Wow! Some fun excitement around noon today, on a bright, sunny, breezy Saturday here in northern California.

The hoopla? '88 Aerostar started for first time since March 2006. 3.0 V6. A friend was saying he was getting ready to call a charity to come and pick up his Aerostar. I asked what was wrong with it? He said it hadn't been started since 3-06, needed a relay and battery. I said, are you sure? He said YES, plus he was worried the gasoline was stale, probably ruined everything...

He was serious, I told him I would replace the relay, as it was easily the same setup as my '87 Aerostar.

Stopped by Auto Zone, purchased new relay, and a brand new Duralast battery, Group No. 56. 4 quarts of Max Life Dexron III ATF, since the torque converter leaked a sizable puddle of ATF after about sitting for 4 months...

There was a few things I wanted to do, but my friend said: "listen, if it doesn't start, I'm getting rid of it. I need the room. If it starts and it blows up, so be it, I could care less".

I arrived, the '88 Aerostar had been outdoors, but sheltered from sun and rain. It was under a carport on the side of his house. Dusty, 1/2" dust everywhere. All four tires, noticebaly underinflated.

I always felt it's not a good idea, to turn over an engine that hasn't been run in awhile. Unless you build up oil pressure prior, my Dad told me of the "lazy man's" way: drain the oil out, then add the correct amount through the fill tube. Thinking being, at least you have fresh oil at the top of the engine. I did just that, adding 4 quarts of Phillips TropArtic 5w30, and a new Motorcraft FL 400s oil filter.

Then I replaced the relay on the drivers side fenderwall area. Installed fresh Duralast battery. Told my friend: "Go get your keys". He returned, with nervous anxiety - again saying "If something bad happens, I'm getting rid of this van...

On a whim, I pulled my '87 Aerostar up, nose to nose. Removed my 20' 2guage jumper cables. Even though the '88 Aerostar had a new battery, I wanted it to have full power. + to + hookup. - to my running Aerostar to block of 'dead' '88 Aerostar.

I told my friend to get in my van, and keep his foot on the gas, keep it at a fast idle, approx 1200 RPM of my '87 3.0 V6. He did.

I got in his old Aerostar, I was happy to see the dome lights were very bright, and the chime warning went off ding ding ding when I put the key in the ignition. Yelled out: "here' goes!!"...

Turned the key slowly. Heard the familier whine of the fuel pump engaging and priming. Turned the key... engine turned over briefly, nothing. I turned the key completely off, waited 5 seconds... tried again... turned over nothing... key completely off... 5-8 second pause, try again, '88 3.0 V6 turns, fires, starts immediately!!! Running, after sitting over a year!!!

These Aerostars are studs! My friend and his wife were happy, and jumping for joy, clapping. I kept thinking, even if it wants to start, the gas might be so bad, it won't fire...

I let the '88 Aerostar idle about 15 minutes, until the engine was showing temperature on the guage. Added 1 1/2 qt of ATF. Went to put it in gear, it moved! -- STUD AEROSTAR!!

Long story short, the van was so dirty, we had to squirt it off with a garden hose, the windows were filthy. Tires need air, so that was our next agenda. I drove that Aerostar 5 MPH to a nearby Chevron station -- my friend drove my Aerostar behind me with the 4- way flashers on. I could feel the "soft" float of the tires, plus the minor thump, the flat area of the tire where the full weight of the van rested...

Aired up all four tires @ 34 PSI my friend went in a we filled the gas tank -- it had a little less than a half a tank, but at least the bad gas now had some fresh Chevron unleaded in it.

Took the Aerostar out. Checked the ATF again, it was in the XXX area and safe.

A quick freeway jaunt, 60 65 MPH and the Aerostar ran just fine! Not started in over a year, but running okay. Cobwebs and spider webs all under the van, it was funny. Turned on heater, heat was blowing HOT air, and it felt normal. 3.0 V6 STUD!

So I thought you might like to hear this story today of another STUD AEROSTAR, "back in service" -- how about it Ford Motor Company???!!!

