Hi everyone, New to this forum. I just picked up a 1990 E250 van with a 302 in it. It has been off the road for about a year now and it does not want to stay running after it is warmed up. It runs great when cold and for a little while after that. Any ideas what to look for?

Thanks in advance

Kevin

 

Is it setting any codes? Have you run the old gas out of it? Self life of gas is very short now a days. I would start with the basics first where it has sit a year and start with a tune up. I can not remember if a 1990 has a ECT sensor or not but that is how they will act. Good luck Matt

 

Thanks for your help. I have been working on diesel engines for a little while so all my gas knowledge went out the door. What is an ECT sensor, and would you no where I can Find it on this engine? None of my indicator lights on my dash are on. It is still the old gas in there. I am going to get some sea foam to run through it in the morning. Thanks again-- Kevin

 

Okay, I started the van today and ran some sea foam through it and did what it said to on the bottle. I had the van running for about 3 hours and it was running like new. Once I put it in gear and started to back up it stalled. I re-started it and kept one foot on the brake and one on the gas to keep her going. Once I got going it was fine. I got some new gas in it, started it up and drove of with no problems at all. I drove for about 30- 40 miles and came to a light and it stalled. I started it up went about another mile and it stalled again once I stopped.

The van only seems to do it when it want to. Does anyone know what i should look for to see what is wrong?

Thanks for any help,
Kevin

 

Where you do not have any codes setting I wouldn't start with sensors. It does sound like you have improvement with new gas and Sea Foam. If it were mine I would start with the basics first. At least check the spark plugs to see how they look, I've had engines run good but when you put it under load the plugs would misfire. If you do put a new set in, it seems like I always end up putting Autolites back in. Too many problems with some other brands. While I checked the plugs I would also ohm out the plug wires to make sure they are OK. See how it runs after that. Then I would find some other fuel injector cleaner that is good. I have always had good luck with Justice Brothers products, they do cost more but you do seem to notice a difference. I do like Sea Foam but it has always worked better for me over time and you seem like you want the problem to go away ASAP. If problem still exists, then I would take the idle air control valve off and clean it. Just use carb cleaner and spray through it. They are known to get carboned up and stick a little. This is what I would start with. Also if you do not have a repair manual one is online at Autozone.com. Also how does the distributor cap and rotor look, do not forget to check the air filter. Some of this maybe too basic but sometimes it's the basics we over look that ends up being the problem. Also the products I mention are what has worked for me so I am not guaranteeing they will work for you. Good luck, let us know if any of this works and if it doesn't we will go from there. Matt

 

yeh most deffinatly check the plugs 1st. they might not be gapped right some people out their dont use a gapping tool and just guess on the gap. but also fi it continues u might wanna look at the distributer cap. Next i would say the fuel filter cuz it sounds like under when ur on the gas u have no problems but when idling you e250 starts missing. the reason for the fuel filter is the when ur on the gas ur system has extra pressure sucking fuel through the clog. but when idling the system might not have enough pressure to suck addiquite fuel through the dirt in the filter to the motor. i know this from experience i had the same problem with my '82 f100 and it also has a 302. mine the spark plugs were gapped terribly. along with my fuel filter was clogged up like crazy.

 

Thanks for the help. I was planing on changing the plugs, wires, cap, and roter this weekend. The van was running great most of today. this morning she ran great. This afternoon the idle was pretty high until i shut it off and had lunch. When i came back out it was fine. This evening it would not stay running. I have to keep one foot on the gas and one on the brakes at every stop light.
Can you tell me where I can find the idle air control valve on this Van? I am not sure where it is located. I have an idea of what it looks like from a picture from advance auto parts.
Thanks again for the help,
Kevin

 

yeh i did something similiar one night when i was taking my girlfriend home. I hit a hard bump and the fuel filter started to clog up real bad so at each light i would put it in nuetrul and pump the gas a little bit to keep it running. the people next to me at the lights and behind me didnt like me much cuz ya know the duals with cherry bomb glass packs yeh u dont make friends at stop lights while ur pumping the gas with that exhaust set-up > this is what im talking bout http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX6ROQW_QMk

 

Nice truck. That sounds good. All you have is glass packs?

 

yeh thats all ive got they are several years old from a previous owner and as glasspacks get older they get louder due to the fiberglass melting. but that video is from before i got new and gapped properly spark plugs and also that was before i got a new fuel filter and now it sounds even better im planning on in the next couple of weeks of getting a walk around video of everything on my truck

 

I went ahead and cleaned the throttle body and the IAC valve. It ran rough for a min or two and then it seemed to be okay. I didnt stall under a load but the idle still revs up and down and every now and then the throttle sticks at a pretty high RMP. It was doing this before to.
Any Ideas?