- Joined
- Mar 26, 2018
- Messages
- 606
- Reaction score
- 468
- Points
- 63
- Location
- Brighton, CO
- Vehicle Year
- 2002
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Type
- 3.0 V6
- Engine Size
- 3.0L
- Transmission
- Automatic
- 2WD / 4WD
- 4WD
A few weeks back I was working on my 2002 Ranger 3.0L installing a flush out tee in the heater hose. Strangely enough the truck would not start when I finished. Hunting around I pulled on the connector to the coil pack and the connector pulled loose. Pushing the coil pack connector back in place, the truck started with no issue.
I really did not think the coil pack connector was loose but I did notice that the lock tab was broken out of the coil pack connector. After some fiddling around, I found a way to secure the connector with a wire tie.
A few weeks later I drove the truck to a store, came back out, and the truck would not attempt to start. The wife came to rescue me when I remembered the coil pack connector. So I cut the wire tie, reseated the connector, and the engine started with no issue. Now thinking the wire tie was inadequate, I devised a way to secure the connector with a long #6 machine screw and two washers.
So today the same problem but more so. I made stops at four stores and each time I returned to the truck it would not start without me pulling and reseating the coil pack connector. Luckily I carried a nut driver with me just in case I had to remove the #6 machine screw nut.
At my last store stop, I drove into the parking lot, shut off the engine, and found that it would immediately restart. Then more of the same - into the store, back out to the truck, and no start without pulling and reseating the coil pack connector. Clearly the connector had not worked loose with my driving. Furthermore, the engine has never quit while driving.
Note also that the truck always starts immediately after setting all night in the garage.
So what is the problem? I not longer believe this is a loose connector problem. Can a bad coil pack be doing this? I am stumped - not to mention exasperated!
I really did not think the coil pack connector was loose but I did notice that the lock tab was broken out of the coil pack connector. After some fiddling around, I found a way to secure the connector with a wire tie.
A few weeks later I drove the truck to a store, came back out, and the truck would not attempt to start. The wife came to rescue me when I remembered the coil pack connector. So I cut the wire tie, reseated the connector, and the engine started with no issue. Now thinking the wire tie was inadequate, I devised a way to secure the connector with a long #6 machine screw and two washers.
So today the same problem but more so. I made stops at four stores and each time I returned to the truck it would not start without me pulling and reseating the coil pack connector. Luckily I carried a nut driver with me just in case I had to remove the #6 machine screw nut.
At my last store stop, I drove into the parking lot, shut off the engine, and found that it would immediately restart. Then more of the same - into the store, back out to the truck, and no start without pulling and reseating the coil pack connector. Clearly the connector had not worked loose with my driving. Furthermore, the engine has never quit while driving.
Note also that the truck always starts immediately after setting all night in the garage.
So what is the problem? I not longer believe this is a loose connector problem. Can a bad coil pack be doing this? I am stumped - not to mention exasperated!
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