Replacing ignition coils, what's this nut?

[Rochev]

2016 Caravan 3.6, 245k miles. Coil boots wouldn't come off. Soaked with PB blaster and still ripped apart. Problem is, between the coil springs and packs is a little fuse nut thing. With the utmost care, 3 of them still flew off into the night and I'll never find them. I ordered a new boot+spring set on rockauto but there's nothing about these nuts I can find anywhere. The springs don't reach the ignition coil (Hence the nut) and I can't just squash the end of the springs for contact.

 

[Trav]

That is a ceramic resistor, you may be able to get them seperate.

 

[doublebase]

They flew off into the night? So they fell outside of the vehicle while you were working on it or inside the engine bay?

If you have yourself a good flashlight and a magnet, you can search/reach inside the area you were working on and find stuff. Just drag that magnet down in around the exhaust heat shields, lower suspension, cradle. Oh it’s there (although I wouldn’t blame you for just ordering them, those are really small).

 

[Rochev]

Can't find them for sale alone, but yes the coil boots were fused to the coils and plugs, so a few broke free and flung somewhere. I will use my invaluable pen magnet and hope I get them

 

[Rochev]

Im just missing one now. However, I noticed one coil looks burnt. Would you reuse this or replace it? The plastic inside is mostly melted. Van ran fine before but this looks like a pending failure.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Personally, I'd replace it.

 

[Bitter]

100% would replace that coil, just avoid the McParts Store stuff as they're often worse than OEM Ford ignition coils. Stick with Denso, NTK, maybe Standard.

I'm going to be frank, if you're hunting misfires on a Dodge 3.6 with high miles you may be going down a path you won't like the end of. Some of the 3.6's have issues with burnt valves/burnt valve seats that sometimes end with the valve seat falling out of the cylinder head and destroying the engine. If I were you, I'd run a leakdown test on the cylinder you're seeing with misfires and the adjacent cylinders to gauge if you have something beyond an ignition misfire going on.

 

[Rochev]

Bitter, van runs great just doing regular maintenance as I didn't know when they were changed last. I never go to the parts stores. Rockauto had an OEM Bosch coil for $17, parts stores wanted around $50 for another brand.

Update: I had to replace all coil boots since someone didn't use grease on them and they all ripped apart. All but the new coil have somewhat different springs, they're a bit chubby in the middle whereas the OEM is just straight. They are the same exact length though. The replacement boots didn't seat fully until tightened down, the OEM one fit snug before tightening. Would you consider this an issue?

 

[Bitter]

Bitter, van runs great just doing regular maintenance as I didn't know when they were changed last. I never go to the parts stores. Rockauto had an OEM Bosch coil for $17, parts stores wanted around $50 for another brand.

Update: I had to replace all coil boots since someone didn't use grease on them and they all ripped apart. All but the new coil have somewhat different springs, they're a bit chubby in the middle whereas the OEM is just straight. They are the same exact length though. The replacement boots didn't seat fully until tightened down, the OEM one fit snug before tightening. Would you consider this an issue?

I don't think it'll be an issue, glad you're not chasing a misfire on that engine! They're known for some issues, the valve/seat burning is one. Rod bolt stretch is another one, but thankfully only crops up under heavier use like in Jeep's offroad or vehicles that tow. Other than the couple of potentially fatal issues they seem to be good engines.

 

[Rochev]

It's been good until now. Somehow I have a dead fuel injector on cylinder 1. It was full of fuel. Checked everything including wiring. Took everything off again and reassembled to make sure it was right. One step forward and two steps back as usual.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd be inclined to replace all six, especially if three had pieces which flew into the night as you said. The three on the left side of the engine aren't easily accessible, and the engine has 245K miles on it. I'd say they served you well and they're due for replacement. If I were planning on keeping it that's what I would do. Flame away.

While it was apart, with that many miles and a problem injector I'd box up all six injectors and send them off to @Trav for him to work his magic on them.

