HELP! CEL Flashing...

[WINSTON]

My CEL is flashing and when I started the car this morning, it had a muscle car type idle and funny smelling exhaust.

I replaced all the coils, plugs, and the two rear O2 sensors in late August.

I only drove the car a half mile before turning around. Trying to do some digging on here but all the information points to a misfire and bad coils. I don't think that is the problem as everything was replaced in August.

It did snow here on the East coast about 18" and with my car lowered, the exhaust was scraping and with all the salt on the roads, I am wondering if my O2 sensors need to be cleaned. Or maybe my catalytic converter is going?

Have not pulled the codes but any insight is appreciated.

 

[joegr]

You can think what you want to, but that light only flashes for one reason: Misfire.
You have misfires on one or more cylinders. If you continue to drive it, your cats will be ruined.
Also, just because you replaced the coils yesterday, it doesn't mean that the new one(s) didn't fail today.
Did you use OEM coils and plugs? (As bad as the OEM coils are, the aftermarket are even worse.)
Bad O2 sensors will not cause misfires.

 

[WINSTON]

Thanks. Yeah I used OEM coils and plugs.

If my mechanic is about 30 miles away on highway driving....in your opinion, think it will be ok to drive or should i take the precaution and get it towed?

 

[tireman]

get the trouble codes

Get the trouble codes,,,what are they? tell us more of what the problem is? year of car, engine, symptoms, etc.........

 

[joegr]

Thanks. Yeah I used OEM coils and plugs.

If my mechanic is about 30 miles away on highway driving....in your opinion, think it will be ok to drive or should i take the precaution and get it towed?

I wouldn't go 30 miles with the light flashing.

 

[LoSo]

Hate to bring back such an old thread, but i've had a misfire for a while now and just seen the flashing CEL for the 1st time a week ago. I planned on replacing coils and plugs when taxes get in (about a week or two) I didn't know the misfire would ruing the cats. I have to drive the LS since its my only means of transportation to work. The car continues to miss pretty bad, any advice and what would point to ruined cats?

 

[LS4me]

Hate to bring back such an old thread, but i've had a misfire for a while now and just seen the flashing CEL for the 1st time a week ago. I planned on replacing coils and plugs when taxes get in (about a week or two) I didn't know the misfire would ruing the cats. I have to drive the LS since its my only means of transportation to work. The car continues to miss pretty bad, any advice and what would point to ruined cats?

If you're driving with a flashing light and a misfire you ARE killing at least one cat. The one on the side of the misfire will be killed; the other would be fine unless you have a misfire on both banks. I made the mistake of driving ~90 miles with a misfire. That killed the cat. You will need money for at least one cat as well as the dead coil(s).

 

[LoSo]

I only drove about 4-5 miles with the CEL flashing, now it's just steady on. But I can feel it miss when it idles, so i'm sure atleast one will need replaced.

 

[LeaSr77]

I just had this done on Thursday. I had the VCG replaced for the second time. The first time, I didn't replaced any coils as of that time I didn't have any misfiring going on. Well after coming back from a six month deployment, the car was misfiring a little and the CEL came on blinking. Took it to Firestone to have the codes ran since AutoZone claim their stupid machine wouldn't read the codes unless the light was actually on. So I take it to Firestone and come to find out two coils were bad and the VCG had started to leak again. Talking about somebody pissed off. So I said F it, had everything replaced, gaskets, coils, plugs, fuel filter and cabin filter. Take it home that night and the CEL came back on and it was still hesitating a little especially at idle. Took it back on Friday, and they fixed it. I forgot what this thing was that he replaced but there's no more hesitation and the car is running strong like a new car. I will try to find out what it was and post on here because I'm quite sure it could be something that has gone bad on other people cars' as well.

 

[Alax7]

I think I killed one of my cats by driving with misfires for about a month total, prob did some damage to the other but it's holding up. I had no other car and had to drive it but couldn't dish out the 850 the dealer wanted to charge. My poor ls. I spoil her now and jump on anything problems asap.

I've read it a lot on here that if you're going to change some, just to change them all cause they'll go soon. @ went out on mine first then another until I finally replaced those 3. A week later another went out so I just replaced the rest and a week after that the computer went.

 

[LoSo]

Yea I plan on replacing all the coils and plugs, but gonna wait on the VCGs for now. If you do find out the info on that hesitation please share! I've def get that after about 45 MPH.

