fernleybjk
Registered
I need some serious help, seriously!
I brought my '98 Mark VIII into to have the AC charged because it wasn't cooling properly. They charged the coolant and wrote that there is a small leak O-Rings at junction.
Well I left there and cool air was once again flowing. I drove it home and it seemed to be running fine. I drove it about 40 miles. My wife was driving it the next day and she told me that it was running very roughly and she had to start it a couple of times coming out of a parking lot.
I drove it into town, Reno, Nevada, which is about 30 miles from here because I do not trust the mechanics where I live. Anyway, on my way into town the check engine light began flashing. It has a PO411 code on it from previous time. I didn't do anything about it because I read that the code dealt with the emission and had nothing to do with the engine and wouldn't harm anything. I read that some drivers had bypassed the code with a chip.
If I cleared the code by the battery method, it would stay out for some time and then reappear.
When the shop guy came out to talk to me, initially, he told me that all it needed was a major tune-up. I decided to wait for it. A couple of hours later, he told me that it wasn't the coil or plug as they originally thought. He stated that the signal wasn't getting to the coil and further trouble shooting was required. Then he calls back later and states that it was the coil but they had found something else. Here is the invoice I got as I picked up the car.
Notes: MIL Flashing
Inspected and confirmed condition.
Scanned PCM and retrieved PO307, PO411, P1469, AND PO1484. All codes other than the PO307 have been in the system a long time.
Customer requested diag. on flashing check engine light.
Inspected ignition components and found vehicle in need of maint tune-up, also rec one coil.
Once maint was caught up, continued testing and found the left hand sub harness melted. Removed and repaired harness.
Reassembled with original coil and misfire is gone, however recommend replacing coil. Possible reason for melted harness.
Replaced coild again. Road tested the vehicle to verify performance.
Parts replaced:
8 spark plugs $73.12
1 ignition coil $91.98
Air filter $21.38
Fuel Filter $24.78
Small shrink tubing $7.32
LABOR $582.40
I couldn't pick up the car until the weekend because my wife is disabled. She drove the car back and I asked her how it was running. She said OK. I started the car up the next morning and I knew that the problem hadn't been fixed. I drove it around and pretty soon the check engine light began flashing the same way it had before. It is now back at the shop.
I need help desperately so that I can get her back in running condition. I have owned the car for 5 years now and never had any major problems; it ran like a dream for all those years and I truly love this car. I have encountered the normal problems like the blend door actuator and the air-bag problem. I replaced the bags with the struts because when the leak developed, I was stuck out of town and at the mercy of the local lincoln dealership who told me that all four bags needed replacing, etc. You all know what that would have cost me. Thanks to all of you, I knew about the strut replacement and went that route. I knew all about these problems before I bought the car because of this site but also knew that owners raced them and that the engine was very strong and durable. I have all the normal maintenance performed at scheduled intervals. I want to be driving this car 10 years from now and know that it is capable of doing it.
I will continue to do the research on the rough idle problem from the forums but any additional help would be sincerely appreciated.
I brought my '98 Mark VIII into to have the AC charged because it wasn't cooling properly. They charged the coolant and wrote that there is a small leak O-Rings at junction.
Well I left there and cool air was once again flowing. I drove it home and it seemed to be running fine. I drove it about 40 miles. My wife was driving it the next day and she told me that it was running very roughly and she had to start it a couple of times coming out of a parking lot.
I drove it into town, Reno, Nevada, which is about 30 miles from here because I do not trust the mechanics where I live. Anyway, on my way into town the check engine light began flashing. It has a PO411 code on it from previous time. I didn't do anything about it because I read that the code dealt with the emission and had nothing to do with the engine and wouldn't harm anything. I read that some drivers had bypassed the code with a chip.
If I cleared the code by the battery method, it would stay out for some time and then reappear.
When the shop guy came out to talk to me, initially, he told me that all it needed was a major tune-up. I decided to wait for it. A couple of hours later, he told me that it wasn't the coil or plug as they originally thought. He stated that the signal wasn't getting to the coil and further trouble shooting was required. Then he calls back later and states that it was the coil but they had found something else. Here is the invoice I got as I picked up the car.
Notes: MIL Flashing
Inspected and confirmed condition.
Scanned PCM and retrieved PO307, PO411, P1469, AND PO1484. All codes other than the PO307 have been in the system a long time.
Customer requested diag. on flashing check engine light.
Inspected ignition components and found vehicle in need of maint tune-up, also rec one coil.
Once maint was caught up, continued testing and found the left hand sub harness melted. Removed and repaired harness.
Reassembled with original coil and misfire is gone, however recommend replacing coil. Possible reason for melted harness.
Replaced coild again. Road tested the vehicle to verify performance.
Parts replaced:
8 spark plugs $73.12
1 ignition coil $91.98
Air filter $21.38
Fuel Filter $24.78
Small shrink tubing $7.32
LABOR $582.40
I couldn't pick up the car until the weekend because my wife is disabled. She drove the car back and I asked her how it was running. She said OK. I started the car up the next morning and I knew that the problem hadn't been fixed. I drove it around and pretty soon the check engine light began flashing the same way it had before. It is now back at the shop.
I need help desperately so that I can get her back in running condition. I have owned the car for 5 years now and never had any major problems; it ran like a dream for all those years and I truly love this car. I have encountered the normal problems like the blend door actuator and the air-bag problem. I replaced the bags with the struts because when the leak developed, I was stuck out of town and at the mercy of the local lincoln dealership who told me that all four bags needed replacing, etc. You all know what that would have cost me. Thanks to all of you, I knew about the strut replacement and went that route. I knew all about these problems before I bought the car because of this site but also knew that owners raced them and that the engine was very strong and durable. I have all the normal maintenance performed at scheduled intervals. I want to be driving this car 10 years from now and know that it is capable of doing it.
I will continue to do the research on the rough idle problem from the forums but any additional help would be sincerely appreciated.