need help
s_ward84
11-25-2005, 01:16 PM
dtc p0302 cyl 2 misfire, p0171 too lean, p0734 gear 4 ratio incorect, p1513 manifold runner stuck closed. what do these mean an how do i fix them??? keep in mind i am NOT a mech. so please keep it simple so i can under stand. thnx, scott
wiswind
11-25-2005, 05:16 PM
I could not find the year / engine in your profile.
Knowing the year / engine will help.
Most Windstars have the 3.8L engine.
Many of the things I mention....I have pictures posted that you can reach through the link that I have at the end of this message.
1995 had more transmission and head gasket problems than other years.
As you have intake manifold runner code...I am guessing that your windstar is newer....as 1995 is the one year that did not have that.
1996-1998 were very similar.....a much different intake than in 1995, transmission is still a weak point...but not as bad as 1995.....fluid changes every 30K miles MAX are a MUST. Use the correct type fluid.....They changed from Mercon to Mercon V in about 1998.....they are not interchangable.
The Upper intake is not prone to the problems that the 1999 and newer are.
Intake manifold runner.....is an extra air passage for each cylinder. There is a "butterfly" that opens for each cylinder at about 2900 rpms and higher. This gives the engine an extra boost of power.
They are OPEN when the engine is OFF.
When the engine is ON, they CLOSE.
They will open whenever the engine is over 2900rpm.
They are controled by vaccum....and there is an actuator for the front bank of cylinders, and an actuator for the rear bank of cylinders. They might just need cleaning. If you do a search on IMRC you will get a lot of information on the repairs of them. For parts.... I highly recommend Mellennium Ford. They have their parts department online. They are very helpful on the phone and by email. Their prices are most likely MUCH less than you will pay at your local Ford dealer. They can be found at http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=214072
I am not familiar with the code for the transmission, but the misfire on cylinder #2...could be a number of things. Are the plugs original? Spark plugs on the windstar wear faster on the back side of the engine. The cylinder #'s are as follows. Back, passenger side of engine is cylinder #1......and 2 is in the middle back....3 is on the driver side back. #4 is on the passenger side front.
I would put 2 bottles of Chevron Techron Fuel System cleaner (1 bottle treats 10 gallons) in the gas tank. It may take up to 3 tanks treated...if you have not been doing it a couple times a year.
How old are the spark plug wires?
How old is the fuel filter? (If it is old....change it after the 1st tank of gasoline with the cleaner)
The lean codes are almost ALWAYS caused by a vaccum leak. If your windstar is 1999 or newer.....you should look into the TSB that you will find many times over by doing a search on P0171 in this forum. Please take note that this TSB does not apply to the 1998 and older years.
One place to look for vaccum leaks....is in the PCV line....Start with the elbow that is on top of the upper intake manifold......next to the throttle body.....can get a crack on the inside of that elbow.....also verify that all the various connections from that point to the PCV valve are intact...as well as the hose. Also, verify that the PCV valve is seated in the valve cover. Pre-1999 years, PCV valve should be in the rear valve cover....newer years....it is in the front valve cover.
There are a lot of vaccum connections on the back side of the upper intake manifold......any one of which could be a source of a leak.
EGR ports.....Usually cause a misfire on cylinder #1 and / or #4 as the ports clog closest to the EGR valve first....leaving the mentioned cylinders to be the last open ports.....getting all the EGR flow...and causing a misfire.
Requires removal of upper intake manifold to get to the EGR ports.
Fuel injectors can develop some crud on the spray end...inside the"cap" that is over the spray end. Requires removal of upper intake manifold to get to the injectors to remove and clean them. Do a search on Injector cleaning...and I am sure you will find instructions.
Is the antifreeze overflow bottle slowly loosing fluid?....If so, add Bar's stop leak to the coolant. If the coolant is old...you might flush it....with new coolant... Stay away from "Power flushing" or chemical cleaners. A leak in the lower intake manifold gasket can cause leakage into one of the cylinders....I did read that cylinder #2 is common. At this point....IF you have a leak....I would guess that it is more of a seapage.....and the stop leak will fix it. The other place that is common for coolant leakage is the "timing chain cover". This cover has the water pump and oil pump on it. The gasket is cheap....the labor to change it is MAJOR.
