Thanks to Cerakote, headlight covers are crystal clear again. Supposed to stay clear for life. Not sure whose. Used Cerakote trim restorer on the front/rear vinyl. Figured I’d do the engine compartment too. Could only get to the #2 coil pack to make it shiny again yesterday with Cerakote. Also did the battery box, air cleaner & anything else. Seemed impossible for anything done yesterday would cause a misfire.

This morning got in the car & out on the road. Car starts running rough past 2k rpm & can see an intermittent CEL. Hmmm. Pulled codes: P1314 & a P302. Wasn't sure where cylinder was located But you know which one- made it easy to check out. Had it been the odd cylinders, would probably wait till warm Spring wx to check out.

Figured I’d just swap #2 & #6 coil packs. Didn’t have to. Why? Problem was immediately apparent. The #2 plug was almost covered with water. #4 & #6, not so much. Water?

Last month after changing fuel pump motor; transmission, transfer case, & differential fluids, and a bunch of other stuff; washed the engine & the car. Been washing engines for 40 years & never had a problem. Apparently this time, water seeped past the coil pack gaskets. Surprised it took a month before the #2 spark shorted to ground.

Fix? Pulled the coil packs & blew everything dry. Car now purrs like a 2004 Jaguar X-type Sport should. 106K miles. Someone asked today if it was new. lol.

Still need to change the plugs. Will be in the Spring. Anyone know what gaskets are required. Planning to pull the intake manifold.

 

Backhertz, walk into your local auto parts store, tell them you have an 04 Lincoln LS 3.0L engine and you need the upper and lower intake gaskets. Run you about $40. Technically, you don't need any, but we have also found after many heat cycles, how good the o-rings are going to reseal is a question. Do you need to replace the lowers? Probably not. But, it is a few more bolts and that way you have assurance that you won't develop a vacuum leak in the near future. The auto parts stores have the reference to the uppers for the Jaguar X-Type, but they don't have a listing for the lowers. That is why I just tell them that I have the Lincoln and they don't ask any questions. Exact same parts, just not jaguar listing.

 

Thanks Thermo. Been studying up on fuel trims along with P0171 (bank 1) & P0174 (bank 2 ) faults. One leaky gasket on either side, the way I’m thinking, wouldn’t trigger both codes on both banks whenever the weather turns cold. In either event will change all the gaskets when I change the plugs.

Don’t believe I’ve ever cleaned the MAF. Sprayed all the usual suspect vacuum lines with carb cleaner & water- no changes. But that’s the nature of intermittent problems.

Will start watching the fuel trims for now. Car otherwise runs like a top. Come springtime will change spark plugs, carefully inspect all the vacuum lines & clean up everything. Wanna know about fuel trims? YouTube has a number of videos on fuel trims. Schrodingers Box looks to be a good one.