I was thinking about trying this. Any special instructions on how to clean it? I was thinking of taking it off and using carb cleaner. Is carb cleaner okay for fuel injected engines? Should I use a brush of some kind as well?

I disconnected it once with the engine running and it died. I guess that means it's at least working somewhat.

Today I hunted around for vacuum leaks. Didn't seem to be any, but my homemade stethoscope left much to be desired. I'm going to try again with carb cleaner, though at idle, the engine bobbles a lot already. If carb cleaner doesn't work, I'll but a real stethoscope.

Yup, I turned it. I ran the test many times too, sometimes turning the wheel a little, sometimes a lot. 52 always came up. What do you think this means? Power steering seems to work just fine!

I replaced the O2 sensor (the one on the right exhaust manifold) a year and a half ago. It had no effect on these problems. I don't understand this code though--this van uses a 3.0L V6 engine. What is the code saying? And why isn't it in the Haynes manual?

Hmm... so does this mean I have a transmission problem too?

Thanks for all the help, and Dave, I think you're right!

Kanon

 

I say it in jest when I talk about my vexing problem (see the string at https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=348221 for the details). These guys have helped me fix a bunch of things that needed work, but there seems to be one gremlin that I can't find. The advice you get here is always dead on. I haven't receibed one piece of bad info. The Aerostar folks are the greatest.

 

Kanon, try replacing your vacuum hoses anyway. What happens is, over time, high heat conditions in the engine bay, will make the hoses collapse under vacuum. You shut the Aerostar's powerplant** off (** AKA The Stud FoMoCo V6) and the vacuum hoses look normal. Unless you have done this recently, try it. It's a cheap fix, and a very neglected maintenance item. I had a minor stumbling /idle issue with my Aerostar at around 105K, which was suggested to me. It immediately cured the "issue", in which when nobody was looking, I kissed my Aerostar on the hood, I was so happy. Quickly wiped the lip marks off of the light dust on the hood... :>)

 

Ed, I'm going to have to try that one myself. Thanks for the tip.

 

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If it works, don't forget to kiss your Aerostar on the hood!! But make sure nobody is looking, otherwise people will laugh! You know, some people just don't understand how us Aerostar gurus have become attached to a minivan! Also, (off topic) I was reading an old article in AUTOMOBILE magazine in late 1986, where the reviewer referred to the design on the front of the Ford Aerostar as an "Ant Eater Front End", in comparing how the front of the Aerostar drops down, as compared to the long snout of an anteater! Wasn't there a cartoon character years ago, that was an anteater? Now every time I look at my Aerostar, in my mind, I think about the "anteater" comparison! Lastly, do any of you remember seeing the first year Aerostars ('86) when Ford released them as a brand new model? I do, and at the time, I remember seeing 15-20 brand new Aerostars at the Ford dealership's showroom and on the lot. I clearly remember how big the front windshield area was, and at the angle that it sloped down. With the generally small / narrow headlight, bumper, front grille - turn signal area, i thought it would cut the wind efficiently, at least by boxy minivan designs at the time. Also, I remember how much I preferred the feel of a new RWD Aerostar, pushing the van, as compared to the first generation FWD Caravan / Voyagers that "pulled" the van, when accelerating. I'm sure the Caravan was better than the Aerostar on snow covered roads, but living in a no snow / no ice / no freezing winter climate (Sacramento, California) the Aerostar was the clear choice for me. THE Chevy Astro van was okay, but those early Astro vans had a starter problem, when heat soaked in the summer. I beleive they were corrected by GM, but at the time, I knew I did not want to deal with that "issue" with the hot summers here on the West coast. Ed
PS I also remember thinking, how the Aerostar's windshield wipers (22") had to be long, in order to squeegee such a large glass area, when it rains. (I've used Rain-X since day 1 every autumn and winter with my Aerostar. Rain X is truly a product that works IMO/.

