Newbie DIY Tune-up turned terrible, pls help

[chipdance]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, and new to auto mechanics. I have tinkered with diesel engines (I have 2 Mercedes 300D's) but I haven't had much experience with the gasoline engines. Today I decided to give my '91 Ford Explorer (4.0L 6 cylinder) a tune up (or something along those lines). I got the vehicle last year from my father who had it for about 10 years. I don't know when it was last tuned up, and lately it has been having rough starts. I am taking the family to the Grand Tetons (about 300 miles each way for us) for a week, leaving tomorrow and we are hoping to take the Explorer (the canoe doesn't fit on top of the Mercedes very well).

Using the Haynes manual as a guide, I replaced the plugs and wires. I used Duralast wires and Champion "Copper Plus" plugs, which is what the guy at Checker said my vehicle used.

After the job was complete, I started the vehicle and immediately noticed some backfiring and coughing, sputtering and missing. I shut it off, checked all the connectors and boots, and started it again. Once again there was backfiring and coughing, sputtering and missing, but before I could shut it off, it stopped abruptly. When I tried to restart, I had very little power. The dash indicator lights were not lit and there was no response from the starter.

I've checked the fuses, but they all seem to be ok. The electrical system seems to be messed up though. The battery previously was fine, it held a strong charge even when the car wasn't running. But now I can barely roll the windows up, and the "fasten seat-belts" buzzer sounds half dead.

Any thoughts on what kind of damage I may have done while simply trying to replace the spark plugs and cables. Any suggestion on what to check. Why was the car having some much trouble after the plugs and cable were changed? What caused it to stop and what is preventing it from starting again?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[bjlordemann]

How many miles on vehicle: sounds like timing chain to me. good luck

[chipdance]

it has 124000 miles or so. Would the timing chain cause the sudden change in the electrical system?

[doug 351]

Chipdance- First get your Haynes manual back out and carefully check your wire routing to may sure they are in the right order on the distributor and the block. Next, look up timing and check that as best you can. If you have had a timing chain failure, the valves could have hit the pistons and locked the motor up. It's possible that the problems you have now are not related to the tune up work and just decieded to happen now, (you tuned it up for a reason). Plugs and wires and timing chain shouldn't affect the power supply, so that is a different issue- check cable connections and /or get the battery tested. Start with the simple stuff first and hopoefully, you will solve it quick and easy. Good luck.

[bjlordemann]

If the timing chain actually broke you could have "locked up the motor" and now the starter motor will just click until the battery is dead. Doug 351 has the best idea for you; check cables and wires. good luck

[derekm803]

Yea, sounds like firing order to me as far as coughing & sputtering. As far as the electrical, have you hooked jumper cables or a booster box? You may have just drained the batt.
Good Luck