2000 Ford Windstar, Not a whole lot of knowledge

[cshawn]

First off, Hello, my name is Chris and I am new to this board. And also I am sorry if this has been posted somewhere else but I'm starting to get desperate. I can do the basic things, i.e. brakes, oil, etc.. but have been having some problems as of late and I purchased this Van which is a 3.8 6 cylinder about 3 years ago, had to have the transmission rebuilt at about 70,000 miles, I have no clue of the previous owner, I got it at about 62,000 miles, I only know it was used at a funeral home for delivering flowers, as the logo for the company is still on the tint. Here lately it I tried to change my standard stereo to a CD player, not having to much knowledge of this I went and bought the mount kit and the tool set, my wife said we didn't have the money for the plug kit so I thought i could wire it myself as I do have electrical experience. Now when I started I didn't realize I needed a removal tool for the radio so I just grabbed the volume knob with a pair of pliers and pulled and it came right out without breaking anything. I blindly clipped the cords, not knowing then that I should have unplugged my battery, it sparked, and I rewired up everything and nothing worked. Of course the next day my wife says we can buy the plug kit, a little to late if you ask me. I am fairly certain I wired it up correctly. It took me a while to get back out there to look at it but one night I was going to go to Speedway, turned the key, it started, then died instantly, turning the key would not do nothing, but my air, wipers and headlights were all working, and fuel pump as well. I had a friend help me the next day and get got messing around with the battery terminal wire going to the positive and it had a short in it, he could wiggle it in different directions and lights would flicker and different things would happen, I also found out that about 90 percent of my inside mini fuses had blown, probably from me clipping the radio wire, so after messing with the wire a bit and replacing all the fuses, it starts. So I thought I was OK for now, a few days later I took my kids to the pool and when we got back in the Van to leave it would not start again, so I wiggled the battery wire, turned the key and it started, this went on for days. A little annoying but happy it would start. Next thing, I start it up and all my dash lights and gauges quit working, no lights, no fuel gauge, no speedometer, but wipers, headlights, park lights, all exterior lights worked well, I never had a dome light. So the other night I was driving and the van starts to sputter, and eventually shuts off, i try to turn the key and it is trying to start but just can't make it, I think I'm out of gas, so I have a friend drive me to put some gas in a water jug and pour it in and it starts and I go back to the gas station and put in 10 more bucks in gas, then drive right down the road to my friends house which was not even a mile from the gas station, as soon as I pull in, it dies again, and I know 10 bucks had to be enough to get me there and I know it had to have gas cuz I just put in 10 bucks. None the less I make a call and have a friend bring me a gas jug and fill it up to see if it would make it start, I pour it in and nothing. I have this friend who is hearing impaired, 100% deaf and he reached slightly under the hood as I was sitting in the van and I could feel him messing with something connected to the gas pedal, he signaled for me to try and it fired up, it was enuff to get me to my next destination, I make a stop, I leave and I get about half way home and it dies again, and I have not a clue what to do, so I had to walk home and leave it. Today me and my deaf friend go back up there and he does the same thing and makes it turn back on, so I at least get it home and not beside the road. I tried asking what he was doing but it's kinda hard to understand him. Anyway I start it up tonite and it starts fine and I wanna take a short drive to feed it some gas before it sits all night. Of course I get down the road and it dies.
Battery is practically new, lots of corrosion and a little short in the wire as I said, I tried everything, then I remembered I had some fuel left in the jug from the night before, and the only thing I could think to do was put something on the gas pedal to open it up and pour some gas in the carburetor and try and start it, and it tries to fire, I have to do this several times going home, as it would last for a minute, then die. Finally I get back home and I have not touched it since, is this the fuel filter? Does anyone have any ideas on what could be wrong, any help would be great, sorry for such a long thread guys, just wanted to put out all the information. Also guys, I am in need of a spark plug replacement all ways around, can any one tell me how many plugs are on this vehicle and where they are located? Thanks.

[Airjer_]

Start with fixing whatever it is on the battery that you have to wiggle. Good power and ground connections are pretty important.

[mark_gober]

Shawn,

Either you're incredibly unlucky, this is a fake, or you ain't living right. Either way, let's see if I can help here.

First off, perhaps you should just have your deaf friend show you what he's doing. If you knew, you could describe it and it might shed light on your problem.

Next, the vehicle takes 6 spark plugs. The car's engine is turned 90 degrees to the right from the vehicles heading (when viewed from above). So when you open the hood, you're looking at the left side of the engine. There are three spark plugs on that side, and three on the back side (right side of the engine). The front three are easy, the back three aren't. They require you to remove the cowl (black thing that your windshield wipers attach to). Why do you feel like you need to replace the spark plugs? Unless you have symptoms about bad plugs, I'd forget about them.

Next....on your intermittent dying problem, either take your vehicle to a parts store and have them pull the trouble codes off of your car, or buy the scanner yourself. (cheap ones can be had for around $30.) Autozone will scan it for free. Those codes will be more helpful than anything else.

