tankhokie,
Any more reports? I'd like to know how you made out.

 

Well the last thing I did was the unplugging and messing with various sensors, nothing found through that.

However, my wife (the main driver) said it didn't chug/miss yesterday. She said it was the first time it has not done that on a certain hill. I figured it as a fluke and was giving it a bit more time. I asked today and she couldn't remember if it did or not... (grumble grumble)

So anyway, it will be another day before I can say anything, I doubt it is gone, but I do want to drive it tonight to see if it really is gone. This is the last straw before i buy the MAF and try it out.

If it is gone tonight, then I would have to point to a bad connection in one of the wire harness'. So I will post later on tonight...

 

I would cheack your plugs and posibly replace them again. I had a similar problem and found that the insulator on the center electrod in one of my new plugs was partialy missing causing it not to fire properly. I asked the local parts guy and he said that he has had severial of these. It is like some one at Autolite dropped a case of these plugs and just put them back in to circulation.

I inspected all the plugs and gaped them before I installed them and was concerned that I dammaged it during gapping but my parts guy is ohnist and fessed up to that I was not the only one with this problem.

Ohya the MAF will not look dirty. I have cleaned these with electrical component cleaner and or gumout even when they look clean and it has made a big difference. Typically the MAF cleaning cures pinging not misfirings.

I would start with the plugs and work your way back. Cheack the resistace of the wires. You could also spray the wires and coils with a mix of amonia and water and see if you are leaking or shorting. Do this at night and take a look and see if you see sparks/arks. Have a helper rev the motor while you are doing this. Also put it ingear hold the brake and give it a little gass while you look this will cause teh motor to rock and may possibly cause a short that is otherwise not detectable. JUST BE CARFUL this will simulate the strain and twisting of the motor in the truck asociated with the boging before it drops a gear.


I hate to say this but my 94 runs better on regular Autolites while my 91 seams to like the doubble platnums better. I went through a set of DB platnum in 5k miles in the 94 I installed regular cheep ones and they just keep going and going. teh revers is true for my 91

I dont know what the 5.0L motors like for plugs.

Hope this helps.

Respectfully


Dean

 

tank - I had some problems in Nov and Dec with my 92 skipping and even occasionally stalling on me. the scenerios where mine would skip were different than yours, but the problem was jsut as annoying. especially since it wouldn't generate any codes.

I was at the point where I thought for sure there was a loose wire within the ignition system (as did others on this board) but I couldn't find it. after replacing and cleaning sensors and checking all kinds of things, someone suggested I try some simple things. to their recommendation, I added some decent fuel line cleaner (I think it was called chevron techtron or somethign?) and cleaned inside throttle body with some throttle body cleaner.

I drove it that afternoon and the truck only skipped once on me but that was the last time it skipped and its been over 3 weeks (and i've driven it about 600+ miles). I do not know if its a coincidence or if these really fixed it. perhaps my truck just likes this cold weather we are having in new england, or perhaps there really was a loose wire and tightened up for now, but its running great now. I'd give that a try. good luck!

 

thanks for the info, do you think this isolated missing could stem from the plugs of wires? I have almost counted them out because it would seem that the missing would occur throughout the driving range instead of a specific point (under load, low rpm)

I did not check the reistance in the wires when I put them in, but did check the gap in the plugs, can't remember what brand they were...

thanks again


green explorer,
you posted right before me, yea i am running a fuel injector cleaner through the tank now, so if that fixes it, i will be amazed. i never had a lot of faith in cleaners but figured it was worth a shot. i even thought about taking out the injectors and cleaning them but a lot of stuff has to come off to get to most of them...last resort

 

tankhokie:

Sounds like a very familiar issue to what I have experienced for the last 1 1/2 yrs. 1999 X 5.0 AWD w/AT 73K

My X runs like a dog, and is even worse on any form of incline (no matter how small or big the incline is). Usually when the RPM's are below 2000-2200 or right after an upshift, I will get a bogging down sound from the engine, with a slight vibration through the steering wheel & floorboard during these bad times. Not really a misfire though.

Also other then climbing a hill, the X does this when trying to keep a steady speed (cruising anywhere between 30mph-70mph). Seems Ford can't find the issue, and neither can any of the independent shops I've taken it to.

