Water in Coils

[nghtshd88]

Got a misfire and saw that my passenger side coils were wet. I have zero leaks from the cowl/windshield seal or wiper seals and washer nozzles/hoses.

I realized that under the cowl where the airbox meets there is another foam seal? It looks to be missing and water can just pour onto the back wire by the coils. It is right under the gills on the cowl above the air box. You can see the where the foam was from the pic on the inside of the engine bay.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

What about the hood to cowl seal?

 

[AmsterDutch]

Got a misfire and saw that my passenger side coils were wet. I have zero leaks from the cowl/windshield seal or wiper seals and washer nozzles/hoses.

I realized that under the cowl where the airbox meets there is another foam seal? It looks to be missing and water can just pour onto the back wire by the coils. It is right under the gills on the cowl above the air box. You can see the where the foam was from the pic on the inside of the engine bay.View attachment 828572480 View attachment 828572481

I'm not seeing it having trouble getting a good look at what you're talking about ...more pics of a larger area would be cool ...this could be concerning for anyone who suffers the same situation ...thanks for posting ...should be easy to remedy this issue ...keep us posted what you plan to do for the fix....thanks nightshade

 

[nghtshd88]

Hood to cowl seal is in great shape. I developed this with the coil cover on. Probably a great idea to replace the passenger side cover when doing COP's and VCG's since the seal on the cover obviously dried out and let just enough water in. Basically if you took a flashlight and shined it through this hole or the gills on the cowl you would see straight through. Water hits the two black hoses coming out the fire wall then drops around the cover and wire that goes to the coils.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

Probably a great idea to replace the passenger side cover when doing COP's and VCG's since the seal on the cover obviously dried out and let just enough water in.

Unfortunately that's not how it works... unless you have a unique problem.

However the water is managing to get in past the cowl... it drips on the wiring harness for the passenger side coils... and migrates through the harness and under the coil cover.

Even if you were to silicone the coil cover and the harness entry point... water would still migrate through the harness.

Ford has a Technical Service Bulletin for this issue... but it is related to a bad wiper arm cowl seal.

Everybody has a preference... and mine is to run with the coil covers off... and I have done so for the last 145k miles, (out of 220k). Only ever had one issue... and that was due to some semi deep water at highway speed... and it only lasted for about a minute.

 

[AmsterDutch]

Unfortunately that's not how it works... unless you have a unique problem.

However the water is managing to get in past the cowl... it drips on the wiring harness for the passenger side coils... and migrates through the harness and under the coil cover.

Even if you were to silicone the coil cover and the harness entry point... water would still migrate through the harness.

Ford has a Technical Service Bulletin for this issue... but it is related to a bad wiper arm cowl seal.

Everybody has a preference... and mine is to run with the coil covers off... and I have done so for the last 145k miles, (out of 220k). Only ever had one issue... and that was due to some semi deep water at highway speed... and it only lasted for about a minute.

I thought the WorkShop manual said that you should always apply a bead pf silicone sealant in the notch of the valve and/or coil cover? Won't this procedure keep the moisture out?

1. NOTE: Remove all dirt and moisture from the valve cover before applying silicone sealant.
   
   Lift up the wire harness and apply a 12.7 mm (0.5 in) bead of silicone sealant in the notch of the valve cover.

• 
  
  

1. Set the ignition coil harness in the bead of silicone sealant and apply enough additional sealant to surround the wire harness and notch.

• 
  
  

1. Install the ignition coil covers and the bolts.
   • Tighten to 5 Nm (44 lb-in).

 

[04_Sport_LS]

Not completely. If there's any kind of leak at the cowl on the passenger side... the water can sometimes get inside the actual wiring harness... and it will travel through it and under the coil cover.

The drivers side doesn't seem to have the same issue. At least as much anyway.

I suppose a person could work some of the silicone between the wires in the harness, and that would help... but it should probably be sprayed with brake clean first to get any residue off the wires.

The best fix is finding and fixing the cowl leak.