With your battery/cables. You refer to the "short" in the cable. FYI, you are confused in your wording. Shorts refer to no resistance at all. Imagine taking a cable and going from positive to negative on the battery...you are shorting the battery. Cables, be design have extremely low resistance. I suspect that you have terrible connections at your battery. Perhaps the easiest solution is to cut the connectors off of the cable, buy new ones and install them. Cut about 2 inches behind the old connectors and you'll probably have beautiful cable to work with. Strip the insulation off and install the new connectors. (I prefer brass, but lead will work just fine...they are all cheap and can be had at Walmart or an auto parts store) When you reinstall, make sure you brush the terminals on the battery before you install. (they sell a brush right next to the terminals at walmart) This should alleviate your intermittent start problems.

This vehicle doesn't have a carburator. It's fuel injected. Short of removing the snorkel tube to get to the throttle body, you couldn't have pour gas into it (this is where I suspect fakeness). Even if you could, the throttle body is horizontal and difficult to "pour" anything into.

For now, your dash lights are your least concern. It's probably a blown fuse. Get the car running reliably and then you can track down the electrical stuff later.

So in closing....

-always buy the connector kit
-never simply cut a bundle of wires
-replace connectors on battery
-pull codes from computer
-repost results.

Mark

P.S. Don't think your problem is fuel pump. Fuel pumps don't usual work/not work/work/not work.

[cshawn]

Thanks for the advice, and yes, all true, but I don't have any trouble codes, and I poured the gas into the air filter container, I'm gonna purchase a new fuel pump filter, new air filter, some lead free terminals and some new battery cables and see how it goes, I mentioned the plugs because it's at 90, 000 miles and never had a tune up except the tranny being rebuilt, but for now I will start with the little repairs and work my way up, thanks.

[wiswind]

2000 windstar is the "newer version"......which would be 1999 through 2003.
The pictures that I have posted are the "older version", 1995-1998.

Now.....if the vehicle will not "crank" or turn over when you turn the key to the START postion......that is 1 problem.
If the motor will crank, but not start, that could be a fuel delivery problem as you are thinking it is.

If it will not crank.......battery cable and connections between the battery and the starter are possible as you mention.
Also the "neutral Safety Switch"

The fuel pumps on these CAN be intermittent......work sometimes and not others.
Replacing a fuel pump is not easy.....you have to remove the fuel tank from the vehicle......as the fuel pump is mounted INSIDE the fuel tank......from the top.

It is important to change the fuel filter......as it can block the flow of fuel from the fuel pump to the motor.
When it becomes restricted.....it causes the fuel pump to work MUCH harder.
The fuel FILTER is located UNDER the vehicle.....kind of in front of the rear, driver side, wheel......
A picture of it on my '96 is here http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1291...11220610AirlKU
It is on the inside of that "frame" rail.
This is the first in a series of pictures that kind of show the removal process.....your 2000 might be slightly different.
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2073...11220610sIQQFK


A online place that I go for auto parts is http://www.rockauto.com/

Another common cause for the fuel pump being intermittent......the fuel pump relay.
I would recommend you replace it.....certainly something to try BEFORE the expense and work in replacing a fuel pump.

Another relay that can be intermittent is the Engine Control Module Wiring relay (as it is called in the rockauto listing......usually called "PCM relay"

These 2 relays and the Neutral Safety Switch are listed on the Rockauto website under "Electrical Switch & Relay" under the parts listings for your vehicle.

My '96 does not have these relays located the same place as on your 2000, I think yours will be inside the relay box in the engine compartment.

I do NOT recommend pouring gasoline into the air filter box......bad things can happen.

Another cause for stalling is a dirty Idle Air Control valve.....aka IAC.
This is mounted onto the throttle body......and the symptom would be that the vehicle dies when you take your foot off the accellerator.
The IAC is shown on my '96 in this picture.... http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1201...11220610tfjrRI
To clean, remove the 2 small bolts that hold it in place, unplug the electrical connection.
Spray some SeaFoam "Deep Creep" or even WD-40 into the IAC while holding it in such a way that the spray fluid will run out......flushing the dirt out.
Then....re-install the IAC......don't forget to plug it back in.

The IAC will not prevent the motor from starting, but you have to keep your foot on the accellerator to keep it running.
The IAC is a valve that opens and closes.....regulating airflow into the engine (like you do with the accellerator) when your foot is not on the accellerator......it is controled by the computer.

Another possible cause for starting problems is the ignition coil pack.
The windstar has a block with the coils inside for all the spark plugs........mounted on the driver's side....between the motor and the firewall.......all the spark plugs go to it.

[cshawn]

now that you mention it, it does die when I take my foot off the gas...

[phil-l]

A common source of "it dies when I take my foot off the gas pedal" problems is a dirty IAC (Idle Air Control) valve.

It's quick, easy and cheap to clean. A nicely-documented procedure is here:

http://leckemby.net/windstar/windstar02.html

[cshawn]

Thanks guys, I know I'm a noobie to the board, but glad I got some good information.

[wiswind]

That is what we hope for......to help you solve the problem.
PLEASE let us know what ends up solving the problem.....as it will help others who have the same problem in the future.
Of course, continue to post if you continue to have the problem.
As you most likely know....sometimes it is a process of elimination to track down a problem......so....it can be frustrating when you try something and it does not solve the problem......that is one thing that you can check off the list of possible causes for the problem.