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Thread: Question about bucking in the rain

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Question about bucking in the rain

    Greetings folks. My '04 MM started acting up for the first time ever the other day during a 20-ish mile highway run in very heavy rain, and I'm trying to narrow down the possible cause. It's got 195k clicks on it. Upgrades are a JLT cold air, BBK throttle body, Steeda underdrives (minus alt pulley), Lidio tune, and a JLT oil catch can.

    When accelerating moderately at highway speed (say from 110 km/h to 120 km/h) I started to experience a "bucking" sensation. As I said, this was in heavy rain. Not overly violent, and at a steady cruise it doesn't do it at all. On cruise control, it will do it a bit if you hold the accel button down. But if you just tap the accel button once, it doesn't do it. I don't think it's a transmission shudder, which I've experienced in my '94 CV. But you can feel it clearly in the throttle. The car itself doesn't seem to be affected - you just feel it in the throttle. I've read the term "cutting out", but I don't really know what that feels like.

    I've been researching the site, and it seems like the cops and plugs might be the most likely cause. I changed the plugs 4 or 5 years ago, but I believe the cops may be original. I've had the car since 45k clicks, and don't recall changing the cops. I've also read a few posts about the TPS, IAC, crank and cam sensors. It never stalls or even comes close, so I don't THINK it's the IAC. There is a bit of roughness to the idle, but nothing major.

    So I'm looking for any input at all as to whether I'm on the right track here thinking it's the cops and/or plugs. I suspect the heavy rain allowed water into an area that has degraded with time and mileage. I have been working from home due to covid, so my daily 45 mile commute to work has not happened all summer. Although I drive it often, I haven't been commuting with it much. Perhaps that is a factor as well? Also, I have driven it in dry weather since the big rain and it is still "bucking" at highway speeds. Also, it doesn't seem to affect heavy throttle, although the power may be down a bit.

    Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
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    I only had that problem once and it was raining really really hard in the car with buck I was actually the trash control turning on and off when she would see the light come on the dash. Driving in heavy rain you really shouldn’t use a cruise control anyway. My other Marauder without the supercharger on it with buck and dry climate with the torque converter locked up in fourth gear, slowing down and really lugging the engine down really low RPM it would Bockman, once I shut off overdrive you would read the engine up higher and stop barking. That ended up being one bad coil. American muscle cells the coils and they are about $300 US. I found some really cheap coils to use as testing tools to rule Out wiring issues. I was able to purchase eight made in China coils for $30 shipped and that fix the problem
    The twins2.3 whipple/aluminatorVortech V-2 lots of goodies

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  3. #3
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    I really love talk to text, it makes things interesting
    The twins2.3 whipple/aluminatorVortech V-2 lots of goodies

    Current marauders
    04 DTR totaled JUST NOW starting to part out 7-21-2021 https://youtu.be/REUxjP1BVpg

    04 Silver Birch Dark Charcoal Hardtop Whipple Supercharger
    04 Silver Birch Dark Charcoal Hardtop V2 Supercharger
    04 Silver Birch Dark Charcoal Converted
    03 DBP Light Flint #122
    03 DBP Dark Charcoal #232
    03 Silver Birch 300b Light Flint Going to fix er up
    03 Black 300a
    04 Silver Birch Dark Charcoal moonroof in the works

    04 Heaton Swapped DTR
    Joe's Wrecked DTR rebuild thread

  4. #4
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    it sounds like a bad coil(cop), and could be mistaken for partial throttle transmission shutter.
    2003 Black - sold, back again, and sold
    2003 DBP/DC - #153 Whipple 3.4 (permanent garage art)
    2003 DBP/LF - # 36 (Sold)
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    2004 Black - Trilogy #43
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Turbov6Bryan View Post
    I really love talk to text, it makes things interesting
    I just chalked it up to day drinking.
    You "feel" the difference because you want to "feel" the difference. Since you just spent money on the upgrade you "have" to feel the difference

    I'm looking to eliminate the double pump process I have to follow right now to get the pedal hard

    2004 300A Procharger #0010 D1X
    2003 300A Procharger #0017 D1SC (SOLD. Last I heard, it was in Washington State)

  6. #6
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    Dupe..................

