Timing Off on Windstar, Where are Timing Marks?

[Searles Lewis]

Originally Posted by wiswind

The only way to know is to replace it.
It seems that the coil pack on the 1999 and newer is more common in failure than on the 1998 and older.
A small crack that you cannot even see can create a break in the insulation between things to keep the high voltage from arcing.
That is why it can check out perfect and still fail......as the failure is caused by the high voltage arcing (jumping from 1 location to another).
The arc is supposed to happen at the spark plug.
When it happens in the coil pack instead......the spark plug in the cylinder does not spark.....causing the misfire.

I did that, and replaced all of the spark plug wires, which despite special ordering, I had to have an autozone guy help me figure out what other wires would actually work-the ones listed by them were waaaay too short.

The #6 and #4 cells on the coil pack, and the ends of the wires that plugged into them, were covered with white corrosion. It looked like ash inside of the top of the coil pack.

But, after all of this, nothing has changed, except the engine is even weaker than before. I have considered trying to pour kerosene straight into the crankcase, letting it run for a few minutes, and then changing the oil. Right now, I am doing the oil change ,will put in CD2 after. Will take it to a mechanic sometime this coming week. I have so much to do, and cannot do it stranded at a relative's house.

Still the same sound, still way too weak.

Anyone know of something that will clean valve lifters?

The valve compression test was fine .the other options were the cp sensor, and the camshaft sensor being replaced.

I have spoken to other people in town who confirmed for me that if anti-freeze is used in the fuel intake, something like this will end up happening. Anecdotal stories on the internet stated the same.

What a waste.

Next time I will not assume that anyone but a mechanic can fix it.

The oil was really, really sticky, like maple syrup, It looked awful, too.

[tempfixit]

Crankshaft sensor link: 3.0 engine
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...tar&vi=1362833

Camshaft sensor and snycronizer:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...tar&vi=1362833

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Re...&Dk=1&Dp=3&N=0

Video of cam sensor and syncronizer:
http://realfixesrealfast.com/realfix...am_Sensor.html

What is the vin # of vehicle?

A camshaft sensor/syncronizer can also have a ticking sound to it if going bad.

[12Ounce]

Originally Posted by Searles Lewis

Mine is a 2000, it made up 1/3rd of the vans sold that year.

.
Yeah, you're right ... and I knew that! Comes with age. Something got dropped in '99 ... 15" wheels maybe?

[Searles Lewis]

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

.
Yeah, you're right ... and I knew that! Comes with age. Something got dropped in '99 ... 15" wheels maybe?

Reliable electronic parts? LOL!

[Searles Lewis]

Well, you guys have aright to heckle me.

today, I tried starting it up, and nothing. I re-connected the #5 spark plug to the new coil pack-and the noise came back. However, it did not fail, or screw up.

My friend went over every part of the top of th engine ,and the bottom, with his stethescope. He said the noise was coming fro mthe plenum, the rod and camshaft were fine. When I revved it, the noise started in the bottom left, then went up to the top right.

I put my hand on the plenum, and the right half was so hot it hurt my hand. I took off all 12 bolts, and opened it up. #2, #5, and #6 ports egr?, were blocked, with #6 having a turd like thing coming out. My friend pointed to #1, it was the only one mostly clean. He also said the car was misfiring, and on the first start up with new oil in it, it pushed out a whole bunch of water, white-gray-blue smoke, and pulsed.

So, am I right, with only one cylinder/egr port clean, and black burned sugar over everything ,it has to be that, right? It was the only one totally working right?

[Searles Lewis]

In addition, all of the isolator bolts are very pretty colored, wet, and look okay IMHO. My opinion is humble cuz I obviously make very bad decisions when it comes to the engine.

Should I replace them or just clean out the intake ports?

I'm guessing this means the anti-freeze burned up, and was pushed out the intake holes?

[Searles Lewis]

What do I use to clean out the intake or egr ports? Gasoline, or brake cleaner? They are crusty. WD-40?

[Searles Lewis]

He also said the #1 in back was the problem, it was the only clean one, well mostly clean. What do I do now? Whole plenum cleaner thing? Set myself on fire? Find the people who designed the engine, and have a log talk?