 

[vwmaniaman]

If you don't plan to keep this car I would try U-Pull-It. Get a set from there from a lower mileage vehicle.

 

[Kira]

Not an intended dopey question re these coils:
Because they stuck to the spark plug, these coils get pulled apart during removal?
The few I've touched just lifted out of their wells easily after removing the set screw.
Are these ceramic resisters balancing between the coil and the top of the plugs or is the coil "one piece"?
To put it another way, is there a missing piece of housing in the OP's first picture?

 

[Rochev]

It was a ceramic resistor separate from the coil as they just rest between the spring and coil. They do come apart when you pull them. The only issue I have right now is cylinder 1 is filling with fuel, with a P0201 code (injector circuit malfunction)

The boots were stuck because they weren't removed for a long time and had no grease. They were very brittle. Trying now to discern the difference between a 2017 Challenger and my 2016 GC with the same exact engine. Big price difference, slightly different part number but identical looking injectors.

 

[Bitter]

It was a ceramic resistor separate from the coil as they just rest between the spring and coil. They do come apart when you pull them. The only issue I have right now is cylinder 1 is filling with fuel, with a P0201 code (injector circuit malfunction)

The boots were stuck because they weren't removed for a long time and had no grease. They were very brittle. Trying now to discern the difference between a 2017 Challenger and my 2016 GC with the same exact engine. Big price difference, slightly different part number but identical looking injectors.

Cyl 1 is passenger side rear I believe so under/behind the intake manifold. If that code wasn't there before and that issue wasn't there before you're likely looking for a damaged section of wire harness to repair. Been there, seen that, fixed that, not that uncommon. Almost done it myself and seen someone else do it in the shop too (and had to fix it for him).

As far as injectors, I've always hard that there's no such thing as rebuilt. Rebuilt means they replaced/cleaned the inlet screen, checked that resistance was in spec, and made sure it hit minimum flow rate on an injector test machine.

 

[Rochev]

Cyl 1 is passenger side rear I believe so under/behind the intake manifold. If that code wasn't there before and that issue wasn't there before you're likely looking for a damaged section of wire harness to repair. Been there, seen that, fixed that, not that uncommon. Almost done it myself and seen someone else do it in the shop too (and had to fix it for him).

As far as injectors, I've always hard that there's no such thing as rebuilt. Rebuilt means they replaced/cleaned the inlet screen, checked that resistance was in spec, and made sure it hit minimum flow rate on an injector test machine.

I think you are correct, which adds to the confusion over the amount of "rebuilt/refurbished". As far as the wiring harness goes, I'll go through it again. Figures it was parked outside the garage in the sun and it's 94° again.

 

[Bitter]

I think you are correct, which adds to the confusion over the amount of "rebuilt/refurbished". As far as the wiring harness goes, I'll go through it again. Figures it was parked outside the garage in the sun and it's 94° again.

You have my sympathies. There *should* be a break away harness between the engine and PCM or between the main harness and injectors where you can probe the injectors to check short to ground which is what you'd be looking for since ground is what's switched to turn the injector on/off. Should be a pretty simple to confirm with a quick continuity check to ground with the PCM disconnected from the circuit. Should be no path to ground, maybe some resistance but it should be super high or essentially no path.

 

[Rochev]

Thanks Bitter. I went ahead and ordered all 6 OEM injectors. I swapped the injector with the one next to it but unfortunately no matter what, now the fuel rail will not go on lol. Just one thing after the other. Might just replace it all instead of picking at it here and there since it's my DD and we're having to share now.

 

[Bitter]

You MUST lube the orings with some silicone grease and yeah they're still a tight fit! Also the orings really really should be replaced when it's taken apart unless they're very new. Fuel leaks are bad.

 

[Rochev]

You MUST lube the orings with some silicone grease and yeah they're still a tight fit! Also the orings really really should be replaced when it's taken apart unless they're very new. Fuel leaks are bad.

Yep, all lubed up. I'll try again tonight just to see if cylinder 1 is still the issue which *should* rule out either the harness or injector.