sputtering after plug change

[perrin17]

I just changed my spark plugs and wires on my 1996 2.3L, and now when driving it sputters a little. Idle is smooth and all, but when accelerating mid range RPMs seem to sputter. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ranger 93]

When you say it sputters, do you mean it misses? Did you check the gap on the plugs before installing them? Could be the wires, I know they are new but sometimes you still get a bad one and under a load like driving it could be arcing. Try putting the old ones back on and see if it helps. The reason i suggest these things is because they are the only things you changed. There is also a chance your fuel filter is clogged a little. Has it been changed lately?

 

[perrin17]

I can't put the old wires back on because they just fell apart when removing them. Checked the gap they were fine. The part that kind of confused me was when in neutral, the truck doesn't miss at all. Only when in gear does it miss.

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

Make sure all your plug wires are on all the way. I had a hard time getting mine on one time and ended up double checking them the next day to find two wern't on all the way. Also, double check your firing order. Make sure you didn't switch the order up.

James

 

[perrin17]

I found the problem, and feel like an idiot. I switched two wires by accident. But I have a question that is probably stupid. Why wouldn't I feel the miss while idling? It only felt like it was missing when in gear.

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

The load difference on the engine is why at idle you couldn't tell a difference.

When I did my plugs the last time I wired the occording to the Haynes manual. My coils packs say somehting else though. I did it both ways and couldn't tell a difference though. I decided to go with the coil pack diagram assuming Ford would have done it right.

James