The Ford Econoline hit the market in the 1961 model year and became a near-immediate hit with large companies in need of fleets of cargo vans. In the 2003 model year, Ford slightly rearranged the Econoline line-up and changed the name to the E-series, mimicking its F-series of pickup trucks. The 2004 E-250 came standard with a 4.6-liter V-8 engine and had a 5.4-liter V-8 engine available. Both engines used a coil-on-plug ignition system that had an ignition coil pack sitting atop each spark plug, as opposed to a single coil and a series of voltage-robbing wires delivering the spark. Coil replacement procedures are identical for the 5.4-liter and 4.6-liter engines.
Open the storage bin on the center floor console, if equipped with a center console, and find the locking tabs on the rear of the bin. Press the locking tabs to release them, and remove the storage bin from the console. Look inside the console and find the locking clip. Press and hold the locking clip. Lift the console upward to disengage it from its mount. Remove the center console.
Firmly grab the steering column cover, the cover directly under the steering wheel, and pull it downward sharply to disengage its retaining clips. Remove the steering column cover.
Unclasp the latches securing the engine cover, the cover on the center of the floor, nearest the front of the van. Lift the engine cover and remove it from the E-250, exposing the engine.
Firmly pull upward on the front of the air inlet tube, the tube running from the passenger’s side of the air cleaner box to the front of the van, to disengage it from the top of the radiator. Slide the air inlet tube toward the passenger’s side of the van to remove it from the air cleaner box. Remove the air inlet tube from the van.
Loosen the hose clamp securing the air cleaner outlet hose, the hose running from the air cleaner box to the engine, with a flat-head screwdriver. Remove the four bolts securing the air cleaner to the radiator support and the cowl using a ratchet and socket.
Slide the air cleaner box toward the passenger’s side of the van to unplug it from its outlet hose and expose the mass airflow sensor’s wiring harness. Unplug the MAF sensor’s wiring harness. Remove the air cleaner box.
Pull the two vent hoses from their inlets on the air cleaner outlet hose. Loosen the hose clamp securing the air cleaner outlet hose to the throttle body using a flat-head screwdriver, and pull the outlet hose from the throttle body. Set aside the outlet hose.
Find the eight coil packs on the top of the engine, just to the inside of the valve covers, from the access hole created when you removed the engine cover. Press and hold the unlocking button on the failed coil pack, and unplug the harness from the coil pack.
Remove the bolt securing the coil pack to the engine using a ratchet and socket, and pull the coil pack upward with a slight twisting motion to remove it.
Apply a dab of dielectric grease meeting Ford specification ESE-M1C171-A to the inside of the rubber boot on the base of the replacement coil pack. Spread the grease around the inside of the boot with a small flat-head screwdriver.
Align the coil pack’s boot with the top of the spark plug and press it downward until you feel it click into place on top of the spark plug. Hand-thread the coil pack’s retaining bolt and torque it to 53 inch-pounds using an inch-pound torque wrench and socket. Plug the wiring harness into the receptacle on the coil pack.
Repeat steps 8 through 11 to replace any additional coils; there are four coils on each side of the engine.
Press the air cleaner outlet hose back onto the inlet on the throttle body and tighten its hose clamp with a flat-head screwdriver. Press the vent hoses onto their respective inlets on the outlet hose; the hoses are hard-formed to prevent incorrect connection.
Plug the MAF sensor wiring harness back into its receptacle on the MAF sensor, and slide the air cleaner box back onto the air cleaner outlet tube. Tighten the air cleaner box-to-air cleaner outlet tube hose clamp with a flat-head screwdriver.
Align the bolt holes on the air cleaner box with those on the radiator support and the cowl, then hand-thread the air cleaner box’s retaining bolts. Tighten the air cleaner box’s retaining bolts to 80 inch-pounds.
Slide the air inlet tube back into its inlet on the air cleaner box and align its retaining clips with the holes on the radiator. Press the front of the air inlet tube downward to engage its retaining clips.
Install the engine cover and clasp its four latches to secure it in place.
Line up the clips on the rear of the steering column cover with the slots in the dashboard. Press the steering column cover upward and toward the front of the van to engage its retaining clips.
Align the slot on the rear of the floor console with the locking clip on the engine cover. Press the console downward to latch it into place.
Guide the storage bin into the console and press it inward until its retaining tabs snap into place.
