Just replaced all my COP's...

[RMF1960]

Hi All,
Well, easy come, easy go... Just spent $870 to replace seven out of eight (did the first one in May) COP's. After replacing the #8 COP in May, I just had another one go bad this week.
Dealer told me it would be $410 to replace the new "bad" one. I asked what kind of price I could get to just bite the bullet and do the remaining seven all at once (because I'm sick of this s---).
He quoted me almost $1000! However, I asked for some goodwill since I spent over $400 in his shop doing the first COP job not long ago. So out the door, he got it to $870.
Moral of the story: If you have one COP go bad, may as well get them all replaced at once and try to work a deal with the Ford service manager. It's a good piece of businnes for his shop, and they have room to deal on it. If one COP goes bad, they all probably will sooner than later!

I just hope they have made product improvements on these COP's and seals since 2002!

Good luck,
Ross

[gladiator99]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

There is a lot of information on this site about the very same issues with cops. Do a search on this site and find out where you may be able to purchase aftermarket cops or even the motorcraft ones at a discount for the next time you have this problem, and it would be advised to have a few spares.
Avoid powerwashing the engine bay as it may lead to cop failures.. Ford has aggreed to provide warranty on some of the cop failures but I believe it is only on the 03 t-birds.
Take care,
Jim

[SixPac]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

'03, '04, and '05 Birds are covered for 10years/100,000 miles. '02 Birds are not covered.

[RMF1960]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

Well then, another moral of the story is:
Stay away from 2002 TBirds! Buy a later year for that reason alone!
At least Ford will pick up the tab for awhile...

[joe166]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

Hi All,
Well, easy come, easy go... Just spent $870 to replace seven out of eight (did the first one in May) COP's. After replacing the #8 COP in May, I just had another one go bad this week.
Dealer told me it would be $410 to replace the new "bad" one. I asked what kind of price I could get to just bite the bullet and do the remaining seven all at once (because I'm sick of this s---).
He quoted me almost $1000! However, I asked for some goodwill since I spent over $400 in his shop doing the first COP job not long ago. So out the door, he got it to $870.
Moral of the story: If you have one COP go bad, may as well get them all replaced at once and try to work a deal with the Ford service manager. It's a good piece of businnes for his shop, and they have room to deal on it. If one COP goes bad, they all probably will sooner than later!

I just hope they have made product improvements on these COP's and seals since 2002!

Good luck,
Ross

I think that is bad advice. If you want to, good for you, but the COPS fail for a reason and I have had brand new ones fail a month after having been replaced while some of them are the original ones.

I am willing to bet that you will have the same failure rate that you would have had if you had only replaced the defective one. I hope I am wrong, but when you have multiple failures of one or two coils, (as I have had) it seems to be a locational problem (in my car at least.)

[DavidA]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

I also replaced all of mine. My first one failed at about 35k and another at about 40-45K. T 70, I had another go out, and since Ford would do nothing, I decided to do ALL 8 of them. I figure if I get another 40K out of these, this time it would take a lot longer than the first 40K. I don't think I'll drive my car more than 5-6K per year from now on vs. the 15K per year or so in the first 4 years.

[Ol'Dave]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

Question??

If FORD replaces ALL of them. Are they Warranteed? Even though the car itself is out of Waranty?

If so. I think that is a good investment. At least an investment for good of mind, anyway. Iam about ready to do it myself for my 02.

Thoughts??????????

[RMF1960]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

I also replaced all of mine. My first one failed at about 35k and another at about 40-45K. T 70, I had another go out, and since Ford would do nothing, I decided to do ALL 8 of them. I figure if I get another 40K out of these, this time it would take a lot longer than the first 40K. I don't think I'll drive my car more than 5-6K per year from now on vs. the 15K per year or so in the first 4 years.

My thinking was exactly the same as yours, especially since I use mine as you describe your use. Also, I never wash the engine bay, and don't intentionally drive in wet weather.

[RMF1960]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

Question??

If FORD replaces ALL of them. Are they Warranteed? Even though the car itself is out of Waranty?

If so. I think that is a good investment. At least an investment for good of mind, anyway. Iam about ready to do it myself for my 02.

Thoughts??????????

Good point... Any Ford dealer would warantee their service work, so I would think that this would be covered, although for how long, I don't know. It would be a good idea to check with the service manager before going ahead with it. I still cannot understand why Ford won't cover 2002 Birds for this, but it will cover the later models...

[Ol'Dave]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

"....I still cannot understand why Ford won't cover 2002 Birds for this, but it will cover the later models..."

I heard (strickly rumor) that it is because we have the LS Engine, that they have used FOREVER (in their V-8 Option pkg), with ZERO Complaints. Don't really know for sure, but it is a different engine, therefore, probably their "logic".

[V8 Cat]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

"....I still cannot understand why Ford won't cover 2002 Birds for this, but it will cover the later models..."
I heard (strickly rumor) that it is because we have the LS Engine, that they have used FOREVER (in their V-8 Option pkg), with ZERO Complaints. Don't really know for sure, but it is a different engine, therefore, probably their "logic".

Dave,
I thought the engines were identical except that the 2003 - 2005 ones had variable valve timing that accounted for the additional 30 or so horsepower. I did not keep up with the LS engines. Did they up the horsepower in those in 2003 until they stopped production?
Claude

[MerlotBlue]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

I'm having a VERY hard time with this sort of post lately.

I do sympathize with the frustration of the problem but at this point it really is a repair that is OBSCENE expensive relative to the work actually required and it is all too likely to come up at some point it seems.

Buying a 2002 Thunderbird really requires owners to get familiar with this very easy fix so that they don't get raped at the stealer-ship. Not to mention the fact that it's a terrible reason to lose the use of your car on a sunny week-end if they can't get you in immediately.


$800 to remove 8 screws, 8 tiny bolts and pull 8 electrical connections is little more than a disgraceful rip off when you consider that only 1/2 of the cost was is in the parts.

I'd love to look over the shoulder of a competent Ford Mechanic.......... how long do you suppose it takes him to do this job? If he spends a full hour on it you just know he's loafing.

[Bill Brown]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

I'm having a VERY hard time with this sort of post lately.
I do sympathize with the frustration of the problem but at this point it really is a repair that is OBSCENE expensive relative to the work actually required and it is all too likely to come up at some point it seems.
Buying a 2002 Thunderbird really requires owners to get familiar with this very easy fix so that they don't get raped at the stealer-ship. Not to mention the fact that it's a terrible reason to lose the use of your car on a sunny week-end if they can't get you in immediately.
$800 to remove 8 screws, 8 tiny bolts and pull 8 electrical connections is little more than a disgraceful rip off when you consider that only 1/2 of the cost was is in the parts.
I'd love to look over the shoulder of a competent Ford Mechanic.......... how long do you suppose it takes him to do this job? If he spends a full hour on it you just know he's loafing.

I agree this fits on top of the spark plugs and shouldn't take that much time. One hour tops.....maybe they are paying $400 per hour to the mechanics these days...not!

[FritsB]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

I agree this fits on top of the spark plugs and shouldn't take that much time. One hour tops.....maybe they are paying $400 per hour to the mechanics these days...not!

Maybe they do it all wrong. One guy holds the cable and plug while seven others lift the car and turn it around until plug is free. Doing that seven times more takes a lot of time, coffee brakes, massage in between and so on..

[lovebirds]

Re: Just replaced all my COP's...

Maybe they do it all wrong. One guy holds the cable and plug while seven others lift the car and turn it around until plug is free. Doing that seven times more takes a lot of time, coffee brakes, massage in between and so on..

Don't forget standing at the parts counter talking to other mechanics.......