V6 Plug lead/coils.
 

I'm getting my old plug leads off the front 3 plugs and noticed that the coils are arranged in a line of 3-1-5 as opposed to the bank of cylinders which is 1-3-5. I guess that it is something to do with lead length, resistance etc., but it did confuse me for a while! The caps were stuck pretty solid but patience and some rubber insulated wire around the top lip helped with "jiggling" them out! There were some bits of crumbled insulation (20 year old car) fell down the "tube" but my trusty vacuum hose attached to a short length of hose pipe managed to get it all out prior to removing the plugs. Hopefully my intermittent misfire is down to poor leads. More to follow when the new leads and plugs arrive.;)

Hi Mike,

Don't bank on it! I had the same symptoms six months ago. T4 identified no. 5 misfiring and it was the ignition coil failing. Eventually it gave up completely and the engine wouldn't start.

Simon

Thanks Simon. I have had a word with Trikey and it looks like I will be going to see him for a T4 and VIS check once I have the bits back on the car (parts en route!).;) I understand that if the ECU detects a misfire, it also cuts the fuel to that cylinder too?

New plugs and leads fitted. Problem solved. All sweet now. The plug caps and leads were dried out and brittle. Probably not changed in its 20 years! ;)

I hate to spoilt the euphoria Mike but that's exactly what I did. A couple of months later the misfiring started again. :o That's when the ignition coil failure was diagnosed. Keep your fingers crossed! ;)

Simon

Thanks, I think! ;)