    WLB
    BB#1) 1996 ImpalaSS - 16,500 miles - 100% stock
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Turbov6Bryan View Post
    I only had that problem once and it was raining really really hard in the car with buck I was actually the trash control turning on and off when she would see the light come on the dash. Driving in heavy rain you really shouldn’t use a cruise control anyway. My other Marauder without the supercharger on it with buck and dry climate with the torque converter locked up in fourth gear, slowing down and really lugging the engine down really low RPM it would Bockman, once I shut off overdrive you would read the engine up higher and stop barking. That ended up being one bad coil. American muscle cells the coils and they are about $300 US. I found some really cheap coils to use as testing tools to rule Out wiring issues. I was able to purchase eight made in China coils for $30 shipped and that fix the problem

    Bwahahahaha!!! Whatcha drinking my friend?!? Please share!!!

    WLB
    BB#1) 1996 ImpalaSS - 16,500 miles - 100% stock
    ______________________________ ___________

    BB#2) 2003 Marauder (300a) - 34k miles - Daily Driver
    #2912 of 7093
    Conceived 8/6/2002
    Delivered 9/19/2002
    Adopted 8/10/2011
    Trilogy 242 - Self Installed 9/9/12 (0-60 5.5 sec)
    Pioneer 6x8 Front
    Legacy 600w 6x9 Rears
    JL 6.5 SubWoofer
    K&N CAI
    Window tint 50% rear/35% front
    FBM CHMSL with Strobe mod 7/1/12
    DR Deep Aluminum Trans Pan
    Sparta FOMOCO Racing 8.8 Girdle
    Mo's Dyno Tune
    Gorilla Nuts - The System
    Ford Racing 4.10s, 31 spline Cobra carrier & axles 7/1/12
    Powder Coat Axle Housing 7/1/12
    CME HP Rear Control Arms & Watts Link 7/1/12
    ______________________________ ________________

    Rex "SC Cheesehead" Weinbender 11-14-13
    Ed "Baaad GN" Linthicum 8-6-2014

  8. #8
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    The problem is your driving a Marauder in the rain..


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    SOLD 12/31/2021

    Cobra short block / ProCharger F1-A / Cog drive upgrade / Manley valves / Brian Tooley Racing valve springs / 80# inj. / -8 fuel line / -6 return / Aeromotive 340 pumps and regulator / 2012 GT500 TR6060 six speed / twin disc clutch / Driveshaft Shop GT500 upgraded CV joint shaft / BA5000 blow thru MAF/ 4.10's / Ford Racing 31 spline set up and Girdle / Metco D.S. safety loop / Stainless Works headers, cats, and everything else out back / ClassGlass hood / Bob's hood strut mod / Hurst line lock / Metco control arms / Addco front and rear sway bars / Monroe severe duty shocks all around / Race concepts rotors / Badgeless grille / 35% tint / FBM's interior LED kit and ambient lighting kit / Pioneer FB700 deck / kenwood speaker 4 Ch. / Rockford Fosgate 10" sub and amp / Kicker 6 X 8's all around / back up cam / bluetooth / Pioneer Xm / 704 RWHP 603 RWTQ tuned by Mo's Speedshop.

  9. #9
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    So, just a follow up, for anyone who is interested. I ended up purchasing new COPs from MSD (comparable quality to Ford, half the price) and a set of new plugs.

    I found no water in any of the wells, and the plugs all had normal wear and colouring for their mileage. Most of the COPs looked okay as well, except for 2. The rearmost COP on each bank had a bunch of white, chalky residue all around them where they sat in/on the wells. The residue didn't extend down any further than about an inch. But that tells me there was water intrusion in those 2 points. It was that white, flaky corrosion you get on exposed aluminum. So it seems that water was getting in at the rear of each head where the COP wiring bundle comes in.

    I cleaned up all the white corrosion, used the normal amount of dielectric grease on the boots at the plug ends, and applied the dielectric grease on the rubber gasket all around the underside of the COP cover (mine are Ford Motorsport covers, because they're pretty). I test drove it for a while, and the problem appears to have gone away. No more bucking, and the idle has smoothed out a bit.

