sputtering under acceleration
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 12
From: Sioux Falls SD
My 99 2.5L is sputtering too. This time last year i started up truck and drove 1/4 mile and like you flipped a switch it started sputtering bad. No codes came up and after two days and about 75 miles it went away.
Last night I go to pick up son at Boy scouts, truck ran smoother than ever before to the place to pick him up. I shut it off to wait for him and on the restart it started sputtering right away and did so for the 2.5 miles home.
This morning I start up truck and it still is sputtering, I get 1 mile down road and it runs great. I stop to pick up my mail, I restart truck and still runs great I get 3 miles down road and am merging on interstate and wam just like you threw a switch I felt it run rough. It has been running rough and sputtering since then and I have driven about 50 miles today.
Sputters the worst just off idle up to 3000rpm I have 105,555 miles on the truck, no check engine light and no codes..
It seems like on two of the four cylenders I lost the primary spark and only have the waste spark, how do I check this?
My other thought is bad injector?
Thanks for the help.
Dan
Last night I go to pick up son at Boy scouts, truck ran smoother than ever before to the place to pick him up. I shut it off to wait for him and on the restart it started sputtering right away and did so for the 2.5 miles home.
This morning I start up truck and it still is sputtering, I get 1 mile down road and it runs great. I stop to pick up my mail, I restart truck and still runs great I get 3 miles down road and am merging on interstate and wam just like you threw a switch I felt it run rough. It has been running rough and sputtering since then and I have driven about 50 miles today.
Sputters the worst just off idle up to 3000rpm I have 105,555 miles on the truck, no check engine light and no codes..
It seems like on two of the four cylenders I lost the primary spark and only have the waste spark, how do I check this?
My other thought is bad injector?
Thanks for the help.
Dan
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 12
From: Sioux Falls SD
My 99 2.5L is sputtering too. This time last year i started up truck and drove 1/4 mile and like you flipped a switch it started sputtering bad. No codes came up and after two days and about 75 miles it went away.
Last night I go to pick up son at Boy scouts, truck ran smoother than ever before to the place to pick him up. I shut it off to wait for him and on the restart it started sputtering right away and did so for the 2.5 miles home.
This morning I start up truck and it still is sputtering, I get 1 mile down road and it runs great. I stop to pick up my mail, I restart truck and still runs great I get 3 miles down road and am merging on interstate and wam just like you threw a switch I felt it run rough. It has been running rough and sputtering since then and I have driven about 50 miles today.
Sputters the worst just off idle up to 3000rpm I have 105,555 miles on the truck, no check engine light and no codes..
It seems like on two of the four cylenders I lost the primary spark and only have the waste spark, how do I check this?
My other thought is bad injector?
Thanks for the help.
Dan
Sorry for the double post, I could not get to work earlier.
DAn
Last night I go to pick up son at Boy scouts, truck ran smoother than ever before to the place to pick him up. I shut it off to wait for him and on the restart it started sputtering right away and did so for the 2.5 miles home.
This morning I start up truck and it still is sputtering, I get 1 mile down road and it runs great. I stop to pick up my mail, I restart truck and still runs great I get 3 miles down road and am merging on interstate and wam just like you threw a switch I felt it run rough. It has been running rough and sputtering since then and I have driven about 50 miles today.
Sputters the worst just off idle up to 3000rpm I have 105,555 miles on the truck, no check engine light and no codes..
It seems like on two of the four cylenders I lost the primary spark and only have the waste spark, how do I check this?
My other thought is bad injector?
Thanks for the help.
Dan
Sorry for the double post, I could not get to work earlier.
DAn
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,873
Likes: 0
From: St. Peter
what do you mean by "sputtering"
Does it seem like its misfireing? Does it seem like it just drops a cylinder all of a sudden?
It sounds ignition related. I would take a timing light, and hook it up to each spark plug when it starts to do this. See if you can find out if you have a bad wire, or a bad coil pack. I'm sorry I'm not really familiar with the ignition system on the 2.3's. I know it uses 8 spark plugs, but I dont know if it has 2 coil packs, or 4, or what. It sounds like a coil pack might be going out on you.