BTW, before I started it up, I'd changed the oil, and put in some B-12 chemtool, and also the engine cleaning oil additive, CD-2.

What to do?

[Searles Lewis]

I went to ABQ, U Pull and U pay, and pulled two parts off of the 1999 that was supposed to have the right ones. It mus have been a mislabelled car, as one was wrong. The CMP I picked up was for a 97.

I replaced the crank sensor, and had to fight over 2-3 days with Autozone to give me the right one, as the one they gave me had the notch that fits it into the engine reversed and the magnet sensor way too short. I replaced the cmp and cp finally ,and it is still making the same noise. If I didn't have to keep begging people to do the right thing, this would have been done weeks ago.

Autzone had the sensors listed at 68 and 77 respectively, and then one dropped to 30 the day before I hit ABQ. That still was100$ total. In ABQ, I had them check, and instead of both being ten even, they were 15 and 18 at the junk yard, and they were wrong, too.

So, I have the car making the noise, but running okay, and losing power. I was going to do it in order, and did not get to the valve cover. My friend still insists it's not the rod and camshaft, and tomorrow I may just take it to the mechanic. I'm sick of trying.

Did I mention the prices were 24 and 19 for the sensors in ABQ? I had to wrangle to get one that looked like the one I had, which does not at all resemble the one listed on the links above?

I also posted a few other posts here, but none are listed, either. Wow.

so, tomorrow, PCV and egr check, then drive it up and have it checked. I'll post whatever it is here, so people can get it.

What a waste of time. All because Ralph martinez is a cop informant, and my landlord is covering for him, and is crazy and a drug addict. I still think it could be the fuel injectors being clogged up.

Can anyone tell me what happens if you use too much of fuel additives?

[Searles Lewis]

BTW, I did find the timing marks and instructions for BTDC in a Chilton's thru my library. They are on top of the harmonic balancer and can be adjusted using a timing gun, just as in pre-coil pack cars.

If anyone needs it, let me know thru email, and I'll scan and send it to you.

[tempfixit]

I would not worry about to much fuel additive.

The noise may not be from a rod or camshaft, but whatn your friend needs to understand is that there are lifters that are pushed upwards and lowered as the camshaft rotates which in turn moves the push rod upward against the rocker arm which in turn opens and cloes each valve. Since the plenium is getting hot the exhaust valve may not being opened at all and the exhaust is being pushed into intake when the intake valve opens. A collasped lifter, broken or loose rocker arm and or a bent or broken pushrod can cause this and also create the noise.

Remove the valve covers and check for any inoperal valves. If you remove the cowl there should be room to remove back valve cover

I would think a compotent mechanic will check the oil pressure and remove the valve covers to inspect valve train as their first diagnoses.

Did you ever check the codes???? Does your friend have a code reader???

Diagnostics need to be done before throwing money and parts at it.

If you have a socket and wrench set you should be able to remove valve covers without a problem.

Keep us posted.

[12Ounce]

Most of the folks here have had problems with their 3.8's. There aren't many posters here with the 3.0, and with problems. The 3.0 has always been considered "bullet proof".

I think that is why you are not getting much response with definite suggestions.

[Searles Lewis]

Originally Posted by tempfixit

I would not worry about to much fuel additive.

The noise may not be from a rod or camshaft, but whatn your friend needs to understand is that there are lifters that are pushed upwards and lowered as the camshaft rotates which in turn moves the push rod upward against the rocker arm which in turn opens and cloes each valve. Since the plenium is getting hot the exhaust valve may not being opened at all and the exhaust is being pushed into intake when the intake valve opens. A collasped lifter, broken or loose rocker arm and or a bent or broken pushrod can cause this and also create the noise.

Remove the valve covers and check for any inoperal valves. If you remove the cowl there should be room to remove back valve cover

I would think a compotent mechanic will check the oil pressure and remove the valve covers to inspect valve train as their first diagnoses.

Did you ever check the codes???? Does your friend have a code reader???

Diagnostics need to be done before throwing money and parts at it.

If you have a socket and wrench set you should be able to remove valve covers without a problem.

