Does This Sound Like The Isolater Bolt Problem?

[Coastie John]

Greetings All....First time poster here.

I have the 2000 Windstar with approx 52,000 miles. During the first start of the morning there is a noticeable "tapping" type sound coming from the right side of the engine as your facing it. (Once the engine warms up it goes away) While it is tapping I can grab the top of the intake cover(s) and while using slight force pull it towards me and make the sound disappear. That makes me suspect some type of a vacuum leak. I do not have the related P codes that everyone else has. Could this be the TSB Isolater Bolt problem?

I'll probably try the Gumout trick tomorrow to see if I can confirm a vacuum leak somewhere.

Side note. I did have the P401 (insuffecient EGR Flow) code about 4 months ago. The local Ford mech said about 80-90% of the time it is the DPFE (or DFPE) sensor causing the P401 light. He said the stock aluminum ones get moisture/corrosion inside of them. He was right. I could see the corrosion powder inside of it when I pulled it off and looked inside with a light. I changed it out with the new, black plastic one and the problem went away. About $68 I think for the part.

John

[12Ounce]

Coastie

The plastic intake manifold is acutally two parts...one is clipped inside the other. Some folks have a "clicking" due to vibration of this inner part.

Does this sound like your concern?

Its correctable .....by removing the upper manifold, separating the two parts and reassembling using a few daubs of sensor-safe RTV between the two plastic parts.

[garync1]

Hello first time post as well .I too am having the same problem.
I have read it is the intake and the dealer will fix for 650. I am a machanic by hobby so I would like to know more info before i jump into it.Like why is this happening.

[Coastie John]

12ounce,

It's possible. The Gumout produced no results. It almost sounds like a lifter rubbing on the cam except it's more plastic sounding than metal sounding. It is definately coming from the intake area. So you could be correct. It also increases with speed. I'll keep analyzing and troubleshooting this.

Thanks for the reply......John

[highlifesipper]

Highlifesipper wrote:

My van has 54,000mi. I too had the 401 code. This was months ago. Long before I had the 171/174 codes (I'm going through the isolator bolt problem as we speak). Anyways, I bit the bullet and took it into Ford for diagnostic. They said the problem was some recall thing (wish I could remember what) and they fixed it for free. I didn't have to pay for the diagnostic either. I'll take a look in the glove box tomorrow for the paper and I'll post back to tell you what problem was associated with my 401 code

[Coastie John]

12ounce,

The RTV trick seemed to have worked. I cleaned the two pieces, reassembled them and put dabs of sensor-safe RTV around the perimeter of the inner piece. We'll run it for a few weeks and keep our fingers crossed. Thanks!!!

A side thought......I also did the spark plugs while I had the van on the ramps. I thought it was rather easy coming in from underneath. Took about 20 minutes to do the rear plugs, about 12 for the fronts. The old plugs looked like original Motorcraft Platniums. Funny thing was all the plugs on the front had worn down electrodes while the rears looked ok. I replaced them with Autolite Platniums. We'll see how those do.

Next project is to chase down a suspension squeak on the left front side. It is one of the rubber bushings somewhere in there. I Haven't pinned down which one though.

John

[nysvetnurse]

First time poster--I have an opportunity to buy a 98 windstar lx. It has 73,000 miles. It makes a whirring noise when it is first started and then that goes away. Then it makes a rattling noise in the rear. Almost like there is something rattling around in the door. They want 3500. for it. Body is excellent and interior is good. Would this year with this amount of miles for the price be a good buy? I am leaving for vacation and need toi make a decision by tommorow Anyone? Can you help?

[DRW1000]

Originally Posted by Coastie John

12ounce,

Funny thing was all the plugs on the front had worn down electrodes while the rears looked ok. I replaced them with Autolite Platniums. We'll see how those do.

John

My understanding is that 1/2 of the plugs fire from centre to side and the other 1/ 2 from side to centre. The most wear is the point at which the spark leaves. Thus only 1/2 will be worn at the centres and the other 1/2 at the side. The original installed plugs are of the single platinum type. 1/2 are centre platinum and 1/2 are side platinum. They need to be installed in the correct cylinders. Replacements from Ford are double platinum and cost more than the factory plugs but can be installed in any location.