I've checked and double checked all parts mentioned during this post over the last year and a half, but none of them have been determined to be the problem. I'm very curious about replacing the MAF, but of course Ford stated the MAF was fine and even cleaned it. I've also cleaned it since that time with no resolution.

My problem has become so bad I can't even keep up with a 1st Gen Caravan, 1st Gen X's with the 4.0 OHV or really any vehicle.

Please keep us posted on what you find. Like you, I've been throwing parts at the X since the problem came about. This has ended up costing me over $1K in parts alone and I still have the problem.

 

Well today was a good day, my wife reported that the chug/miss did not occur. I drove it to get some more paint tonight and no chugging. Before I am convinced it is fixed, I will give it some more time. We are making a long drive this weekend and will be a great test for it.

So for now if it stays fixed i can guess it was either a bad connection in the wiring (not plug wires) or perhaps clogged injectors that are coming clean w/the cleaner.

But again, it has only been 2 days and not a sure fix yet. If it stays fixed I will post what I added to the gas (can't remember now) and what cleaning/checking I did too.

Keeping my fingers crossed and will update after this weekend drive.

 

UPDATE

Ok, didn't make the long drive due to snow, but did get a long test drive in before the snow.

I am still getting the hesitation --- BUT it is much much less severe. The hard, jerking chug/miss has now gotten to a mild "cough" almost unnoticable but still there. Also, I find my self trying to get it to happen...dragging off the throttle so it gets into that low rpm during a load.

So I am now thinking that since I am at the end of a tank of gas that had a fuel injector cleaner mixed in it, that the problem seems like it is dirty injectors.

Makes sense now, no CEL on, the fuel is still getting there, just not in the most efficient sprayed mist--which in turn causes a weaker burn on the power stroke. It is just bad enough that it causes some minor chugging under low rpm and load, but still good enough to run the cylinder under any other condition.

My next step is to pull one of my injectors out and take a look at it, maybe run it out in a jar to see the spray...but I would feel better if I can take the intake off, pull all my injectors, clean them, and then test it out.

Will report back when I pull one out, but in the meantime, how does that sound as a diagnosis??

 

I've been having the problem of a missing or jerking when going around 55 or sixty and hittling a hill or trying to accelerate to pass. I took it into the Ford dealer and they say I need a fuel pump. The cost is $700! To me, it doesn't seem like a fuel pump and I'm hoping they're wrong. I'm not going to have it done yet.

 

haroldw1,

that is interesting, the only thing I wanted to check was my fuel pressure. I do not have a pressure gauge and they cost around 50 dollars. Hard for me to buy that one since I would use it once every 5 years and they do not "rent/lend" that tool out either.

Did the dealer say the pump wasn't giving enough pressure?

 

hey tankhokie you replied to my post to check your thread out, so do you think i should buy some fuel injector cleaner and add it??? what should I buy and do i just put it all in the gas tank and let it go down to empty??? Thanks, im not good with cars but this problem is a little annoying, esp when ford says they can't find anything

 

jhromy:

Sorry to hear you're having this problem. Like you, Ford is unable to find a problem with my 99 X. They just state the X is getting old!

All you need to do is go to a local Auto Parts Store (example: Auto Zone), pick up a bottle of Fuel System Cleaner or Fuel Injector Cleaner. When you are ready to fill your gas tank, just pour the Cleaner into your gas tank. Remember to pour the Cleaner in before filling the tank for best results. Otherwise it may not mix with the gas as well.

Usually you will notice a slight increase in performance power. Also you should run a bottle of this through the system every 3000-6000 miles, to keep your fuel system clean. I usually do it every 3000 miles when I change my oil. It only costs about $2-$20, depending on the brand.

Hope this helps!

 

thanks ill pick up a bottle tonight...any brand you prefer using??? currently my tank is full but ill wait till it gets empty and put it in, it goes in before the gas correct?

 

jhromy:

I really don't have a prefferred brand, but I hear good things about GUMOUT products.

Yes you should put the cleaner in before you fill up the tank. It mixes up the cleaner in the gas better. Otherwise putting in the cleaner after you fill up will still work, but just won't mix with the gas as well.

Let us know the outcome. Hope it works for ya!

 

thanks i will post my results, it'll probably take a few days to get my gas to empty since i just filled up last night...ill go to advance auto parts tonight and pick up a bottle. thanks for all your help