Isolator bolts & port seal replacements.

bruker · #1 11-28-2005, 01:15 PM

This weekend I replaced the Isolator Bolts and Intake Port Seals on my `01 Windstar. I have 184,000 miles on it and the check engine light's been on since about 170,000 or so. Thanks to the information on, http://leckemby.net/windstar/windstar01.html, I was able to do the job in about an hour and a half. When I opened the plenum I was amazed at how much oil was in there. I've replaced the aftermarket PCV valve with a Motorcraft so hopefully that will cutdown on the oil volume. If anyone here's thinking about doing this themselves go a head, it's a piece of cake!

s_ward84 · #2 11-28-2005, 02:08 PM

bruker, i have a 98 w/s. chk ing light has been on quite some time also. i noticed in the link you provided that ours is diff. could i still do this to mine to help it? i have a list of codes, here they are.....dtc p0171 sys to lean, dtc p0302 cyl 2 ms fire, dtc p1513 manifold runner stuck closed. think these could be connected? i also have 3 more that i know are not connected. p0125, p0734, p0460... lots of work to do huh?

bruker · #3 11-28-2005, 02:12 PM

I really can't answer your questions but do some searches on this board as there is a lot of good info to be found.

jkeaton · #4 11-28-2005, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruker

This weekend I replaced the Isolator Bolts and Intake Port Seals on my `01 Windstar. I have 184,000 miles on it and the check engine light's been on since about 170,000 or so. Thanks to the information on, http://leckemby.net/windstar/windstar01.html, I was able to do the job in about an hour and a half. When I opened the plenum I was amazed at how much oil was in there. I've replaced the aftermarket PCV valve with a Motorcraft so hopefully that will cutdown on the oil volume. If anyone here's thinking about doing this themselves go a head, it's a piece of cake!

I just did the same on my 01 (45k miles). Did not have any codes, so hopefully I won't have any now. It really was a piece of cake. I did the old RTV repair on the baffle, replaced the gaskets and isolator bolts. What took the longest was waiting for the RTV to cure so I could put it all back together!! I didn't have all that much oil in the intake. Wonder if I could just put an old fashioned breather cap over that PCV hole on the valve cover. Just put the PCV valve back on for inspection purposes only. What do you guys think?

jsimmoms · #5 11-28-2005, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s_ward84

bruker, i have a 98 w/s. chk ing light has been on quite some time also. i noticed in the link you provided that ours is diff. could i still do this to mine to help it? i have a list of codes, here they are.....dtc p0171 sys to lean, dtc p0302 cyl 2 ms fire, dtc p1513 manifold runner stuck closed. think these could be connected? i also have 3 more that i know are not connected. p0125, p0734, p0460... lots of work to do huh?

I just did it on my 96 Sunday. My CEL was on forever so I went on ahead and changed the lower intake gasket which was shot and also cleaned the EGR ports ups (clogged terribly). Now it running extremely well. I had similary codes.

bruker · #6 11-29-2005, 10:42 PM

Dangit! The light came back on today... The O2 sensors are new, the isolator bolts are new and the port seals are new. Now what do I look for?

12Ounce · #7 11-30-2005, 12:27 AM

What codes are you now getting?

bruker · #8 11-30-2005, 07:10 AM

I haven't checked yet, I'll try to find out this afternoon.

bruker · #9 11-30-2005, 03:49 PM

Stopped at Autozone today and got the codes read. I'm now getting a P0402 Excessive EGR Flow. Does this mean I need to replace the DPFE sensor or is there something else I need to check?

12Ounce · #10 11-30-2005, 05:23 PM

If you've never replaced the DPFE sensor, you may be due.

But before that, make sure the sample hoses that feed the DPFE sensor are in good shape. They take quite a beating and are often ready to fall apart after a few thousand miles. Are often plugged at the sensor end.

wiswind · #11 11-30-2005, 05:33 PM

I agree with 12Oz....if it were the EGR valve sticking....it would idle like crap....and stall out.
Also...the EGR valve seems to rarely fail on these.
The DPFE....and look at the flexible hoses going to it.....also...look for any cracks in the metal EGR tube...which runs from the front exhaust manifold to the EGR valve. If the metal tube is cracked and causing it....I would expect that the crack would be between the EGR valve....and the point that the flexible hoses come off of it.

Just a few things to check......

EGR ports clogged should cause "Insufficient EGR flow"...which would be P0401 if I am remembering correctly.... Clogged ports also often cause a misfire on cylinders #1 and / or #4.

bruker · #12 11-30-2005, 08:02 PM

The hoses leading to the DPFE are in great shape and I didn't see any cracks in the EGR tubing. The EGR ports were a mess when I took the plenum off so I was sure to clean them up good. I guess I'll order a DPFE sensor.

bruker · #13 12-21-2005, 11:38 AM

I replaced the DPFE sensor a couple of days ago and after about a dozen or so on/off cycles the CEL is still off! I think I finally solved it!

marlonn · #14 10-09-2010, 06:13 PM

I, I have a 96 Windstar GL, since 4 years, it runs really good, but the CEL has been on al the time. I want to do the isolator bolts TSB, but the cuestion is where can I get the parts? there is a place different to Ford where can I buy it?

12Ounce · #15 10-10-2010, 08:33 AM

The isolator bolt issue did not begin until model year 1999. Your enging has a different intake setup. Is it a 3.8?

You need to start off by getting the code read.

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