Engine misfire (99 CV/LS)

[StormChaser]

Make - 1999 Crown Vic LS (regular, no police pkg)
Mileage 130K, maintenance schedule religious. :-)

My engine began misfiring on any acceleration (mild or heavy) within the last couple of days. [FWIW, check engine light occasionally blinks, always remains lit.] It seems to be running fine on idle, and in neutral gear no matter how much I push the pedal. Will take it in for diagnostics tomorrow but am interested in hearing from any others who either
1. Have had this experience and are willing to offer their stories or
2. Have enough mechanical expertise to offer everyone some insight in addition to what my mechanic (whom I do trust) will tell me.

I will report back in a few days with his findings.

===== Roger =====

[ModMech]

Roger,

Typically, on the '98 up cars, this is due to a failed coil pack, but it can be a spark plug.

Often times, the coils fail because water or coolant gets into the plug well in the cylinder head, shorting the coil out. Have you mechanic check for this.

[radioman2002]

I had a similar problem on a 1999 CVPI. Drove me crazy. The missfire was intermittant. But after some poking around, I was able to narrow it down to 3 bad coil packs. I guess they really didn't want to keep that car, and at about $125.00ea I see why they stole them off an auction car. If the car misses when idling, pull each coil pack wire (the little plug) from one of them a at time untill it doesn't effect the idle, that should be your bad coil or plug. If it misses on acceleration, raise the idle with a friend helping or just stick something between the bottom out plate and the linkage. Follow same routine to find the bad one. I suspect you are probably also getting a multiple missfire code on the check engine light.

[Fullyinvolved]

I guess they really didn't want to keep that car, and at about $125.00ea I see why they stole them off an auction car.

Dude new coil paks are less than half that for a Crown Vic. Advanced Auto sells them for 50 bucks a piece. You could have bought almost all three for what you paid for one!

[ModMech]

I would NEVER purchase non-OE electrical parts, unless I was stranded. The quality is just not there.

[Warren'74]

It could very well be coil pack boots as well. If the misfire is that bad, I highly doubt it....

[radioman2002]

Considering the price I got the car for, (it was listed at the auction as a BAD engine, and BAD transmission) buying factory coil packs was a no brainer. Some things are not worth leaving up to aftermarket parts.
Obviously some one didn't want their supervisors car anymore, it was a 1999 with 90k, unmarked, no holes, no spotlights, carpet, tape deck. The trans problem was it neeed a fluid and filter change.