'00 Tauras - Rough Idle/ Keep started

I own a 2000 Ford Tauras SES with 91K miles. Maintenance is done regularly: every 4k oil changes are done (Castrol 5W30 only) and fuel injector cleaner is added every 3 oil changes. So far my vehicle has had a transmission service, coolant flush, tune up, air filter, and fuel filter. My car also has a brand new battery, serpetine belt, alternator, drums, and hardware. My gas is purchased only at BP.

Periodically - When sitting at a light (car is warm) waiting for the light to change my car idles rough. The idling is so rough my car jerks some but the tack never moves while it is doing this. It has never died though.
My car is warm since it usually occurs most times after getting off the freeway. I commute 32 freeway miles @ 75MPH so I know my car is warm. It has happened other times like when I am running around town to do errands but my car is always warm.

Seldom - After I start my car the engine has a hard time staying started. It idles rough and keeps wanting to die. If I take my foot off the gas it will die, so I keep revving the engine until the problem goes away or I then will attempt to drive to the freeway. As long as I am accelerating my car will remain running. If I have to stop at a light I have to apply my brakes, put my car in nueutral, and rev the engine until the light changes. It seems like something is either clogged or not enough air or fuel is getting to the engine. I am unable to blow out whatever the problem is until I can drive on the freeway @ 75MPH. After this my car runs really good.

So far I have been lucky I am able to take my foot off the gas for a second to put it back into drive so I can drive off and race to the freeway.

I took my car to my personal mechanic and left it with him overnight and of course my car started and idled like a champ! Is my car possessed?

There is no check engine light on. I have contacted Ford but they want to due Engine Diagnostics to my car, if they unable to locate the problem they want to put a black box in my engine. When the problem occurs then I am to hit a button where it will start recording it. I am assuming this should cost me $500.00 just to figure out what the problem is and if Ford has their way probably new everything and they still wouldn't find the problem. Help!

Any suggestions?

My 98 Taurus had the same problem. I had the plugs and wires changed yesterday and it runs great now!

I have similar situation with 2000 taurus, at a stop light while in drive, the car jerks but RPM doesn't change much. I am starting to think maybe the transmission.
This is an intermit problem and happens only occasionally. Any transmission specialist out there who may have an anwser?

My 98 Taurus had the same problem. I had the plugs and wires changed yesterday and it runs great now!

Hello! Thank you for telling me that as I did further investigation!

I had a tune up back in March '04 at 81,800 miles. The problem I found is my mechanic did not put DiElectic grease on my spark plug boots. And my problems started one week after my tune up.

I purchased a Haynes Manual (36075) and read up on the tune up part which clearly states that needs to be put on wires and plugs.

Off to Auto Zone this weekend and I put the DiElectic compound on my plugs and my car runs wonderful! No more symptoms, fires right up and idles perfect. The bottle cost me $8.00.

Thank You,

My 98 Taurus had the same problem. I had the plugs and wires changed yesterday and it runs great now!
Hello,

Yes my car had the same symptoms but got worse over time.

I had a tune up done at 81,800 back in March '04, one week after the tune up is when the problems started happening.

I would be sitting at a light and my car was warm and it would seem like it was chugging/jerking without the tack (RPM's) being affected.

Then my car would get hard to keep started, It would fire right up but then start chugging until I revved the engine up several times.

I know I didn't have a sensor problem since my engine diagnostic showed no errors. (free Auto Zone)

I purchased a Haynes Manual (36075) for my car and did some research this weekend. It clearly states you have to put DiElectric on the plugs and wires. The bottle cost me $8.00, I pulled the wires off one by one and put the grease in both ends.
Since this weekend my car has idled beautiful and when started it idles like a champ.

I would not think that would be a transmission problem since you are only idling, I would recommend a tune up if you have reached 75,000 miles or just add DiElectric to your wires and see what happens (make sure your car is shut off).
The DiElectric helps keep moisture out and keep the electric current constant and Fords have been known with electrical problems.

Best of Luck!