98 Windstar question

I have a '98 windstar with about 100K miles. Lately it has had a few intermittant problems starting/idling.

  1. No error codes reported
  2. When temperatures lower than (-5F), runs real rough and idles real slow ( 500 rpm ) for 10-15 seconds, then kicks to fast idle and runs perfectly.
  3. After driving until warm, after it sits for 20 minutes, it takes 15 seconds of cranking to restart.
  4. After driving highway speeds for extended periods, engine will not idle down ( 2000 rpm idle )

All these problems are very intermittant.

Anyone have any ideas where to start?

Reply to
Dennis
Loading thread data ...

I'd look at the idle speed control valve/motor. How often do you change your oil? with short trips and cold weather condensation can screw up the PCV valve system and pump "crap"(oily foam?) into the intake and that will really do a number on the ISC if it gets in.

Reply to
clare

Could be the TPS (throttle position sensor) or the O2 sensor. I would think that the latter would throw a code, however.

DaveD

>
Reply to
Dave D

Both would throw codes and neither would cause that particular problem. The ISC is almost the only thing that CAN cause the problem, and it IS common. Happens on my 96 2.5 Mystique on occaision.

Reply to
clare

in article 2amnl.13244$ snipped-for-privacy@flpi146.ffdc.sbc.com, Dennis at cctden@sbc_global.net wrote on 2/19/09 3:50 PM:

wait till it is consistently broken ... then trace down the smog system ... EGR and PCV values are getting carboned up, your smog pump is wearing out .. they are doing their job and getting old.

Try taking some Carb cleaner and squirting it up those sucking tubes and clean the ventilation system a bit .. this will strip your Oxygen sensor and likely kill it off ... needing replacement.

Reply to
Alan B. Mac Farlane

FIRST step is to remove and clean the Idle Speed Control. It CAN sometimes be cleaned in place, but it has the possibility of damaging the O2 sensor or Cat Conveerter depending what solvent you use.

Intake System Cleaner (like carb cleaner or choke cleaner of years gone by) is the best bet.

After it is cleaned, put it back on and "exercise" it by putting the vehicle in and out of gear (if automatic), turn AC and headlights off and on, etc untill the solvent is all dryied out. Sometimes you need to run a bit of cleaner through it again on the car to get it working smoothly.

Reply to
clare

yeah ... what clare said ... below ... good stuff.

Better to keep a good fuel source with a consist cleaner lubricant in it that is sorted out correctly .. as the wear on the Oxygen sensor is consistent.

Having your engine system get dirty, gummed up, and needing the cleaning that gets the job done .. if that is frequently at issue for using a leptokurtic wear pattern set in ... well it is hard having it get dirty and it is hard to having it get cleaned more so the staying steady on it.

Sooooooo ... you can do this work, the results will be fantastic, and in a few days .. your oxygen sensor is the poop. Swap it out and back to great news again. Or your EGR got filled up a bit faster ... stuff like that can naturally happen ... as it does in ANY case eventually.

Clare and I are not saying anything different ... Clare is just saying it much better then me.

Thanks Clare :?

sumbuddie peaking behind the curtain

in article snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca at snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote on 2/20/09 9:41 AM:

Reply to
Alan B. Mac Farlane

You are talking about the solenoid controlled valve thingie that opens to allow air to bypass the throttle plate when it's cold? This sounds correct to me and in fact, I was having this same problem with my 94 Taurus and was looking for a replacement Idle Air Control valve on eBay but it seems the problem has fixed itself. I like self-fixing cars. I highly recommend that folks get one as soon as they can. :-)

Reply to
dsi1

The problem hasn't fixed itself, it's just gone into "remission". Like a Cancer, it's not cured till it's been gone for 5 years!!!

Reply to
clare

I have had 2 throttle position sensors go on different vehicles neither threw codes, but both vehicles reved around 3k, rather than this intermittent problem.

Reply to
Picasso

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.