[96Snaker]

Hey guys,

Yeah my car has one problem after the next. I think this is the icing on the cake, let me know what you think it could be ~

"High" mileage 4 valve, 90K+ miles. Engine isn't "knocking" but it is ticking (possibly worn/old lifters?). Been doing so for a little while. No lack in performance. Now I noticed while inspecting the engine visually, Plug wire boots #s 3&6 were shaking heavily while at idle. I thought maybe they had came loose... well when you press your finger against the boots, you can feel something surging/knocking/hitting it from within the engine. Tough to explain, it feels like there is a hammer nailing the bottom of the spark plug against the wire boot. Make sense? This can't be a minor issue... Can it?

[WAR-PARTY]

Are pull your pulgs, and you should have an answer. I don't have a good feeling....

[1FUN4RD]

i FEEL YOUR PAIN... HOPE IT TURNS OUT TO BE SOMETHING SIMPLE...

[96Snaker]

Originally Posted by WAR-PARTY Are pull your pulgs, and you should have an answer. I don't have a good feeling....

What? I don't understand what you just tried to ask. Lol

My plugs/wires, etc are all brand spanking new. Something has gone awry internally, I suspect, and as you said, I too do not feel to great about this. Car is still running awesome though. It does drink about a half quart of oil every 3,000 miles though. Not much of a smoker though, unless I'm at the track.

[96Snaker]

Originally Posted by 1FUN4RD i FEEL YOUR PAIN... HOPE IT TURNS OUT TO BE SOMETHING SIMPLE...

Thanks man. With my luck, it won't be anything under $1,000.

[TheUNZippee!]

So are you saying it idles like a drunken sailor, but runs like a champ when you get on it?

[06RedfireGT]

Try sting this n the 4V section.

[96Snaker]

Originally Posted by TheUNZippee! So are you saying it idles like a drunken sailor, but runs like a champ when you get on it?

It doesn't idle poorly, it just ticks. Like many a car does when the lifters go kaput. I've fixed this problem piece of cake with previous Fords (Bronco, Probe, Explorer, you name it).

BUT, never before have I felt a thump when grasping a spark plug wire boot when the engine is running. What in the hell could be doing that? And it's only on the #3 and #6 cylinders, which, if you're not familiar with my particular engine, are on opposite sides of the engine. I = confused.

[96Snaker]

Originally Posted by 06RedfireGT Try sting this n the 4V section.

Should a mod want to move it, by all means. I don't want to link-whore MM all to hell with this, lol.

[TheUNZippee!]

Originally Posted by 96Snaker It doesn't idle poorly, it just ticks. Like many a car does when the lifters go kaput. I've fixed this problem piece of cake with previous Fords (Bronco, Probe, Explorer, you name it). BUT, never before have I felt a thump when grasping a spark plug wire boot when the engine is running. What in the hell could be doing that? And it's only on the #3 and #6 cylinders, which, if you're not familiar with my particular engine, are on opposite sides of the engine. I = confused.

Fuel injectors can tick if they're going bad. Hard to say without hearing the actual tick and how loud it is.

Pull the plugs and see what they look like. While they're out, do a compression test on it. You may wind up having to pull the valve covers off and having a look at the top end as well.

[96Snaker]

I'm with ya Zipster. Valve covers are a bitch to get out on my car (confined space) so I haven't got that far. Thus far the only test I've done (granted I only noticed this hours ago and had to get to work asap) was to run the car w/o the boot-plug connection on the questionable cylinders to see if there was no change in engine behavior, but there was (which is a good thing, lol).

I'll probably get a video of it in action tomorrow before the car cruise (yeah, I'm going to drive it, it's still running good, like I said previously) and post it up after I get back.

Any links on how-to's for compression tests? I have the tool but no instructions came with it, son of a .

[TheUNZippee!]

Engine Compression Testing

[TheUNZippee!]

Also: How to Check Your Engine's Compression - - SEARCH-autoparts.com

[tsp_2177]

i thinka it's
the kitteh

sorry just trying to give ya a laugh lol

[Doc8224]

So let me see if understand you thus far. You feel a thumping on your spark plug? When you pull it out, it looks fine? When you remove the coil from the plug it changes the way the engin idles/sounds?


Have you tried pulling the coil off those plugs and grabbing the plugs to see if you can still feel the tapping? Maybe pull a coil off another plug and swap them and see if it follows the coil.

[dr.gonzo!]

stupid question but you did get spark plugs for the cobra and not the reg mustang? someone fucked up at autozone....? I dont know shit about those years but when I search for plugs they give me diffrent item numbers

[Ryan Paymaster]

I have a slight engine tick, but I'm almost 100% it's normal. I also smoke at full throttle above 5,200RPM, very specific. No idea what causes that, suspect the valve seals but it could also be something else, I only have 60k on the motor. I chug a half quart at least every 3,000 miles. No smoke on start-up. I almost want to say at least with the 96-98 (maybe just the 96) these motors eat oil. My mechanic says he's never been able to get a Cobra not to consume it. I've also talked to multitude of people and they've said these cars will smoke.

However, my motor isn't bitch-slapping my spark plugs. Have you tried going to Ford and grabbing the OEM spark plugs and going with that? Plug in your old spark plug wires too. Need to make sure it's none of those for whatever reason. I highly doubt this will do anything; all the plugs are presumably the same so if there was an issue they should all be rumblin'?

Coil pack possibly?

[Ryan Paymaster]

I can't edit my message anymore, so I'm going to say buy new coil packs or at least swap them!

[95blackbeauty]

I had the same problem...thumping and everything. Take your thumping plugs out..check the gap and make sure u screw them ALL the way bac in. I think the gapping was my problem.

[96Snaker]

Thanks guys.

I'll look more into it tomorrow after the cruise. All my plugs/wires/coils are new, and slightly upgraded from OEM parts pictures but you never know I suppose. I'll try installing all the OEM parts back onto the engine and see if the problem still persists (I'm thinking it will). It's things like this that make me happy I never sell or get rid of the "old" original parts. Just never know when you might need them for something.

Ryan ~ yeah I've heard similar stories about our Cobras being heavy smokers. Mine doesn't smoke on startup, but if I step on it, I can see it in the rearview.

I guess the good news is is that my motor seems to still have all of its get up, but I would hate to have a minor problem become persistently worse due to neglect, so I'm trying to nip this in the bud.