Hi new here thanks all. I have a 90 extended, and the chiltons vin code only show a a,s,u, for motor size,u being the 3.0 l mines a x and I belive its the 4.0 L
the van has all the options,any one know? (more computers than bill gates)
now for the bad news I dont have a code reader , but its running badly in normal driving, semms 1-2 cylinders are dropping out , but if you mash it , it pulls well on all pistons, I cked the mass air flow sensor buy unplugging it( it stopped it cold) all the plugs were sooty and I changed the plugs just now.(no change)
my milleage now rots, no arcing of wires,great spark,but barely running at normal driving, I lost a arm on my harley and have been outa work for 3 yrs ( the van was a freebe from a biker
chick, and I need it to go to work this week
or get fired, I am GUESSING the o2 sensor about 100 k on it sofar ,all vac hoses are good
pls help if you can ..many thanks (Click Here to find out why email addresses are removed from posts.)

 

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welcome rey,
X indicates 4L engine, most get 15-22 freeway with this engine
impossible to effectively troubleshoot these engines without having codes read, complex electronic control with multiple sensors and controls, not in Kansas anymore driving a pan head or Y block 292 2 barrel carbed, those engines were easy to troubleshoot compared to these OBD controlled monsters.

Autozone and many of the other auto parts retailers will read codes or loan reader for free.
Sooty plugs indicate fuel/air is too rich, may be contaminated MAF sensor wire/heater, lazy old contaminated slow response O2 sensor, or failed plug wires-common from high heat and close to block/exhaust manifold, most wire failures occur in areas on the 4L we cannot even see. may also be failing ign. coil pack.

one thing that may help idle is cleaning IAC on side of throttle body, silver alum colored on drivers side of TB, clean with TB or FI cleaner, check gasket for any tears or leaks. Ford says not cleanable-replace only-has non cleanable diaphram, many on list have success cleaning.
cleaning MAF sensor is a routine service just like changing air filter, every 20-30 miles for top performance and best fuel mileage. Ford doesn't trust DIY's mech's so they say not cleanable and they love to sell $150 parts, Hewlett Packard would be bankrupt if it were not for their ink cartridge sales, they lose money on every printer they sell.

 

Welcome!

96 covered most of it.

I would also run a can of seafoam through the gas tank and in the engine through the Brake vacuum line. 4.0L are notorious for carbon buildup.

 

I spent hours reading the posts and just pulled the o2 sensor ,autozone is the cheepest to get one,but the code readers they have only go back to 1996
ill replace it today ,and I lucked out in my sales job,no calls today ...
I am lloking at a code reader on e bay today all so .its a real cool blue van, and it was a gift as I lost everything in phoenix ,due to the bike wreck in '03 20 yrs as a long haul flatbedder ,still miss it,I was rearended on a new sil/blk 100th deuce ,all most killing me, no helmet on , the arm flying off took most of the impact, its been put back on 3 times now is mostly useless, the used dead guy parts insted of harley parts, dont know where the got the parts but I sure like soul food now...
allstate the good finger people havent payed me a dime nor will they due to a bad eye whitness report ,"I saw it all in the rear view mirrror!!, he just fell down in front of the car.....,"
yea ..and thats the reason my mufflers were jammed up my .......
I last tuned any thing using a match book cover , so you can see how I feel abut looking under that hood ..ford has a better idea... I have a few of my own after having to pull a wheel to change plugs, my next bike is gonna be a v12 jag motor ,yes I still ride every day , i ebayed the harely parts for 600$ vs. the 4 grand the dealer wanted,
every one have a great x mass and help some one you see broke down, many thanks to all rey

 

Hi Reynold:

Just pull the diagnostic plugs hanging on the firewall. The big plug has two rows, 4 pins on the lower row and 2 pins on the top row. The small plug has only one pin. Put a jumper wire from the small plug to the right hand pin of the top row.

Now get in the car, turn the key on and start counting flashes on the "Check Engine Light."

There is no need to get a code reader

 

thanks will do ,the chiltons is vage on that or I landed on my head one time too many /thanks rey

 

Post the code you get and we'll try to interprete it for you.

 

100th duece, nice bike rey
glad ur still with us
enjoy the Aero
see ur in Oregon,where at, i'm in vancouver wa
can help with some of the tougher stuff if ur around Portland
email me thru forum
double click on my screen name and email is there

 

Hey reynold welcome to the club. You must be some sort of wizard I have a job working on my van with two good arms let alone one. Bikes I prefer the croutch rockets but a bad back has reduced me to sports toures, a suzuki SV1000 does the job for me, still fast but I don't have to croutch over the gas tank now relieving stress on my back. Back to the aero, mine had a similer problem to yours, cleaning the MAF sensor and changing the plug wires did it for me.

 

Same here CBR900. The Aerostar can be a real pain to work on. My 4-letter word vocabulary improves significantly after each session

 

update
Ray has his Aero running great now...took to Autozone for code read...codes indicated failed O2 sensor....replaced...runs like new...he and van are doing great and looking forward to Christmas

 

thanks guys!!! but autozone code readers only go back to 96 ,and mines a 90
a guy at a auto parts place said it was the fuel reg located in the finger tip zone under the air comp hose next to the intake manafold ,being a former real arizona cow boy I had to hog tie the lines towards the hood post/rod and start the bleed process
no not the lines ,but type o neg ie: me it was a snot to get out , and parts places wanted 50$ for one, i got one off a junk for 10$, then it had the wrong fitting on top
the one on it had a cheep plastic elbow and the junk had a srew on fitting, as you cant see it ,pull it before you change it so you dont get the wrong one, so I had to replumb it and compression fitting wont fit , it leaked like a sive , tip< the real line is a hard plastic one inside a regular hose cover, I cut the inside one back and put in a peice of copper line and hose clamped it.. oh boy its fixed!!
not.. the cover line exploded spraying gas all over the garage and my lit cig,
nowback to square one, ford made some kind of weird quick disconect fitting( chrome ,round with a snap clip on it ) down on the drivers side of the motor, hack saw time, a quick trip to nappa, ( do you take pennies?)had a proper hose was clamped to the cut end, dont smoke when hacksawing a chrome fitting with gas in it, see I am not stuck on stupid all the time,,,and way I clamped a hi pressure rubber hose over it, ( tried to pull out the old line from under the manafold , yea good luck with that, ran the hose over the top of manafold, jamed it over the screw threads on the new/used reg ( used the biggest toughest clamps you can rachet tight over the threads, yea! now I got it , fired it up after 4 days of this sh...
and it still wont run,buy now my girl ( whos mechanical skill amout to throwing any thing not working away ) tells me for the thirtyith time its the o2 sensor.she gos to autozone and gets one ( with the free 10$ gas card from bosch) yea rub my nose in it some more, it looks diffrent but? takes me 10 mins to install and lets try it again, and she fires up sounding like mario anddretty on the back straight at indy.........
so now she getting 46.7 mile a gal at 57 mile a hour , and I am as happy as a two petered puppy, my girl awailable for rent to fix you areo, just dont ask her for a 1/2 inch anything, she will hand you a hammer or something....
MERRY CHRISTMASS TO ALL AND THANKS VERY MUCH REY