Rough idle, any aftermarket coils or fix?

[KIMMER]

Well, i'm sure some of you guys have the famous ford rough idle that seems to be common with these motors. I know the coil packs give out pretty easy, so is there a good aftermarket replacement to fix this issue? Or any fix at all to get rid of this rough idle, or are we doomed to live with it on all the ford modular engines?

 

[S197 GT]

I'd start by taking off the intake tube and cleaning out the throttle body...Although your's in an '07 so it should be fine, but it's a start, and it's free.

 

[matt texass]

i know many people here hate gms. I have the gms coil packs and they have kicked ass ever since

 

[don_w]

i know many people here hate gms. I have the gms coil packs and they have kicked ass ever since

Consider yourself lucky... I know of guys who have had the exact opposite results, and removed them.

 

[matt texass]

they lost power or it just didnt run right?

 

[94tbird]

i will never run anything that GMS has touched EVER.

that being said ill guess that cleaning the TB, the Maf sensor are good choices. also does it get better when the engine gets warmer?

 

[KIMMER]

Stays the same cold or warm..every modular ford i've had has done it. My 2000 f150 5.4, my 01 f150 5.4, 98 expedition 5.4, brother in laws 98 f150 5.4, our 05 expedition, and my 07 gt has it...seems to be a ford f'up that they don't plan on fixing.

 

[cekim]

Stays the same cold or warm..every modular ford i've had has done it. My 2000 f150 5.4, my 01 f150 5.4, 98 expedition 5.4, brother in laws 98 f150 5.4, our 05 expedition, and my 07 gt has it...seems to be a ford f'up that they don't plan on fixing.

hmm, maybe I just don't drive cars that idle smoothly very often - but my 06 is oddly smooth once warm and it has urethane motor mounts...

My 05 is sloppy, but the prior owner was not exactly out there cleaning, well anything, on a regular basis - so, particularly in light of the short time that engine will be in there, I had not thought about it...

My explorer (pushrod) wobbles and has sounded like a solid lifter engine from day one... never cared...

Have you considered having your injectors "balanced" (sounds like a new "muffler bearing", but they can be significantly different from eachother)? That and a re-gap of your plugs might go a long way... That and a twin-screw SuperCharger seems to help

 

[S197 GT]

Speaking of spark plugs, you know not to ever use octane booster right?

 

[MikeVistaBlue06]

Stays the same cold or warm..every modular ford i've had has done it. My 2000 f150 5.4, my 01 f150 5.4, 98 expedition 5.4, brother in laws 98 f150 5.4, our 05 expedition, and my 07 gt has it...seems to be a ford f'up that they don't plan on fixing.

That is odd. Mine is as smooth as a baby's ass before and after the Saleen SC?

I'd check for a vacuum leak. They can manifest themselves in all sorts of ways.

Also check your plug gap and make sure they're all the same.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[MikeVistaBlue06]

Speaking of spark plugs, you know not to ever use octane booster right?

If the plugs have an orangish tint to them, that means either you've used an octane boost with MMT or gotten premium fuel with it in it.

If that is the case, holler back and I think I have a way you can clean them and see if they work better.

Mike

 

[S197 GT]

If the plugs have an orangish tint to them, that means either you've used an octane boost with MMT or gotten premium fuel with it in it.

If that is the case, holler back and I think I have a way you can clean them and see if they work better.

Mike

Brake Cleaner?

What's your secret?

 

[cekim]

Brake Cleaner?

What's your secret?

What can't you clean with Brake Cleaner? C'mon!?!

 

[MikeVistaBlue06]

Brake Cleaner?

What's your secret?

No secret! I think everyone thinks I am crazy as hell on this one!

Take a propane torch and put the plug in a vise (in a well ventilated area) and use the torch to heat the plug up until it glows orange, and that should clean it up!

See before/after pictures at bottom.

Note: LET THE DAMN THING COOL GOOD BEFORE REMOVING IT!!!!!

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[S197 GT]

You Texans can't do anything without fire!

Yeah, I've heard of doing that, but I'll try soaking them in brake cleaner first.

 

[MikeVistaBlue06]

You Texans can't do anything without fire!

Yeah, I've heard of doing that, but I'll try soaking them in brake cleaner first.

LMAO!!!

That reminds me of one of my friends!

I came to see him one day and he'd cleaned a bunch of shit outta his Mother's house and put the torch to it!

He looked at me and said," Home Improvement; BURN!"

Mike

 

[Slofoot]

Kimmer if you aren't throwing any codes chances are it's not the coil packs. I agree with checking your plugs to make sure they are all gapped the same. Slight differences in plug gaps will make these mod motors idle like crap. Even ungapped plugs are not necessarily all the same.

 

[ZmanM3]

Kimmer if you aren't throwing any codes chances are it's not the coil packs. I agree with checking your plugs to make sure they are all gapped the same. Slight differences in plug gaps will make these mod motors idle like crap. Even ungapped plugs are not necessarily all the same.

Hmm I didn't know that. I knew about gapping the plugs but the uneven gapped plugs is a new one on me. It makes sense though.

 

[KIMMER]

No codes, every ford modular engine i've owned has done it. If you are sitting and letting it idle, you can feel it give a little jerk or sputter and see the rpm gauge move a little. I've just grown use to it.

 

[ZmanM3]

No codes, every ford modular engine i've owned has done it. If you are sitting and letting it idle, you can feel it give a little jerk or sputter and see the rpm gauge move a little. I've just grown use to it.

I am so use to it that I haven't even though about it but now that you mention it my car does do that.