F150 Ignition Coil Removal

by Dustin Thornton
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An ignition coil is responsible for transforming the power from your car or truck's 12 volt battery into sufficient power to fire the spark plugs. Bad ignition coils can lead to cylinder misfires and a loss of power. Whether your Ford F150 truck has a 4.2L, 4.6L or 5.4L engine, you can remove the ignition coils in an F150 for testing or replacement yourself. This process requires some basic hand tools and a foundational knowledge of mechanical engines.

4.2L V6 Engine

Step 1

Park the F150, shut off the engine and open the hood.

Step 2

Put on safety glasses and disconnect the negative battery cable using a wrench or ratchet.

Step 3

Locate the ignition coil pack on the top of the engine. The 4.2L engine has a coil pack with three pairs of ignition coils.

Step 4

Label each spark plug wire with a small piece of masking tape and permanent marker. Since spark plug wires must connect in a specific order, this makes reassembly easier.

Step 5

Press the tab on the electrical connector and disconnect it from the coil pack.

Step 6

Pull up and twist each of the six spark plug wires to disconnect them from the six terminals on the top of the ignition coil.

Step 7

Remove the accelerator cable bolt from the coil bracket using a wrench or ratchet.

Step 8

Remove the two ignition coil pack retaining bolts using a wrench or ratchet.

Step 9

Lift the coil pack off the engine to remove it.

4.6L V8 Engine

Step 1

Park the F150, shut off the engine and open the hood.

Step 2

Put on safety glasses and disconnect the negative battery cable using a wrench or ratchet.

Step 3

Locate the left ignition coil pack; there are two ignition coil packs, one for each bank of cylinders. Each coil pack contains two pairs of ignition coils.

Step 4

Label each spark plug wire on the ignition coil pack with a small piece of masking tape and permanent marker. Since spark plug wires must connect in a specific order, this makes reassembly easier.

Step 5

Press the tab on the electrical connector at the base of the coil pack and remove the cable.

Step 6

Squeeze the retaining tabs on the spark plug wires and disconnect each from the coil pack. Four spark plug wires connect to each coil pack.

Step 7

Remove the four ignition coil pack retaining bolts using a wrench or ratchet.

Step 8

Lift each coil pack away from the engine to remove it.

Step 9

Repeat the process for the right ignition coil pack.

5.4L V8 Engine

Step 1

Park the F150, shut off the engine and open the hood.

Step 2

Put on safety glasses and disconnect the negative battery cable using a wrench or ratchet.

Step 3

Locate the ignition coils along the top of the engine. The 5.4L engine has eight separate ignition coil units, one for each spark plug.

Step 4

Remove the electrical connector from the top of the ignition coil that you wish to remove.

Step 5

Remove the retaining screw securing the select ignition coil to the top of the engine using a wrench or ratchet.

Step 6

Grab the ignition coil and lift it straight out of the engine.

Step 7

Repeat this process for all eight ignition coils.

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