Car Shudders

[RichardP]

Up in 4th gear when I go to accelerate, The car shutters(under load I guess would be the right definition). Sometimes I also hear a clicking in the Instrument Panel area. The car sometimes dies intermittently (luckily on on residential roads for some reason, not while driving highway) and the check engine light flashes when the car does die. The needle does some erratic moving around right after the engine cuts off. Could this Indeed be a fouled spark plug, fuel filter, or Worse?!:shake: (Note: the engine does not always die when the car shutters only intermittently usually when least expecting)

[RF Overlord]

If you're talking about shuddering, try this test:

While it's happening, hold your foot steady on the gas and with your other foot GENTLY tap the brake pedal, just enough to turn on the brake lights. If the shuddering stops immediately, you have the infamous torque converter clutch shudder and changing the ATF will fix it. Otherwise, you may have a bad COP, or a bad DPFE.

[RichardP]

If you're talking about shuddering, try this test:

While it's happening, hold your foot steady on the gas and with your other foot GENTLY tap the brake pedal, just enough to turn on the brake lights. If the shuddering stops immediately, you have the infamous torque converter clutch shudder and changing the ATF will fix it. Otherwise, you may have a bad COP, or a bad DPFE.

OK will do.

[RichardP]

I tried it and the shuddering did not stop. I feel like an idiot but what is COP, or DPFE?

[CBT]

I have to ask. Do you work for NASA?

[RichardP]

I have to ask. Do you work for NASA?

Yes, I'm an AE intern @ Goddard Space Flight Center. You wouldn't know it by some of the dumb questions I ask on here though.

[CBT]

Yes, I'm an AE intern @ Goddard Space Flight Center. You wouldn't know it by some of the dumb questions I ask on here though.

:D Saved me from saying it.
Okay, back to your question. Pop the hood. On top of your valve covers are coil covers, one per side. Two bolts hold them on. Under them are your COP's, or coils as most people call them. Marauders have 8, four on each side. They "plug" onto the top of your spark plugs. Hope this helps. If not, shoot me a PM and I'll give you my number and I'll walk you thru it over the phone.

[marauder410]

COP ra ethe things that sit on top of your spark plugs you have one for each cylinder so you will have 8.

you have 4 on each side all you need to do is take off the coil covers little covers on top of each side, held on by 2 bolts and you will see them.

they go bad ALL the time unless you get the good motorcraft ones, but i went with the ACCEL ones and people say alot of bad things about these but ive have in my car for over a year now and not one has went bad YET knock on wood.

but this is a fairly cheap fix if you have good amount of milage on your car and i would consider replacing ALL 8 at one time with BRAND NEW ones

spata performance is a vendor here that sell for them for really good price and there the good motorcraft one or ebay. if that little to expensive for you you could take a shot of the ACCEL or MSD ones.

so there you go COP 's

[RichardP]

:D Saved me from saying it.
Okay, back to your question. Pop the hood. On top of your valve covers are coil covers, one per side. Two bolts hold them on. Under them are your COP's, or coils as most people call them. Marauders have 8, four on each side. They "plug" onto the top of your spark plugs. Hope this helps. If not, shoot me a PM and I'll give you my number and I'll walk you thru it over the phone.

Will do, let me see what I can do with this bucket of bolts. Also..I got a Car show at Goddard tomorrow...gonna post pics to CAM Forum if your interested.

[RichardP]

COP ra ethe things that sit on top of your spark plugs you have one for each cylinder so you will have 8.

you have 4 on each side all you need to do is take off the coil covers little covers on top of each side, held on by 2 bolts and you will see them.

they go bad ALL the time unless you get the good motorcraft ones, but i went with the ACCEL ones and people say alot of bad things about these but ive have in my car for over a year now and not one has went bad YET knock on wood.

but this is a fairly cheap fix if you have good amount of milage on your car and i would consider replacing ALL 8 at one time with BRAND NEW ones

spata performance is a vendor here that sell for them for really good price and there the good motorcraft one or ebay. if that little to expensive for you you could take a shot of the ACCEL or MSD ones.

so there you go COP 's

Will do. When are we meeting up 410?

[CBT]

Will do, let me see what I can do with this bucket of bolts. Also..I got a Car show at Goddard tomorrow...gonna post pics to CAM Forum if your interested.
If you've never done this before, you may want to wait until after the car show. No sense taking stuff apart, car still runs.

[RF Overlord]

what is COP, or DPFE?As others explained, COP is Coil On Plug

DPFE is Differential Pressure Feedback EGR and is what controls the amount of EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) fed back into the intake. They can also cause symptoms like you're describing, but it's less likely. Unfortunately they are no longer separately replaceable so you have to get a whole new EGR valve.

[RichardP]

Just replaced the spark plugs, fixed the problem.

[IwantmyMMnow!]

Just replaced the spark plugs, fixed the problem.

What brand did you go with? I'm going to replace mine soon...TIA.

[mrjones]

What is the procedure for testing the COPs to determine if they need replacing? Replacing the whole set based on time or mileage could be pretty expensive, right?

[RichardP]

What is the procedure for testing the COPs to determine if they need replacing? Replacing the whole set based on time or mileage could be pretty expensive, right?
very...their like 90 bucks a piece.

[DOOM]

Damn! I missed a car show! :eek:

[cj7chris]

What is the procedure for testing the COPs to determine if they need replacing? Replacing the whole set based on time or mileage could be pretty expensive, right?

There is probably a machine that a shop might have to test COP's, but the "easy" way would be to buy 1 COP, and replace your current COP's one at a time until the misfire or shudder goes away. When it does, you know that you have found the problem COP. If you have more than one bad COP, the problem won't be as easy to identify.