 

[jt351]

I just had this done on Thursday. I had the VCG replaced for the second time. The first time, I didn't replaced any coils as of that time I didn't have any misfiring going on. Well after coming back from a six month deployment, the car was misfiring a little and the CEL came on blinking. Took it to Firestone to have the codes ran since AutoZone claim their stupid machine wouldn't read the codes unless the light was actually on. So I take it to Firestone and come to find out two coils were bad and the VCG had started to leak again. Talking about somebody pissed off. So I said F it, had everything replaced, gaskets, coils, plugs, fuel filter and cabin filter. Take it home that night and the CEL came back on and it was still hesitating a little especially at idle. Took it back on Friday, and they fixed it. I forgot what this thing was that he replaced but there's no more hesitation and the car is running strong like a new car. I will try to find out what it was and post on here because I'm quite sure it could be something that has gone bad on other people cars' as well.

Just curious how much did they charge you for that?

 

[joegr]

Yea I plan on replacing all the coils and plugs, but gonna wait on the VCGs for now. If you do find out the info on that hesitation please share! I've def get that after about 45 MPH.

If your gaskets are leaking, then it is a waste to replace the coils and plugs. The oil will just kill the new ones too. If they aren't leaking, then there is no reason to plan to replace them.

What year is your LS. 2003 to 2005 are covered to 100K miles for coils.
2003 is also covered to 100K miles for VCG leaks.

 

[LoSo]

Doesn't oil in the coils represent leaky VCGs? I mean what else would cause the miss and coil failure. Na I have a 00 V8. I don't see why all LS's aren't covered up to 100k . I mean it's not just gen2s that have this problem (obviously) I would be in good shape seeing i'm just at 85k. And how hard on a scale of 1-10 would the VCGs be? Coils and plugs don't seem hard at all.

 

[LS4me]

Doesn't oil in the coils represent leaky VCGs? I mean what else would cause the miss and coil failure. Na I have a 00 V8. I don't see why all LS's aren't covered up to 100k . I mean it's not just gen2s that have this problem (obviously) I would be in good shape seeing i'm just at 85k. And how hard on a scale of 1-10 would the VCGs be? Coils and plugs don't seem hard at all.

The affected LSes are 2000 to early 2004. After that the updated gaskets were used. The problem was corrected in 2003 but some old gaskets were still in the system.

 

[BrklynExpress]

2005's don't have coil issues??

My CEL is on and its throwing a bad ETC code. Mechanic says it's def the throttle body, but I want to take it into a dealer for the coil warranty. I have an 05

 

[LoSo]

The affected LSes are 2000 to early 2004. After that the updated gaskets were used. The problem was corrected in 2003 but some old gaskets were still in the system.

And makes me wonder further as to why they just replace VCGs and coils from 03+. Very irritating.

 

[joegr]

Doesn't oil in the coils represent leaky VCGs? I mean what else would cause the miss and coil failure. Na I have a 00 V8. I don't see why all LS's aren't covered up to 100k . I mean it's not just gen2s that have this problem (obviously) I would be in good shape seeing i'm just at 85k. And how hard on a scale of 1-10 would the VCGs be? Coils and plugs don't seem hard at all.

The coils mostly fail due to an internal defect with the epoxy. External oil doesn't help, but it's not actually the main cause of failure. Gen 2 gaskets rarely leak, but coils still often fail.

 

[joegr]

2005's don't have coil issues??

My CEL is on and its throwing a bad ETC code. Mechanic says it's def the throttle body, but I want to take it into a dealer for the coil warranty. I have an 05

Yes, of course 05's have coil issues. Take it in for the extended coil warranty. On an 05, the problem is much, much more likely to be coils than it is the throttle body.

 

[joegr]

And makes me wonder further as to why they just replace VCGs and coils from 03+. Very irritating.

They only replace the VCGs on 03's. The 04's and 05's are only covered for coils.

 

[gcwimmer]

My 04 as part of the extended warrant, coverage for water leakage due to a faulty wiper motor bracket seal, they will replace the gasket, coil covers gasket, coil, and spark plugs.

 

[jt351]

The real issue I see is age, gen 2's are just plain newer, gen 1's now are already 10 years old, give it time I'm sure they will leak in time.

 

[gcwimmer]

The real issue I see is age, gen 2's are just plain newer, gen 1's now are already 10 years old, give it time I'm sure they will leak in time.

Ford changed the coil cover gaskets starting with the 2nd gen has a lot to do with not as many leaks.

 

[joegr]

Ford changed the coil cover gaskets starting with the 2nd gen has a lot to do with not as many leaks.

Yes, of course they may leak eventually, but eventually should now be well past 100K miles. I remember in the 70s that you were doing good to make it to 50K miles before having to replace the cork type valve cover gaskets.
I'm somewhere over 110K on my 04, and no valve cover leaks. However, about 10/20K miles ago the O-ring on the right side VCT solenoid valve started leaking slightly. I replaced that one. Now I see that the left side one is starting to seep oil a little bit.