2003 F-250

[RichardT]

OK, I drive a 7.3 and 6.4. my new girls truck is an 2003 f-250. She called me and told me its running like crap. I know nothing about this truck except its a gas motor. it soundd fine when idling, but she said its real bad at 40mph. i opened the hood and i can't even see plug wires or anything. only thing i did see was the air filter disconnected. She did say they replaced something bout 6 months ago but only 1 or 2 of them. can't be the plugs they replaced. what else am i dealing with when it comes to this motor and its problems? not sure how many miles its got on it either. at lunch i was going to take it for a ride to see. anyone with ideals where i can start would be great. Where are the freakin plugs located? and how hard are they to change. I hear they are a B. and special tool is req'd.? any help will save me some time. otherwise its going to a real mechanic

[351fifty]

is it s v8 or v10? is it 4.6 or 5.4 if its an 8? and you have coil packs i think its called instead of the old school distributer, mite want to reconnect the air box btw

[RichardT]

ITS an v-8 yea going to reconnect that filter at lunch that was the first thing i noticed when i open the hood, Its an K & N . where are the coil packs located and how hard are they to change? Cost, etc.....

[mudfuel06]

Check the coil packs (COP's), clean the MAF and go from there. You may need to get it scanned to help chase down the problem. HAs the fuel filter ever been changed?

[mudfuel06]

COP's are located on top of the engine, just look for a plug running to them. They aren't that expensive, about $35 a pop.

[RichardT]

whats the MAF ?? where are the coil packs wheres the fuel filter? I know nothing about this gas o line engines I can do stuff to a diesel but........

[351fifty]

if you look at the exhaust manifold you will notice 4 wires on each side, those will be your spark plugs by the manifolds, trace the wire, each goes to a coil pack of its own, maf will be your mass air flow sensor, that should be in the tube of your intake, fuel filter should be in the frame rail under the door, its a big round silver thing with fuel line connected on both sides, will be labeled with a yellow tag says "fuel" on the line, iirc, ive done this on an 00 excursion with a v10 tho, should be about the same

[RichardT]

THANKS gives me a start. so i'm guessing these cops are a common problem? and relatively easy to change?

[351fifty]

they usually last bout 100k, my dads ex still has them at over 200k, just gets bad fuel economy, they are pretty good design, just diesel is better lol

[RichardT]

she telling me they have been changed before or some of them. and the fuel filter. and it did this about 6 mths ago and she paid a shop to change 1 r 2 of them. If i get its scanned will it tell me which ones? or should they all be changed? I'm just no aware of these things. my diesel don't have such things or amny problems i can't correct. She doesn't have or make a lot of money so I'm trying to help her. she said they charged her $500 last time. How hard are the plugs to change, The filter seems like my diesel filter. A pain but do-able