Ed

PS My friend reimbursed me fully for the battery and relay I purchased for him. he offered me a little more for my work and time, that part I refused.

PS You should have seen the soot and water spitting out of the Aerostar's tailpipe when first started! I'll bet some spiders were mad, at their home suddenly very warm, with odd fumes!

 

Ford knows how to build gas V6 engines and the Ford OBDI and OBDII systems are the best for reliable starting and running
mine sets for weeks at a time....not the daily driver for past several years....jump in it and hit key, starts first try in just a second or 2

on a rig that has set for for more than 6 months in wet climates outside with high probability of piston/ring seizure best to pull plugs and soak pistons overnight with a solvent such as Rislone, Marvel oil, diesel or kerosene...6 ozs in each hole...

next day....change oil and filter...drain fuel tank with fuel pump or with external suction pump hooked up at filter input line, use the old gas in a carb'd engine such as lawn mower....ethanonl gas which we all have now that MTBE is gone breaks down in 3 months or less....old gas plugs fuel injectors...

with plugs still out, fuel off at collision switch and fuel rail drained at pressure valve, crank engine for bursts of 15 seconds followed by 30 sec. rests....do several times to free pistons, clear solvent and allow pump to pickup oil and pump around bearings and valves...put in 3>4 gallons of fresh gas and a new filter, flushing tank always stirs up dirt at bottom

marine engines are notorious for winter set seized pistons and valves especially engines with cast pistons due to smaller piston/cyl wall gap

then fuel back on, plugs in and ready for more Aero pleasure cruisin

if you are planning on letting rig set for more than 3 months, fog the engine thru the TB with 1/8" tube and pull in 8 ozs of Rislone, Marvel oil, diesel or kerosene into hot engine at 2k rpm....put fuel stabilizer in gas

 

I'm still reading these past posts to catch up...

I have an 'acquaintance' in Raleigh, NC who collected Ford Pintos, of all things. At the height he had about 13 in his yard before the city got after him & his wife left with the 3 kids.

Anyway I remember helping him (out of the goodness of my heart) to get them started to move them away, or build little buildings over them so the city would be satisfied he'd stopped storing so many unlicensed cars out in the open.

At least one Pinto had been sitting 5 years since he'd brought it home. It had tree nuts in the air filter housing & a nest under the hood. The pine straw from the trees had nearly covered the car so it was barely recognizable! After putting in a fresh battery & a little fuel in the carb, the old girl fired right up, ran smooth without a miss, went into gear properly forward & reverse! Even the air conditioner blew nice & cold! Of all the cars I thought were junk, behind only Chevy's Corvair, Vega & Chevette, were the homely old Pintos. i was impressed!

Once I was humbled by having to drive one myself. I sawed the hatchback off & built a wooden truck body in it's place sorta like an old sedan delivery truck, & I went off to seek my self employed fortune! The enclosed rear body was higher than the cab and I bolted a US Army surplus footlocker to what was left of the car roof for extra tool storage. It's the only car I don't have pictures of. I was so poor then I even sold my old Pentax camera to get money..

I just couldn't kill the old girl, & I sorta tried to blow it up. Like my '94 Aerostar it just took whatever abuse i could give it and came back for more. Full throttle acceleration was the norm & It never let me down.. took a licking & kept on ticking!! And so Ford still builds the tough little rattley four smoker! Can't knock it's track record..

Someone liked the "Outhouse on wheels" so much that he eventually bought it from me. I beefed up the rear springs & added 14" wheels in the back, but painted to match the front 13 inchers. Without that weird sloping hatch back you could see the Pinto fenders had about the same pretty curve as a Torino's.

Anyway... I digress... But FoMoCo has built some pretty simple & reliable machines.

 

Cool story. We've had our Star for 6 years now, it's been the most dependable vehicle I've ever owned and I've had at least 15

 

I have let mine sit without running for 6 months 3 different times. Plus a couple of months of no starts here and there. Always when I came back home I just charged the battery and off I went. The Joys of being in the Navy and never being home! I need a reliable vehicle.

Doug