Hello everyone...

I haven't posted in over a year, mainly because I have not been driving the family Aerostar, as I have my own car now... I've been driving a 94 Escort, that now has a bent rod, and I'm going to swap to a 2.0 soon.

My dad is using the Aerostar for his commute again. it's 140mile round trip everyday... The Aero has 262,000 miles on it now, with no major mechanical problems to date... ( knock on wood! )

Now that the weather is finally starting to cool off in South Carolina, we've noticed a cold start problem. When the van is started in the morning and allowed to idle it does fine. As soon as it's out of the driveway, and you hit the gas to go it dies. It takes some playing with the gas pedal to get it started again, and once allowed to warm up it's fine.

Last week we replaced the fuel filter and ignition module, because that's what it was the last time it acted like this. That did not fix it this time. My dad is curious as to whether or not the cap/rotor could cause this? they have like 60k on them now so it's probably time for a tune-up again... but finances being tight we'd like to not fix things that aren't really broken...

I am wondering if the MAF could cause this, I know it's getting fuel, so it's either ignition or it doesn't know how much air it's getting in it to match the fuel output... but it then runs fine once warmed up. Oh, for the past several months if you'd try to rev it at all before it warmed up it would backfire, and then idle rough and return to normal... now it quits.

I hate these problems... so hard to track down...

-Mike-

 

Are you getting any CE lights?

I would first try cleaning the MAF and toossing a bottle of seafoam in the gas tank to clean the injectors.

How old is the O2?

 

if it were the cap/rotor, problem usually shows up under load on hill or at high rpm as miss....not as cold miss stumble only... can take them out and clean with CRC56 or other top quality moisture displacement spray, silicone spray also works well. good preventative to do every fall, too many caps and rotors were replaced in old school days, too easy to do but made manuf.s a fortune. only replace if cracked, carbon tracked, heavily burned off contacts or contaminated wtih antifreeze...clean contacts with fine file or knife edge and return to service after spraying with CRC....

low speed cold operation miss is usually fuel mix problem. nighthawk has set u on the right course...codes...O2 sensor...and clean fuel injectors
also check fuel rail pressure...30lbs at idle and steady...40 lbs at 2000 rpm

you say fine after warm up...is warm idle, warm acceleration, warm load pull on hill and warm high speed cruise good with no problems?

 

I put some fuel system cleaner in it. that's when it started the stalling crap.. so I thought it knocked a bunch of junk loose and clogged up the filter. changed the filter and it still does this, I guess a bottle of seafoam can't hurt anything.

What was the MAF supposed to be cleaned with? It's been a while...

The O2 sensor to my knowledge has not been replaced since we've had it... so it's way over due... we got the thing in 2000 with 121k on the odometer, so yeah it's way over due... I do not think the CEL is lighting up... I can scan for codes anyway though...

Oh and yeah once it's warmed up everything is fine, until the next cold start...

Thanks
-Mike-

 

use spray FI cleaner or throttle body cleaner to clean MAF...some use isopropyl alcohol but must use 100%-most drug store stuff is diluted with water-not good for MAF...also clean throttle body plate closure area..
use Techron Concentrate 20 oz or Regane Complete Fuel System Cleaner to tank of gas...see Aero forum...best injector cleaning results...ester amine chemical technology
not all codes set the CEL...does CEL bulb come on when key first turned on then go out?
what fuel system cleaner was used...one that picks up water in fuel tank and runs it thru the fuel system into engine??

 

also may be a failed ECT engine coolant temperature sensor, failed in normal engine op. temp. resistance point. ECU/PCM does not know that engine is cold and needs additional fuel, ie rich fuel/air mix.

The engine coolant temperature sensor (ECT sensor) (12A648) changes resistance in response to temperature of the engine coolant. The engine coolant temperature sensor resistance decreases as the engine coolant temperature increases providing a signal to the powertrain control module (PCM) (12A650) that indicates the temperature of the engine coolant.

top drivers side front of 3L in front/right of throttle position sensor.

 

Ok, will check that... Haven't heard anthing further from my dad about this yet... i'm waiting on him...

I suspect he'll buy an O2 sensor, and I will clean the MAF sensor. then we will see where we get after that. The O2 needs replacement anyways as it's the one we bought it with in 2000... If nothing else it should help the gas mileage. Probably we will check the distributor cap and the rotor as well, if they are just dirty clean and re-install. It needs plugs and wires also, but they wouldn't cause this problem.

I don't know what brand of fuel system cleaner was used in it. I have used SeaFoam before with good results, I may get a can of that and run it through as well.

Yes the CEL bulb comes on and goes off when the key is turned.

Thanks,

-Mike-

 

Mike, if you change the cap and rotor, use Motorcraft parts. They are a little more, in $, but well worth it. Especially plug wires, insist on Motorcraft wires. For one, these wires fit they way they should. They are the correct length. Aftermarket wires, 2-3 are usually a little too short, or long. Motorcraft wires fir "SNUG" and secure on the cap, and spark plug. Aftermarket wires, some ride up the distrib. cap terminal, and never seem to fit right, when pushing the wire directly onto the cap terminal. I pitched a 6 month old set of Bosch wires a few years ago on my 3.0 v6 Aerostar, because of sluggish, lazy, engine "feel" and performance. Used new Motorcraft ignition parts, and it was almost "fun" working on the Aerostar. The van ran 100% better, immediately, with the Motorcraft parts, don't ask me why, I just know what I experienced first hand. Ed