    So, another example of what happens when your COPs get wet. I never used grease on the COP covers when I first installed them...lesson learned.

    And to justbob - I agree. Normally I don't take it out in the rain, but sometimes it just happens. It's actually good that I did, or I wouldn't have found the water intrusion at the COPs. It had been like that for a while, I suspect.

    Anyway, thanks to all for the input!

  10. #10
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    MSD is not comparable to Motorcraft besides looks.

    There has been plenty of early failures on those and Accel, some being right out of the box. Not even gonna mention the knock offs.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    SOLD 12/31/2021

    Cobra short block / ProCharger F1-A / Cog drive upgrade / Manley valves / Brian Tooley Racing valve springs / 80# inj. / -8 fuel line / -6 return / Aeromotive 340 pumps and regulator / 2012 GT500 TR6060 six speed / twin disc clutch / Driveshaft Shop GT500 upgraded CV joint shaft / BA5000 blow thru MAF/ 4.10's / Ford Racing 31 spline set up and Girdle / Metco D.S. safety loop / Stainless Works headers, cats, and everything else out back / ClassGlass hood / Bob's hood strut mod / Hurst line lock / Metco control arms / Addco front and rear sway bars / Monroe severe duty shocks all around / Race concepts rotors / Badgeless grille / 35% tint / FBM's interior LED kit and ambient lighting kit / Pioneer FB700 deck / kenwood speaker 4 Ch. / Rockford Fosgate 10" sub and amp / Kicker 6 X 8's all around / back up cam / bluetooth / Pioneer Xm / 704 RWHP 603 RWTQ tuned by Mo's Speedshop.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by justbob View Post
    MSD is not comparable to Motorcraft besides looks.

    There has been plenty of early failures on those and Accel, some being right out of the box. Not even gonna mention the knock offs.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Yeah I'm sorry but ever since I had a MSD ignition coil die on my bronco after 5000 miles I really question MSD quality. Bob is right, aftermarket COPs for Fords are always a major crapshoot. Granatellis are also on the "avoid" list.


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  12. #12
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    Motorcraft for COPs. Seriously. Look up threads from the past (which is hard to do, i know,) but never heard a complaint from anyone using Motorcraft
    2003 Trilogy Supercharged Marauder

  13. #13
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    Motorcraft COPs only. Get a set from Sparta (a supporting vendor!):
    http://spartaperformance.com/svt-4v-ignition-coil-set/

    WLB
    BB#1) 1996 ImpalaSS - 16,500 miles - 100% stock
    ______________________________ ___________

    BB#2) 2003 Marauder (300a) - 34k miles - Daily Driver
    #2912 of 7093
    Conceived 8/6/2002
    Delivered 9/19/2002
    Adopted 8/10/2011
    Trilogy 242 - Self Installed 9/9/12 (0-60 5.5 sec)
    Pioneer 6x8 Front
    Legacy 600w 6x9 Rears
    JL 6.5 SubWoofer
    K&N CAI
    Window tint 50% rear/35% front
    FBM CHMSL with Strobe mod 7/1/12
    DR Deep Aluminum Trans Pan
    Sparta FOMOCO Racing 8.8 Girdle
    Mo's Dyno Tune
    Gorilla Nuts - The System
    Ford Racing 4.10s, 31 spline Cobra carrier & axles 7/1/12
    Powder Coat Axle Housing 7/1/12
    CME HP Rear Control Arms & Watts Link 7/1/12
    ______________________________ ________________

    Rex "SC Cheesehead" Weinbender 11-14-13
    Ed "Baaad GN" Linthicum 8-6-2014

  14. #14
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    Yeah - that was my intention, but a crapload of big bills all came in at the same time, so it was strictly a money decision. I've had MSDs on a 2V in my '05 MGM for a few years and so far so good. But I realize it is a crapshoot.

  15. #15
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    Last time I had bucking on the Marauder, I just replaced the plugs. It's been fine since.

    As far as MSDs, never had a problem with them. However, for the longest time, I know on their site, they listed the SOHC coil for the Marauder so you had to pick the Mach 1 one to get the right one.
    2003 Mercury Marauder 300B (Daily Driver)
    1988 LTD Crown Victoria S

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