12V or more commonly known as the "VULCAN".

edit: It may not have a big plastic cover, I may be thinking of a different year or ford model with the same engine.

Ok Its a Vulcan 12V. I new that it was a Vulcan just not a 12V

I just wanted to throw that one out there. Sometimes people refer to the engine as Duratec, FFV or Vulcan. The FFV (flex-fuel) will be marked on the side or rear of the car. Most will have the Duratec or the Vulcan, OHC (over-head cam) 24V or the OHV 12V system respectfuly.

Cylinders 5 and 1 share a coil, so try pulling #1 wire and see if that makes a difference in the engine speed.

-Rod

Ok I pulled the #1 wire and it started running rough as soon as I put it back on it ran normal. I did it agine with the 5 and it ran rough untill i put it back in. I dont know if this means any thing it was dark so as soon as removed the 1 you could see it sparking in side the 1 on the coil pack. I decided to check the rest of them it was doing the same thing in the 1,2,3,4 and 6 but not the 5. this was when they where not pluged in to the coil pack and far enough away it could not rech the boot.

If you could see the spark on all cylinders but the number 5, you could have an intermettent problem with the coil pack (causing the running rough symptom). IMO I would say that you have a bad coil pack, shorod are you with me on this? I don't have the service manual in front of me and am making an educatiated guess.

If you could see the spark on all cylinders but the number 5, you could have an intermettent problem with the coil pack (causing the running rough symptom). IMO I would say that you have a bad coil pack, shorod are you with me on this? I don't have the service manual in front of me and am making an educatiated guess.

What I ment to say there was some minor sparking in side the grove of the coil pack on all but the 5 when the plug wires where removed. I dont know if this makes any since. There is spark on all 6 if i just put the plug wire just slightly above the coil pack. but when I pull the wire away all together there is sparking in side the gove where the wire goes.

I am starting to think it is the coil pack cause every thing elce checks out. I do notice that the only time i get the P0305 is when at interstate or hiway speeds or after reving the engine real high.

Go to a salvage and get a coil pack for 5 bucks.

Mike

Keeping fingers crossed I just put a new coil pack on it and it seems to be doing fine. I have a lot more power now as well. I put the car in reverse and just barly put the gas on backing out of diveway and it took off. Took it out on the open road and pushed it up to a 100 with no problum. I could do that with the old coil pack. So keeping fingers crossed that was it..

Keeping fingers crossed I just put a new coil pack on it and it seems to be doing fine. I have a lot more power now as well. I put the car in reverse and just barly put the gas on backing out of diveway and it took off. Took it out on the open road and pushed it up to a 100 with no problum. I could do that with the old coil pack. So keeping fingers crossed that was it..

It sounds like it was, it sounds like all is good now. :D

well after a few days of no probs. I was coming home from work last night and the cel came agine and guess what it was shooting out ? You got it P0305 and ideas now. ? Jim

Well, you may want to check the compression on your cylinders and make sure that comes back fine. The plug from cylinder #5 didn't happen to be abnormally clean, did it?

-Rod

Well, you may want to check the compression on your cylinders and make sure that comes back fine. The plug from cylinder #5 didn't happen to be abnormally clean, did it?

-Rod
they where all clean just put them in right after i bought the car about 2 weeks ago. I will check the conpression tomarrow. I have been checking the water levels and they have been good no lose since I bought the car. No water in the oil or vise versa. Its not burning any oil and no white smoke coming out. I am thinking a burnt valve now. what are your thoughts ?

I don't think a burnt valve would get better with a new coil for a few days, then go bad again.

I'd suspect instead that maybe the connector to the coil primary is loose or you have a loose plug wire.

Pull lightly on the wires for the coil primary and see if the connector just pops off. If so, you probably found your problem. Also, inspect the coil ground wire to make sure it is clean and secure. Then inspect the terminals in the coil connector to make sure that they are all clean, straight, and not pushed into the connector housing.

A compression check should indicate if the problem is possibly a burnt valve.

-Rod

I don't think a burnt valve would get better with a new coil for a few days, then go bad again.

I'd suspect instead that maybe the connector to the coil primary is loose or you have a loose plug wire.

Pull lightly on the wires for the coil primary and see if the connector just pops off. If so, you probably found your problem. Also, inspect the coil ground wire to make sure it is clean and secure. Then inspect the terminals in the coil connector to make sure that they are all clean, straight, and not pushed into the connector housing.

A compression check should indicate if the problem is possibly a burnt valve.

-Rod

Ok I checked every thing that you said and all is good. the wires are all tight and every thing I was not able to get a conpression check done today had to work a 14 hour day. I hate thoes I was able to check the plugs a agine there is just a tiny hint of a little oil on the plugs and would you beleave also that the people that I bout the car from had new plugs put on it but did not gap them. all 6 plugs where any where between .58 and .64. I regaped them cleaned them to .44 book says .42 to .46 was the gap on that car. I am hoping that was the trouble. cause the code went away and the power came back once agine. will see If it does it agine will get a conpression check.