Another general check would be fuel pressure. Just to make sure you dont have a weak pump or anything like that.
Does it seem like its misfireing? Does it seem like it just drops a cylinder all of a sudden?
It sounds ignition related. I would take a timing light, and hook it up to each spark plug when it starts to do this. See if you can find out if you have a bad wire, or a bad coil pack. I'm sorry I'm not really familiar with the ignition system on the 2.3's. I know it uses 8 spark plugs, but I dont know if it has 2 coil packs, or 4, or what. It sounds like a coil pack might be going out on you.
Another general check would be fuel pressure. Just to make sure you dont have a weak pump or anything like that.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 12
From: Sioux Falls SD
I am leaning twords ignition too. when it clears up it is not as noticable as when it acts up. when it acts up it is like you flip a switch and wam like hitting a wall power drops off and engine runs rough.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,851
Likes: 111
From: SW Va
I'm thinking maybe a acting out fuel pump power relay.
Try swapping the A/C relay, with the fuel pump relay, in the under hood power distribution box, located on the divers side firewall & see if things clear up.
Let us know what you find.
Try swapping the A/C relay, with the fuel pump relay, in the under hood power distribution box, located on the divers side firewall & see if things clear up.
Let us know what you find.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,873
Likes: 0
From: St. Peter
you would think if the fuel pump relay was bad, it would just not run at all. I dont think i've ever seen a relay make partial contact, but i guess there is a first time for everything huh?
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,907
Likes: 39
From: suburban atlanta
Well, if we are taking a vote, I'm for an ignition problem. On the other hand, there are sensors that check air and coolant temp, and adjust timing and injector pulse width based on those values. When a value changes, such as after driving 1/4 mile, the ECM will fiddle with the parameters, much like flipping a switch.
Check for codes. It could be something simple...
like me...
tom
Check for codes. It could be something simple...
like me...
tom
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 12
From: Sioux Falls SD
Put timing light on each of eight wires today, had flashing lite on all of them. I could not tell what cylinder was acting up.
I bought a set of Autolight pro wires and put them on. Took about 30 sec. of running to clear up the plugs but so far after about 30 miles of driving it is running smooth again.
I hope the wires cured the problem.
Thanks for all the help.
Dan
I bought a set of Autolight pro wires and put them on. Took about 30 sec. of running to clear up the plugs but so far after about 30 miles of driving it is running smooth again.
I hope the wires cured the problem.
Thanks for all the help.
Dan
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 12
From: Sioux Falls SD
Started missing again today, I do not have a fuel pressure tester. How do you test the coil packs? Timing light shows good flashes on all wires.
Old plug wires were in tough shape, thought I had this licked..
Old plug wires were in tough shape, thought I had this licked..
FTE Sponsor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 755
Likes: 0
It takes 2 coil packs with 4 terminals each because each cylinder has 2 spark plugs.
http://www.performancedistributors.c...erignition.htm
http://www.performancedistributors.c...erignition.htm
__________________
FTE Sponsor
Performance Distributors
www.PerformanceDistributors.com
FTE Sponsor
Performance Distributors
www.PerformanceDistributors.com
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,907
Likes: 39
From: suburban atlanta
Check your MAF for cleanliness. They will make for sputtery acceleration if the wire is covered with gunk. VERY FRAGILE! Heated wire is cooled by the amount of air flowing past... open throttle, air flow increases ==> need to add extra fuel like accelerator pump on carbs. Gunk will muddy up the signal change. You probably can find good instructions here somewhere.
tom
tom
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 12
From: Sioux Falls SD
Originally Posted by PerfDistIgnition
It takes 2 coil packs with 4 terminals each because each cylinder has 2 spark plugs.
http://www.performancedistributors.c...erignition.htm
http://www.performancedistributors.c...erignition.htm
Tom on the maf sensor. That went out on me 18 months ago and was similar acting but not drivable and when I unpluged the maf it ran fine. if I un plug it now the condition does not change.. I removed the fuel filter today to see if it was plugged and it is clear.Seems if truck siiiiiits over night it will run fine next morning for about six blocks then start missing again so it hasthe ability to heal itself.
I am stumped.
Dan