Keep us posted.

i'll try the valve cover, as I said i would. Yes he has a obd2 reader, and nothing comes up at all.

I was worried about twenty-five mile round trip to get the new gaskets.

[wiswind]

As a GOOD point of reference, visit www.rockauto.com and look up your vehicle and make sure to select 3.0L engine.
THEN, look up your parts.
MANY parts have pictures that show you what the parts look like.
They also have a selection for each part that shows you what years the part is for.
I have ordered from them and been happy with them, but my reason for directing you there is that I recommend that you go their FIRST...before you go to a salvage yard so that you know what the part looks like before they present a part to you.

2000 was the last year for the 3.0L Vulcan Engine in the Windstar.
Do not confuse the Vulcan 3.0L (pushrod) with the Duratec 3.0L, which is a different engine, (dual overhead cam)

A history of the Ford 3.0L Vulcan Engine...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Vulcan_V6_engine

Still searching.....

In about 1995, when they put the Crankshaft Position Sensor in, they REMOVED the timing pointer (what you use to line up the timing to the timing marks).

There were issues with the water pump impeller (the part inside that moves the water) rusting and getting to the point that they no longer move the water.
This would happen in cases where the coolant was not changed when it should be.......brown/rust colored coolant.

I found a Utube video of a tapping sound on the 3.0L Vulcan in a Sable.
The person said that their mechanic told them that it was the #3 cylinder lifter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtT4grgLhL4

Here is what the 3.0L sounds like with a defective bushing on the camshaft position sensor syncro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuLcG8YBzzU

As I mentioned in another thread.....if you decide to remove a valve cover and take a look, START with the front one.
The reason is that the rear one is a LOT more work, so why do that only to find out that the problem was under the front one?
Also,if the front is fine, you will know what you are doing before you have to lean over for all that time to work on the rear one.
For valve cover gaskets, I recommend the Felpro brand's "permaDry" line.

[Searles Lewis]

Originally Posted by wiswind

I found a Utube video of a tapping sound on the 3.0L Vulcan in a Sable.
The person said that their mechanic told them that it was the #3 cylinder lifter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtT4grgLhL4

Here is what the 3.0L sounds like with a defective bushing on the camshaft position sensor syncro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuLcG8YBzzU

As I mentioned in another thread.....if you decide to remove a valve cover and take a look, START with the front one.
The reason is that the rear one is a LOT more work, so why do that only to find out that the problem was under the front one?
Also,if the front is fine, you will know what you are doing before you have to lean over for all that time to work on the rear one.
For valve cover gaskets, I recommend the Felpro brand's "permaDry" line.

I tried it. First time, I had disconnected the 5 and 6 spark plugs, it started, without noise, then the battery got weak. But no noise. Stopped, reconnected the spark plug wires, and it made the noise, the same noise.

The valves all moved, I made some videos of it, if you want I can post them, but really they all work, and they look plenty fine.

So a lifter? How much does that cost, on average, to fix?

When I tried to start up today, the battery was dead, I'm recharging it now. The hazard lites cam on when I tried to start up. I had never seen that before.

But, I sincerely have decided to give up. I am lost. My friend told me, to detach the screw for the camshaft sensor, and rotate it to see if it varies the timing at all. I woudl think, given the gear on it, it would cause it to skip and then grind up the gear and then I would not be able to take it to the shop.

what do you think?

As for bullet-proof-I have read enough about these cars, to know they are typical Fords, and all fords have horrible electronic issues. The 1 cylinder, #1, is heating up again by the plenum.

I have to say, I don't think there are any cars worth buying sold in the USA anymore. Every car seems to have problems. Toyotas are notorious along with Honda, for not honoring their warranties to make sure they can claim they have not had warranty returns. My mother had a cv joint go on a Honda 4 wheeler under 10k miles, and the kids knew a girl who had a fuel pump go on a toyota, and toyota came close to telling her off, they wanted $900 for it (8k miles, Santa Fe Autopark), he did it in auto shop for the pump cost at autozone, it was 189$.

They all suck, just in different ways.

Thanks for the links and info. I'll try them, tho I honestly do not have any hope.