Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Can a disconnected plug cause this ??

Okay the car started running crappy recently. Took it to Meineke and they think it's the coil. Took it to Ford and they say it's the coil. Needs new one, plugs & wires.

But, when I pulled into Meineke I noticed that an A/C plug was off. (The plug by the back side of the engine, passenger side). I popped it back in. Funny thing, AC was running fine....

But, can a disconnected plug cause a coil to go bad?

The AC compressor drags the engine down and there is a sensor (or several) that tell the computer to increase the idle speed when the AC is turned on. If it wasn't connected the computer wouldn't know to tell the engine to increase RPMs.

On the Zetec ('95 at least) there is also a sensor on the power steering line that runs over the timing belt cover. It tells the computer that the pressure is building which makes the computer tell the engine to increase the RPMs a bit to compensate for the drag caused by the power steering pump. My power steering sensor is broke due to [censored] wires that couldn't stand the heat! The wire leading to it broke when I was replacing my timing belt. I need to buy the plug and not the sensor.

DB

But could that cause an overload, or cause the COIL pack to go bad??

I wouldn't think so.

I believe my coil pack went bad when my top waterhose broke and sprayed water everywhere under the hood. I had the flu and didn't spend much time on the car at that time and the timing belt tensioner broke shortly after that. I had a Ford mechanic tell me that they have to replace coilpacks on cars after the used car department cleans under the hood of used cars with a water sprayer.

Danny Brown

Well, it did rain for 2 days straight here close to 10 inches). I wonder if water seeped in and damaged it? The coil is close to the firewall... I'm not sure on that...

Anyways, Ford is NOT replacing it (they want 500) I'm getting the parts from Nationwide Auto Parts and having my buddies at Meineke do it.

AutoZone sells a coilpack for about $49.00
They sell plug wires for around $29.00
The plugs are the [censored]!
They MUST be AZFS-22PP Motorcrafts and cost $10 EACH!!!! at the dealer!

I'm doing all of this myself in a few hours if time permits!

DB

I'm getting OEM plugs & wires. I've read too much of crappy performance from "performance" plugs.

I don't think the plug wires matter so much.
I'm still pissed about the $10.00 price for the AZFS-22PP plugs from Ford.
And one of them cracked.

I bought some of them at a parts store, but now I certianly can't find them anywhere EXCEPT the Ford dealer.

DB

I'd say the chances of that are VERY near Zero. It is more likely that, with all the recent rains, some water splashed up against the fire wall (or in the engine compartment at least) & then against the coil pack.

Not a difficult job at all. If you can follow directions well enough to assemble a kiddies tri-cycle, you will have no problems with this job.

It's at Meineke right now being done. Yes I'm actually paying someone to do it..... SHAME!!!
I'd just feel more comfortable with someone with better tools yanking on those cylinder heads. I'm fearful I'd strip them good, especially the rears.

I'm a Meineke regular so I'm not being charged the "normal" charge.

Hopefully this will fix the problem. Plus it doesn't hurt to put new parts in. I'm sure it was about due anyways.

Thanks Gang!

N.