I have a '96 windstar...and I have posted pictures of some little projects at http://community.webshots.com/album/201931518cScpNK
Knowing the year / engine will help.
Most Windstars have the 3.8L engine.
Many of the things I mention....I have pictures posted that you can reach through the link that I have at the end of this message.
1995 had more transmission and head gasket problems than other years.
As you have intake manifold runner code...I am guessing that your windstar is newer....as 1995 is the one year that did not have that.
1996-1998 were very similar.....a much different intake than in 1995, transmission is still a weak point...but not as bad as 1995.....fluid changes every 30K miles MAX are a MUST. Use the correct type fluid.....They changed from Mercon to Mercon V in about 1998.....they are not interchangable.
The Upper intake is not prone to the problems that the 1999 and newer are.
Intake manifold runner.....is an extra air passage for each cylinder. There is a "butterfly" that opens for each cylinder at about 2900 rpms and higher. This gives the engine an extra boost of power.
They are OPEN when the engine is OFF.
When the engine is ON, they CLOSE.
They will open whenever the engine is over 2900rpm.
They are controled by vaccum....and there is an actuator for the front bank of cylinders, and an actuator for the rear bank of cylinders. They might just need cleaning. If you do a search on IMRC you will get a lot of information on the repairs of them. For parts.... I highly recommend Mellennium Ford. They have their parts department online. They are very helpful on the phone and by email. Their prices are most likely MUCH less than you will pay at your local Ford dealer. They can be found at http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=214072
I am not familiar with the code for the transmission, but the misfire on cylinder #2...could be a number of things. Are the plugs original? Spark plugs on the windstar wear faster on the back side of the engine. The cylinder #'s are as follows. Back, passenger side of engine is cylinder #1......and 2 is in the middle back....3 is on the driver side back. #4 is on the passenger side front.
I would put 2 bottles of Chevron Techron Fuel System cleaner (1 bottle treats 10 gallons) in the gas tank. It may take up to 3 tanks treated...if you have not been doing it a couple times a year.
How old are the spark plug wires?
How old is the fuel filter? (If it is old....change it after the 1st tank of gasoline with the cleaner)
The lean codes are almost ALWAYS caused by a vaccum leak. If your windstar is 1999 or newer.....you should look into the TSB that you will find many times over by doing a search on P0171 in this forum. Please take note that this TSB does not apply to the 1998 and older years.
One place to look for vaccum leaks....is in the PCV line....Start with the elbow that is on top of the upper intake manifold......next to the throttle body.....can get a crack on the inside of that elbow.....also verify that all the various connections from that point to the PCV valve are intact...as well as the hose. Also, verify that the PCV valve is seated in the valve cover. Pre-1999 years, PCV valve should be in the rear valve cover....newer years....it is in the front valve cover.
There are a lot of vaccum connections on the back side of the upper intake manifold......any one of which could be a source of a leak.
EGR ports.....Usually cause a misfire on cylinder #1 and / or #4 as the ports clog closest to the EGR valve first....leaving the mentioned cylinders to be the last open ports.....getting all the EGR flow...and causing a misfire.
Requires removal of upper intake manifold to get to the EGR ports.
Fuel injectors can develop some crud on the spray end...inside the"cap" that is over the spray end. Requires removal of upper intake manifold to get to the injectors to remove and clean them. Do a search on Injector cleaning...and I am sure you will find instructions.
Is the antifreeze overflow bottle slowly loosing fluid?....If so, add Bar's stop leak to the coolant. If the coolant is old...you might flush it....with new coolant... Stay away from "Power flushing" or chemical cleaners. A leak in the lower intake manifold gasket can cause leakage into one of the cylinders....I did read that cylinder #2 is common. At this point....IF you have a leak....I would guess that it is more of a seapage.....and the stop leak will fix it. The other place that is common for coolant leakage is the "timing chain cover". This cover has the water pump and oil pump on it. The gasket is cheap....the labor to change it is MAJOR.
I have a '96 windstar...and I have posted pictures of some little projects at http://community.webshots.com/album/201931518cScpNK
s_ward84
11-28-2005, 07:51 AM
thnx wiswind, my ws is a 98. i am back at home an can start looking into these probs. was in ga when i posted the 1st mesg. am now in missouri. anyway the van is a 98 3.8
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2025