After replacing spark plugs car shakes a lot

Tiny
NATHAN JONES
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 FORD MUSTANG
  • 3.9L
  • VR6
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 144,000 MILES
I recently changed my spark plugs and, when I started my car it would shake a lot. Then when I finally put it in reverse and tried to drive it, the car would accelerate slowly and shake even more. What could I have done wrong?
Saturday, February 16th, 2019 AT 11:31 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,755 POSTS
Hi and thanks for using 2CarPros.

You may have crossed the wires and they are not going to the right cylinders. I attached a picture of cylinder location and the firing order. Make sure that is correct. The firing order is:
Firing Order 1-4-2-5-3-6

Also, did you gap the spark plugs prior to installing them? Are any of the spark plug wires laying on the exhaust manifold which may cause them to melt and arc?

If you feel confident that the order is correct and plug gap was correct, you may have damaged the plug wires when removing, they may not be all the way on, or you may have disconnected a vacuum supply component or something on the air tube, so check that too.

Let me know if this helps or if you have other questions.

Take care,
Joe
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Saturday, February 16th, 2019 AT 11:44 PM
Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
I agree with JakobandNicholas. I see plenty of people make the 456 mistake! 123, 465 is the correct routing for the wires on the coil. If you have done this, I apologize! Any additional diag would be mechanical, i.E. Valve train, bottom end.
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Sunday, February 17th, 2019 AT 10:28 PM

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