Buy Now | Log In | ALLDATA Corporate Site | AutoZone.com
Back To Home Page
Log In To Your Subscription
Go To ALLDATA Back Home
Buy A Subscription! Back Home About ALLDATA Information View Sample Vehicles Read Testimonials Frequently Asked Questions Contact Us
Dowload Our Navigation Chart

Sign Up To Receive ALLDATAdiy.com Alerts

Click Here to receive regular product updates, special offers, and automotive news.

2012 Subaru Now Available May 2013: More 2012 Vehicles Added including Fiat!
• View New Vehicles
2012 Subaru Now Available December 2012: More 2012 Vehicles Added including Chevy & GMC!
• View New Vehicles
View All News and Updates:
• Go To News
Tech Tips
  Read All Tech Tips

ALLDATA Tech Articles Are Updated Weekly
• View All Tech Articles

  Dodge Durango: Brake Pulsation Problems In Paul's Durango
• Read Dodge Article
 
Fixing A Smelly Audi Audi Tech Tip: A4 begins to Smell caused by a Faulty Hose Composition
• Read Audi Article
Why Do You Need To Change Your Timing Belt? Why Replace Your Timing Belt
• Read Belt Article
Jim Grant Tech Tips Jim Grant Tech Tips
A collection of helpful articles based on reader submissions
Home >> Featured Tech Articles >> Go Back
   
  Jim Grant's Tech TipsJim Grant's Tech Tips
Below is a collection of Jim Grant's Tech Tips sorted by Vehicle Make. These Tech Tips were answers to questions submitted to Jim by ALLDATAdiy.com users over the course of many years.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us.
 
 

Miscellaneous
Acura
Audi
Buick
Cadillac
Chevy
Chrysler

Dodge/Plymouth
Ford
GMC
Geo
Hyundai
Honda
Isuzu

Jeep
Lexus
Lincoln - Mercury
Mazda
Mercedes
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Oldsmobile
Pontiac
Saturn
Subaru
Toyota
Volkswagen
 
   
  Jim Grant's Tech Tips

‘01 Lincoln LS, Misfire Computer Codes

Q: My son’s ‘01 Lincoln LS just started to misfire and the check engine light came on. The computer was scanned and it had a cylinder #1 misfire code. The code was erased and #1 was swapped with #3 cylinder. Testing of the car now shows two codes that are pending and they’re cylinders # 1 & 5 misfire. What’s going on?

- Leslie Mangali

A: You should first focus on the #1 cylinder misfire code. So, just what part was swapped? If all you moved was the spark plug from #1 cylinder to #3 cylinder and the computer is still coming back with a #1 cylinder misfire code, then you’ll want to inspect the ignition coil and the spark plug boot for that cylinder. So, our readers know, this vehicle has an ignition coil for each cylinder for the engine. Each coil has a short rubber type boot that connects it to the spark plug. One of the more common problems we see with this ignition system design is caused by the rubber boot from the coil to the spark plug failing. The spark from the coil will burn a small pinhole through the rubber boot. This allows the spark to by-pass the spark plug. This pin hole is hard to see and just removing and installing the coil and boot can change the condition for a short time. The computer doesn’t know that the boot has failed; all it knows is that the engine has misfired. Now if you swapped the coil, boot and spark plug from #1 to #3 cylinder and still have a code for a misfire in cylinder #1 then you have other problems that may be mechanical or electrical to that cylinder. As for cylinder #5? Isn’t it great that a cylinder on the opposite side of the engine that you were working on now has a problem? We call that Murphy’s Law, if it can go wrong, it will, even if you didn’t touch it. Keep your focus on cylinder #1. Once you correct that you may find that cylinder #5 was a phantom code that the computer threw in there just to keep you on your toes.

 
     
Have any Questions About ALLDATAdiy.com? Please Email Us
Buy Now | Log In | About | Sample Vehicles | Testimonials | Join Affiliate Program