 

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DaveMac, or anyone else changing vacuum hoses on the Aerostar. Buy one of those various "Hose 'T' connections" kits. It has various nylon plastic connections. It is easy to crack or break the plastic T connections, as again, years of a hot temprature enviorment can make the connections brittle. This way, you'll have a replacement handy, if you crack one. The HELP line of various parts has a nice vacuum hose connector kit, of all kinds of odd "T" "E" "F" plastic connectors, for $3.99 - $4.99 average cost. Don't be surprise either, to discover the source of your occasional idle stumble / miss is caused by the plastic vacuum hose "T" that has cracked due to age and heat! Harbor Freight, if you have one of their Tool stores near you, they have a very nice vacuum hose connector kit for under $5. It contains more nylon vacuum hose connections than you'll use in a lifetime! Ed

 

Let 'em laugh, Ed. They're already yukking it up because I am driving a 92 Aerostar. If I ever solve this crazy issue, I'll drive it another 13 years!

I think the cartoon you are thinking of was "The Ant and the Aardvark".

 

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YES!!! Dave, that's it, "the Ant and the Aardvark"! of course I would not be surprised to discover "Season 1" of that cartoon is available on DVD! Thanks Dave... Ed

 

My first impression of the aerostar was it looked like a dustbuster, but now that you mention anteater ....

 

I think that my Aero is the most beautiful girl in the world after my wife. She still glistens after her bath and smells really good inside after "The Treatment". She's fun to drive, spend a day cruising to the coast in. She's dependable, always starts unless I forget a light on, never has left me-along the road. She even lets me sleep in back at times.
The Sports model with all her fairings and cute paint job really is a doll but would not go where I want to and do.
If there ever was car sex, the Aerostar ranks right at the top of the class.

Can't say that about the '67 Vette, 70 Torino NW w 429 Cobra Jet or the 460 built F350.

 

I may be mistaken, but seems to me Jackie Mason did the voice for the Aardvark.

 

Thanks, guys. You're helping to restore my faith in this beast of mine, cuz I've found myself starting to think of the old jokes: F.O.R.D. = "Found On the Road Dead" and "Fix Or Repair Daily." I love this van of mine, so I know what you're talking about even though I am literally fixing or repairing her daily these days.

Update: I've been spraying carb cleaner into the intake manifold, and this seems to help (at least sometimes) with the hard starting. With the van idling, it seems to get rid of the misfire (if that's what it is that causes it to almost die) as well. Also, I discovered that if I pump or tap on the accelerator when I feel it bog down and almost die on the road, that perks it up a bit.

Also this leads me to believe it's fuel related, so I bought a pressure test gauge yesterday. Hooked it up and it said the pressure was within spec at 35 to 45 psi (even 30 psi is okay with the regulator on). However, the gauge never returned to zero and was stuck at 25 psi, even when disconnected. Argh! Do you think the readings were accurate? They seem to be, so I'm going to rule out fuel pressure for now.

Incidentally, I got stranded while buying the test gauge to begin with. Neither the carb cleaner nor pumping the pedal would work. I checked spark again too, and it was good. Luckily, it eventually started, and I'm starting to think it's worse in heat.

Anyway, I'm replacing a bunch of vacuum hoses today to see if that helps. I bought a stethescope, and this time I think I heard a leak. It's hard to tell because the end of the hose going from the PCV to the intake manifold is pretty hard to get to, especially with the engine running and all the ignition wires I'd have to touch.

Hope this is it!

 

Ok, done replacing vacuum hoses. The only ones I didn't replace are the brake booster and cruise control. Problem still there! I'm starting to suspect clogged fuel injectors. Can that cause backfires?

In any event, I'll be replacing the ignition wires. It's only been 2 years and 20,000 miles or so, but everytime I pull one of these cheap Bosch wires off, it becomes very loose after that. We'll see if this helps...

 

RE: Your earlier comment regarding being on the highway and tapping the gas pedal making the van run properly again. This makes me suspect the problem could be a faulty throttle position sensor. Its easy enough to check with a meter. There should be a steady, progressive resistance change as you slowly open and close the throttle. Any gaps or jumps along the way indicates a worn or dirty sector that confuses the EEC. If just dirty, cleaning might restore full function. If worn spots, then replacement is the only option.

 

Youi can't clean the TPS, it is permanentaly sealed. TPS could very well cause the problems, and often the computer won't kick on the light until the TPS is so bad that it is not functional. Also, the MAf sensor (if your model has one) could cause problmes, but they would probably be more consistent. You should use Throttle Body cleaner on a FI engine, as carb cleaner can damage some components (namely the O2 sensor, and various rubber parts in the TB.