Spark Plug Wires Not Made For My Cougar???

[zeteckat]

I am trying to get some new wires for my cougar. I've been in 4 automotive shops including the dealership. Nobody can locate the correct wires needed.

In every store I ask for cougar wires, 2.0 4 cylinder, and none of them will fit. The wires that come up have clips for the coil pack. The wires I'm needing have boots. So I ask for Ford Contour wires for the 2.0L. They have boots for the coil pack and the spark plug boots look great. Only problem is that every set I try to buy is too short!!! Am I just screwed? I even went to the dealer and the wires that come up are wires with clips for the coil pack. It's like I had a ford contour coil pack in my cougar.

Do your wires that run to your coil pack have the hard plastic clip connections or are they the snap on boots like mine? I really need new wires but, I'm not sure if I will find what I'm needing. Anyone else come across this?

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

you might try a set for a ~03 focus. IIRC they also had the boots instead of the clips for the coil pack end.

[GTownCougar]

Or just replace the coil pack along with the wires. Can't hurt to know everything is good.

[zeteckat]

I don't think I'm going to spend money a replace my coil pack when it works just fine. It is the coil pack that came from the factory. You think Ford would be able to get me the correct part. :rolleyes:

[CincyZetec]

i got a new coil pack and wires from zxtuner.com for a total of like $120. i ended up getting a lot better fuel economy after i installed them. went from an average of like 25-30mpg on the highway to nearly 45. well worth it in my mind. i'd do it again in a heart beat. i'd recommend getting them both.

[99mcougar]

Why not try your local Ford Parts Store. They should have some, or ba bale to order some in.

Doh just re-read the FIRST line, yeah thats weird dude did you try online or Bill Jenkins?

[iceberg65]

the first time i tried to get em they were the wrong ones too. I started at canadian tire, so then i went to somewhere that has actual knowledge of cars. (ford) and they had the right ones.

[zeteckat]

Not going to change my coil pack. It's only 20,000 miles old. I may try a different ford dealer. Thanks for all of the replies!

[2C0UGAR00]

Alot of of auto stores don't carry the 2.0 i had to get mine from a contour or the focus and mine came from like oreillys and if you show them that they don't fit they should come out with you and try a pack till it does fit.

[brapple]

if you need wire that don't have clips try getting focus wires as the contour wires all have retaining clips on the plug wires ...

reference from BAT catolog

[AngelSpirit]

I have spark plug wires FORD RACING for Zetec new in their box if you want..
They don't fit on my "Euro" Cougar :facepalm:

[zeteckat]

Thanks for all of the help. I went and bought the bosch mag core wires for $25. Fit great. I did have to ask for a 2000 Ford Contour.

[GTownCougar]

I have spark plug wires FORD RACING for Zetec new in their box if you want..

How much you want for them?

[AngelSpirit]

How much you want for them?

I've just looked for shipping :eek::eek:
Even if you just pay the shipping it's 40-50$ :eek:

[GTownCougar]

haha, I didnt notice you were on the other side of the pond. Thanks for checking on it tho.

[justalfe1]

oh and 45 mpg on the i4 cougar seems unreal.

[GTownCougar]

Agreed, with my 17's, and intake I'm happy if I can get 32ish on the highway.

[justalfe1]

lo;

[Yofavcracka]

BTW, if you have the coilpack that the wires just push down onto (i had and hated it, the wires would slip off eventually) just tear off the stupid plastic retainer things on the wires and then use them. thats what i had to do a few times.

[JAMallott]

You have a really early 99 Cougar, don't you. My old I4 was, and it had the same kind of wires your car has, and I also had the same problem you are having. I ended up switching coil packs.

[zeteckat]

I bought the car in May of 00' I think it was build in Nov. of 99'. This coil pack has been a complete *****. At least I found a set of wires that fit. Now I have to fix that leaky valve cover. I'm going to get 200,000 out of this car if it kills me, lol.

[GTownCougar]

lol valve cover gasket is next on my list also...leaking pretty bad

[zeteckat]

I tell you what. I went out a bought a valve cover gasket. I think it runs around $25 at the dealer. Anyway, I installed it about a month ago. Starting leaking within a week. I torqued all the bolts in a cross pattern ect. Oil has started to fill around the spark plugs. Really a pain since I had to change them last week. Did alot of soaking with paper towels and blowing with compressed air. Tomorrow I'm going to try some Hi-Temp Gasket maker designed for valve covers in combination with the new gasket. I plan on using a very small amount and hoping this will stop any leaks. Let me know how yours works out for you after you change it.

[GTownCougar]

Both surfaces were 100% clean of old gasket and everything before installing the new gasket and it still leaked?

[zeteckat]

Yep. Everything was perfectly clean and I still have some leakage. :eek:

[GTownCougar]

That really sucks, wonder why it would do that? Hopefully mine wont be that way, prob go to the dealership tomorrow, so should have it installed in the next week or so. I'll keep ya updated

[GTownCougar]

Changed the gasket today, was surprised at how clean everything was and the old gasket wasnt in that bad of shape. Let it run prob 10-15 minutes and didnt seem to leak, hopefully no problems tomorow when i drive it. I'll be keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesnt leak in a week or so like you say yours did.

EDIT- new gasket at dealership was $14.**. I was happy

[zeteckat]

$14. You got a good price. Mine cost me $24. Anyway, last weekend I put on some high temp gasket maker for valve covers. I put a small bead and smoothed it out. I cleaned all surfaces/gasket prior to doing this. I ran it for a couple of days and checked it. No leaks yet. I'll check again this weekend and report back. Hopefully you do not run into the same thing that happened to me. Later