[Coastie John]

12ounce,

Are you saying the Autolite Platinums are incorrect?

John

[12Ounce]

It was "DRW" that was discussing the plugs.

I think he is saying that replacement plugs are available with "double platimum" so that it doesn't matter in which cylinder bank they are installed.

[DRW1000]

Yes I was saying just that. From what I understand only Ford and Autolites are the double platinum type reccomended for your vehicle.

[Coastie John]

Sorry about that 12ounce....my error.



DRW,

"Replacements from Ford are double platinum and cost more than the factory plugs but can be installed in any location".

I think I see what your saying now. The above quote was sent me down the wrong track. I read that as..... replacements from Ford equals factory plugs. The stock plugs I pulled out were Motorcraft Platinum.

So I should be good to go with the Autolite Platinums I installed.

BTW....the P0175 light has not come back (yet!)

Thanks....John

[12Ounce]

Coastie
You probably corrected a leak somewhere after the MAF sensor.
I find the "Haynes" outline on dealing with the air filter very effective: Unclamp the one hose clamp at the throttle body, disconnect the small vacuum hose and the elect connectors. And then lift out of the engine compartment the whole 2-ft-long plastic air cannister...complete with flexable bellows. Replace the filter inside the cannister while working on a work bench....in my case, the driveway.
This method helps to assure that everything gets back together properly ... very difficult if you are trying to do it inside the engine compartment.
I like to lube up all the seal points with Vaseline...which won't bother the CO2 sensors.

[DRW1000]

I think I have added confusion with the spark plug issue.

Newer cars (at least some of them including the Windstars) fire their plugs in pairs. The plugs are mated with another plug and when they fire the voltage path goes from centre to side on one plug and side to centre on its sister plug and thus the electrical path is completed. Plugs fire with 10K volts or so across the gap. They wear on the surface where the spark leaves and thus 1/2 of the plugs will wear on the centre and 1/2 will wear on the side electrodes. Platinum is resistant to wear and last a lot longer than conventional materials. Thus if the electrode in which the plug leaves is platiunum the plug will last a whole lot longer.

During assembly the manufacturer is saving every penny along the way (to pass the savings along to you no doubt). Platinum is extremely expensive. In fact the rest of the cost of the plugs is probably irrelevant when compared with the cost of the platinum. Since they only need platinum on one side of each plug (centre on half of the 6 plugs and side electrode on the other half) they order 2 different types of plugs and ensure that the factory knows which plugs belong where. These savings add up over the millions of vehicle sold.

For replacement they specify a plug that has platinum on both sides and is has a different suffix than the 2 different factory installed plugs. They can be installed in any location and since they don't care how much it costs you that is what they sell you.

From what I understand there is a Ford Motorcraft replacement that is double platinum (platinum on both centre and side) and Autolite makes an equivalent. Whether Ford will sell the factory plugs and let the consumer take care of placement location is not known (by me anyway).

There are other plugs on the market that can make selection confusing. I have looked into some and this is what I have discovered:

The Bosch Platinum 4s have 1 centre electrode made of platinum and 4 side electrodes (non-platinum). They claim they last as long as the factory ones. What happens in this instance is that when one side electrode wears away the next closest (or least resistive path) takes over and thus they theoretically will last 4 times as long as a type with only 1 side non-platinum electrode. They also make a Bosch Platinum 2 which have 2 side electrodes but they seem to be disappearing from the shelves. They also make a standard platinum where only the centre is platinum. These are probably okay with older ignition systems where all the plugs fire from centre to side.

The cost of the Bosch 4s seems to be about 2 times the cost of the Autolites and Motorcraft so what is the point?

Anyway that is all I know.

I think the Autolites you purchased are what you need and I know people on this forum have used them.

[Coastie John]

DRW,

Thanks for the explaination very thorough.



12ounce.

That's exactly what I did after researching the website below

http://www.clubfte.com/users/screwy/0102.html

It was one of the troubleshooting tips listed. Good thought on pulling the whole unit out reassembling. I didn't think of that. So far no light after 3 days of driving. My fingers are still crossed.

You folks have a great Thanksgiving......John