Ford Ranger misfire issue

[drddan]

Hey guys, I know this is a Q about other than a Festy, but I also know there are some pretty smart folks here!!
So maybe someone can guide me in the right direction about a misfire on the girlfriends ford ranger.

I think she has a bad coil pack, but I want to ask you guys.

Ok ... pertinent info...

2001 ranger
3.0 vulcan 6 cyl

what I have done so far

pulled wires, checked with multi meter(ohms), all wires looked good ..got readings on wires
started engine, pulled one wire at a time from coil pack ...#4 cyl not firing
replaced spark plug on #4..... still not firing
tried to check coil pack with meter. Haynes says to probe center connector and outside connectors, but that sounds like 3 connectors ..I have 4connectors
book says should be 5.0 ohms or less ...probed all connectors in different configurations. all read less than 5 ohms
What gives ...bad coil pack?????
coil pack is about $80..dont want spend good money, if coil is not the issue

Thanks in Advance!
Dan

PS ...doing some thinking ....maybe an intermittent short in #4 plug wire?
i'll check that while I wait for an answer

[drddan]

Just to be clear that is an Ignition coil :mrgreen: not a coil pack

Is it safe to use a piece of wire to jump from coil to block to see if I get a spark, like you would a plug wire? I dont wanna screw anything up!

[drddan]

Bump! Anyone?

PLEEEASE!!!! I need to get this fixed fast!!!!

Is it safe to jump coil to ground to check spark for a possible bad wire????????

[WTFestiva]

That's what we do sometimes. Shove a big screwdriver in the wire and see if it sparks to the block or frame.

You said you have a bad ignition coil. Could it be timing? Did you replace the wires in the right spot? Maybe something with the disty is broken for that cylinder. I'm not running on a lot of sleep though so I may be thinking of my own car at this point. We've had a ton of issues recently. Hope you get it figured out.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

[getnpsi]

ive had two of these trucks. some reason the passenger side bank of plugs dies way faster than the drivers side. replace those three tomorrow and see how she does. if you have done that already flip the coil packs. if that is still not it unplug each fuel injector, if one time you do this and the truck runs the same its one of those injectors. since fuel and ignition are not the same its hard to diagnose BUT its electrical signals that make each work so you have to treat them all like ignition to get anywhere. i hate making sparks don't do that unless you've done it for forever in the past.

[drddan]

Thanks for the replies!
Its freakin cold as a buzzards butt outside right now! Waiting till its gets a little warmer! (Brrrrrr)
I didnt want to replace the coil just yet till I know thats what it is

What I have done so far:

Pulled #4 wire at the plug AND coil ... no spark on #4 on either side. (i've been shocked before ! .... I do know how NOT to get shocked..most of the time! lol

Getting an HEI spark tester to confirm the coil good or bad - $5 harbor freight
I pulled the #4 plug ..looked wet (getting fuel)
Used multimeter on the wires on OHMS (not original wires) to verify good or bad...checked good!

It is a 6 tower post one piece coil

The Hei tester will CONFIRM the issue whether the coil is good or bad
#4 is the front driverside tower post on the coil

[blueoval]

mine was doing this and it ended up being a bad plug wire best way to check is to start the engine at night and open hood and look for arching if it is buy a set of plug wires.also did you pull the plugs what did they look like

[drddan]

Its all good now. It was the ignition coil pack!

Replaced it and its running! :fofd: