Update, It's friday night and I'm working on my Aerostar (apparently I have no life) Checked PCV valve hose for kinking (new PCV has 90 degree fiting, old one was straight on, all good), changed all r/h plugs and wires to motorcraft platinum/ bosch. Tried to clean MAF? and IAC sensors. (intake duct removed) test drove, check engine light, got codes 157, 181 and 187?. reset codes and test drove, marginally better, maybe 5-10%, no codes or CEL. Will change other 3 plugs and wires tomorrow. Fuel filter on order, then I will remove catalytic converters if no change. If still a problem I may bring it to the DEALER! I hope to avoid that at all costs. I still think its the engine as it hesitates off idle even in neutral.
P.S Wife was curious to see my Crafstman plug gapping tool (the circular one) so I threw it to her, she missed and it fell into the crack between my garage and house foundation under the concrete step, I will have to move my house to get it, DAMN!
007BRONCO

 

I see you Canadians are good hockey players, but lousy basketball players

 

Update, took it for a long 20 mile trip to try to get some codes. Pinged alot uphill and accelerating. CEL come on shortly into drive (5 mins) under light acceleration. Pinging continues throughout drive. Ran codes on return. 185,186 and 187 ( maf and fuel injectors)????????. I think the pinging will be cured when all the spark plugs are done today. Any ideas why I would get an injector code. I bought seafoam, should I run this can through with the fuel first?
P.S original problem still there.
007BRONCO

 

Hour later update, Changed other 3 plugs to Motorcraft, replaced fuel filter, recleaned throttle body and checked engine vacuum. (19 and rock steady)
Also poured can of Seafoam into gas tank. Test drive was again marginally better, a little hesitation off idle, acceleration was good but inconsistent. You can feel the engine wanting to accelerate but it can't then all of a sudden it does or doesn't. No pinging til almost all the way around the block started pinging followed immediately by CEL. (engine was now at operating temperature.) Now I have a code 181 ("trucks only: HEGO (HO2S) sensor fault unable to switch / lean during part throttle") This is the second time I've seen this code. Could this be causing the surging, sluggish acceleration and pinging? where is this sensor? could a plugged catalytic converter cause this sensor to malfunction?
P.S 618 code has not come back, yay!
Thanks guys and gals
007BRONCO

 

plugged cat is very straightforward, power loss over a few days finally resulting in engine only being able to idle. No codes in my case. (Ford 460 in motor home)

Ken

 

The Oxygen Sensor is located on the exhaust, just before the catalytic converter. If it malfunctions, it may eventually result in a clogged converter. If your converter is clogged, it'll most likey be the result of a bad O2 sensor over a long period of time. People don't realize it, but an O2 sensor needs periodic replacement just like spark plugs. I replace mine every 60K miles regardless of whether or not I get a code due to a bad experience with it before.

 

my cat was clogged by general dirt and junk right on the front face.

Ken

 

My 94 does exactly what you are describing. You drive around all day it goes fine. If you put your foot in it to get any kind of rpm at over 1/2 throttle it just kinda hangs there not making much horsepower...I'm convinced I have a clogged exhaust system and Maybe you do also, I'm gettin ready to scrap it as soon as I find the rattle in my '96. Maybe you could go underneath and loosen the 2 bolts on one of the exhaust header pipes so you have a leak and try it or pull the inboard o2 sensor so that exhaust can escape and try it. Just a thought


Dick

 

Oh yea my 94 also pings bad and the light comes on when it does.

 

Ya, I will change the o2 sensor and just to be safe, remove the cats.
P.S drove it last night and it seemed much better, was at least 10 minutes into drive before it started to ping and another 5 minutes til CEL. Have not checked codes yet (the van got a little drunk last night so it had to stay at friends)
Thanks all

 

most predetonation/pinging problems are caused by vacuum leaks, lean run conditions(MAF or O2 sensors) or combustion chamber carbon buildup

MAF cleaning requires removing the 2 torx screws holding the MAF sensor in barrel, remove sensor and soak in throttle body-fuel injector cleaner for 30m to an hour..spray off or blow dry with computer spray air can...some cannot be cleaned...heating element cooks on old crud from PCV valve engine blowby, dust thru air filter, aicds & crud in air...
can measure the output sensor voltage change to ECU/PCM for correct range and rapid air flow change response...

O2 sensors can NOT be cleaned....

try sucking a full can of Seafoam into engine thru 1/8" tube in thru hole in throttle body plate....engine hot off freeway run and at 2000 rpm...idea is to slowly over 10 minutes or more run a whole can into engine....turn off and let engine set for 2 hours....take out on freeway and drive her like you just stole her....will kill every mosquito in 5 blocks and cause the neighbors to call the fire dept.
very effective to remove carbon from combustion chamber including heads and piston tops...the soak also loosens up carbon trapped in ring packs and breaks the fuel deposits off the backside of the intake valve tulips....
followup with 1 quart of water drawn into hot engine by same technique...finishes the combustion chamber carbon removal....micro burst steam cleaning...been used for decades...P51 Mustangs with the Roll Royce engines used water injection for extra HP, clean inside as a baby's butt at rebuild time...most P&W radials did not use w.i. and had to be disassembled often to remove carbon/lead additive buildups or would fly apart from predetonation pinging...

4L engine is far worse for carbon buildup than 3L, Ford says not to use premium hi octane fuel just to stop pinging...only worsens deposits buildup....they do sell a carbon cleaner similar to Seafoam at 5 times the price

do you still get the high engine rpm on WOT acceleration with only slow speedo increase but half throttle acel. is ok?

 

Hi All

Ed, you mentioned some special plate product for the TB plate? I was going to just spray some TB cleaner all in there, etc.

Lately, I'm getting a rough idle... and a slight miss at 2K you can see the engine "shake", like timing is off or something.

Acceleration is smooth though... but I was thinking of replacing my plug wires and cap and rotor with OEM MC parts from dealership - I have wells on there now I think, but the wires were like a $50 set, but from AutoZone :-)

I got some of that seafoam in the white metal can... they say you can use it anywhere... crankcase, gas tank, Tranny, etc...

Also, she doesn't start like new anymore... from cold, if you just turn the key, it will start, but run really rough or stall, unless you give it gas right away... could be a different problem?

what should I clean/check beyond replacing tune up stuff (I have new MC plugs in there)

Thanks

 

pull KOEO and KOER codes and run cylinder balance test if your ECU supports it

clean or replace I.dle A.ir C.ontrol valve mounted on side of throttle body/plenum....search Aero forum for techniques

disconnect batt. neg. lead for 10 minutes to reset ECU learned parameters

 

Hi 96 -

Forgot to mention - It's an 89 - 3.0 - will the ECU still have a code stored for a slight miss?

Also, I was going to replace the IAC since it is original, and never beem off to be cleaned, etc. - it does surge every once in a blue moon, but not too often.

I wouldn't think it was the culprit of a miss, since if you rev the engine to like 2000 rpm (hand on TB lever) you can see the miss - slight, but it's there...

any easy way to check for something like a vaccum leak?

also, this is the best forum - you guys are awesome!

Lastly... what size is the drain plug for the tranny? I may just opt to do that right now, instead of dropping the whole pan.

 

IAC will affect idle performance, try cleaning first

vacuum tree on back top of intake manifold is common culprit but not all vacuum leaks are located there...

ECU codes system is best system on vehicle for analyzing performance problems and it's FREE, well almost
'89 does not support cylinder balance test

use a finger to test for vacuum leaks, also a spray can of carb/throttle body cleaner works well, spray > stumble miss stops=leak found

no factory drain plug on tranny, may be aftermarket by prior owner...search Aero forum for gentle flush with filter change