I just acquired my mom's '95 Aerostar 4.0L 2WD Extended. So looks like I'm gonna be back in the Aero owners club.

It has a bunch of issues in gonna need to fix. But overall it's a nice van. It has SVO rear disk brakes, low rust, rear AC, 3"thick all aluminum welded radiator, 255lph Walbro fuel pump, 2.25" performance catback. I completely rebuilt the motor about 4 or 5 years ago. It got new heads, new exhaust vales, new rockers, the head and intake have been ported, new oil pump, new gaskets and seals throughout, and it has all new pistons.

It's main issues:
•Leaking valve cover gaskets
•Warm start issue
•Leaking from fuel tank somewhere
•Drivers door panel in really bad shape
•Avital keyless entry locks doors 5 seconds after ignition so it can lock you out with engine running
•Rear heater does not work (no heat)
•AC has lost charge
•Has slow coolant leak somewhere

 

Congrats,KHAN! I've never left the Aerostar clan since 1997. don-ohio (:^)

 

I have the fuel issue and the leaking valve cover gaskets...Felpro crap since I did the upper end not long ago. Bolts were loose....

 

take a look

http://www.moranav6racing.com/category.html?CategoryID=32

Yes, I know it's a bit expensive, but this wouldn't exist if it wasn't a known problem. The Fel-Pro gaskets are fine, it's your valve cover.

 

On the fuel issue, one thing I might do is add a push button switch to manually prime the fuel pump without triggering the injectors. So when I go to start, I could press and hold down this button to run the pump a few seconds before I turn the ignition on. That should resolve the warm start issue and save wear and tear on the ignition.

 

I remember seeing a write up on cutting an access opening for the fuel pump on Aerostars, where to cut. I did a search but couldn't find the article. I'm thinking I may want to do this modification since I have to pull out some of the interior anyway.

I also own a Subaru and fell in love with how easy to work on it is, one of the features is a fuel pump access panel.

 

A someone wrote in another thread about this, you have to drop the tank at least once if you plan on cutting a hole in the floor above the fuel pump assembly. If you're doing that, why not just replace the pump with a more reliable model?

If they designed in a fuel pump access panel, does that mean they anticipate frequent failures?

 

shouldnt need to drop the tank to cut the opening. I remember seeing a write up, it involved using a sheet metal cutter.

On Subarus, everything is accessible, easiest car to work on I've ever owned, and very reliable.

 

Got the pump NOS for sure ...pump says ford on it...Now my white work van and my green van both do exactly the same thing...After shut off and maybe 10 mins they start like major doo doo...for say 20-30 secs shaking and barely running. priming the pump for maybe 30 secs would work...how lame is that don't even want to go there. pump sounds like its sucking air. Both vans sound the same while trying to build pressure...I have to think about this because why would the pump care about whats downstream? open hose or dead headed. vapor thing doesnt make sense to me. Just junk pumps make sense. maybe hot fuel maybe air in fuel...why wouldn't the pump pull a full stream of fuel. Almost sounds like it pumping backwards. More later. Thanks for info on valve cover. Ill have to look at that....got to go to work...

 

Can't be junk pumps, I'm running a Walbro 255lph, best pump on the market at any price. They use them in high end race cars. I have one in my '87 Thunderbird Turbocoupe, works great. The Walbro pumps are strong enough that they can't be deadheaded under normal operation, and they have excellent check valves too. One of the few pumps still made in the USA.

The problem is ethanol boils at 83F at atmospheric pressure and it has a really low vapor pressure compared to gasoline and it lowers the vapor point of the gasoline it is mixed with. (Some sources cite 173F but if you look at vapor pressures and boiling realistically, ethanol does not re-condense back to a liquid unless it is less than 83F at sea level atmospheric.)

Notes from the field: Ethanol, Vapor Lock and other Gas Woes - Military TraderMilitary Trader

E-10 and vapor lock - The Hull Truth - Boating and Fishing Forum

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/da..._pressure_.pdf

Vapor Lock

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-vid...ethanol-in-gas

More On Fuel And Fuel Additives - Fear The Corn? | Randakk's Blog


Still convinced that we are the only ones suffering this problem? Aerostars trap more heat under the hood than most other vehicles, and that makes them more likely to experience this issue. When the ethanol is boiling the fuel pump, no matter how good it is, is going to have a harder time delivering adequate fuel. If the pump is weak the problem is more likely to happen, and the vapor locking can happen while the engine is still running.

Without raising the fuel pressure, there is little that can be done other than avoiding E10. I know my 2000 Focus runs at 60+ psi at the fuel rail. Modern direct injection vehicles run much much higher.

 

Rangers have the same issue. Same pump same engine.

 

I can try a tank of non eth fuel.

 

I've never had my van act up on non ethanol fuel. The only issue is finding ethanol free fuel is difficult.

On the rangers, yes same engine same issues. But is the pump the cause? No. where is the fuel rail on a 4.0l? That's right, it's part of the intake. This is a bad design from a heat soak standpoint. But it never used to be a problem, till they started running 10% ethanol.

One of my companies Chevy vans has the same problem.

There is a new station near where I live that sells 88 clear. That's 88 octane ethanol free. They even use a separate nozzle for it so it doesn't mix. It's not too far out of the way.

 

We have 91 free in town...I use it in my bike sometimes or mix with 94 to keep from detonation.. I didn't have a problem with the white van all summer..