Howdy.....Still havng trouble wth the wifes 00 Windstar.

Replaced plugs, wires, & module to clear multiple misfire codes. Still getting a P0302 from the #2 hole.

Also have P0171 and P0174, system lean on both banks. Not sure where to go on those.

P0401 and P0402 also came up. There are low flow and excessive flow through the EGR. I think that one might be fixed...she came home today and said the heat only came through the defrost....and I found the busted vacuum line causing that, so I'm hoping that same vacuum leak is what was messing with the EGR.

Can a bad injector cause the misfire code? What else could cause it, assuming the ignition system is good? Any ideas on any of these codes would be most appreciated.

 

Scott,
Soory you haven't gotten' more feedback.
When the lower intake manifold gasket started leaking on my 2000 F150, I began to get misfire codes on #2 due to the coolant getting into the cylinder and eventually causing the plug to cease firing properly.
Really couldn't tell it driving. The leak was very slow and the effect only showed after a good long while.
I pulled the plug and found a "ashy" deposit on it.
Check your coolant level and see if it is low.

I don't recall anybody here having probs with injectors. I wouldn't think you'd get misfire code from a faulty injector - maybe a lean code.

How many miles on it?

 

No need to apologize Brian....I know it works around here. Sometimes these things take some time.

Thank you for the heads up on the intake gaskets, I had not thought of that. I do remember a couple of the old plugs having an ashy deposit on them. I'll have to recheck #2.

Is there any way to test the intakes prior to removing them? I can pressurize the coolant tank, but how, or where would I check for the leak.

No major rush on this, other than the CEL always being on it seems to be running fine. Besides, with the Broncos getting ready to lay wood to the Steelers I'm not going outside today anyways.

 

Got an update. After her driving it around yesterday and today....she said it is developing a miss and tried to stall on her a couple of times at stoplights. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Does it fit the m.o. for the intake gaskets?

 

Yes, it could be a failing gasket. It all depends on just how bad the leak is.
Tough to say for sure though.
Is your coolant level dropping any?
Does your coolant have an oil sheen on it? (look in the de-gas tank to see).
Maybe change the oil and see if it has coolant in it.
Is the oil level higher than it should be on the dipstick? (especially if coolant level is low)

More n' likely, if it is a gasket, at this point it is leaking a little and that "little" is going through the fuel/air combustion cycle and getting blown out the exhaust pipe. But, it leaves enough residue on the plug to cause intermittent firing. I'm not sure about the 3.8 but I'm pretty sure the 4.2 uses a crank inertia sensor. It "senses" when the proper acceleration is absent after each piston power stroke. If enough "misses" occur it will throw a code indicating misfire.

Still could be other causes for your problem, but if it is a gasket and it is not attended to, you might try to crank it one morning, hear a really bad sound, and you engine is now in bad shape - really bad shape - due to hydrolock.

I'd see about getting it checked. I believe you can have the coolant system pressure tested and/or a UV die can be put into the coolant and the exhaust gas checked with a black light to look for coolant getting out the exhaust pipe.

Please keep us posted.

edit: a coolant system pressure check won't necessarily show you where a leak is, it is just a good way to tell if you have a leak.

The 4.2 achilles heel has been lower intake manifold gaskets. I have read the 3.8 had probs with head gaskets too.

How many miles on the engine?

 

94,000 on the engine. I can pressure test the coolant system, but the level is fine and appears to just be coolant. Same story with the oil.

I guess I'll just stick a couple of 02 sensors and an EGR on it and see where I stand. Take it one code at a time. I just hate shotgun maintenance, and was hoping someone had seen something similar before.

Thanks for hanging in with me Brian....I'll post back here when I get the issues resolved...and I'll continue to check this thread, just in case.

 

The 3.8l 95 Windstars are piling up in the junk yard in my part of the country.

Unless you can fix things yourself it just isn't worth fixing anymore. A real shame as the bodies and interiors on these vans are usually in real nice shape. With the cost of a tranny rebuilt quoted by the Ford Dealer at $CDN4,000 ($US3,200) who in their right mind would spent that kind of money.

I am working hard to keep mine going as I can't afford to buy a new one.

The aluminium cylinder heads and head gaskets on the 3.8l are a chronic problems, so is the timing cover gasket. I have done the gaskets twice an replaced one of the heads which cracked due to a factory casting defect. My theory is that the differential thermal expansion between the Aluminium heads and cast iron block makes for a poor combination. Whatever you do do not overheat an 3.8l.

It just turned 180,000 km and it will need a new set of tires in another 30,000km. Spending money on new tires will be a real difficult call to make especially if the tranny will go again around 260,000 km. The problems with the tranny are design problems (fatigue cracking of aluminium components) Tranny's seem to last about 130kkm so 260kkm is probably going to be the next time it will go.

 

It may be money well spent to have a good shop properly diagnose the problem.
O2 sensors rarely fix a lean code. For the price of the O2 sensors you could get it professionaly diagnosed.