03 windstar surging

[huey224]

I have a 03 windstar i just bought has 156000 miles on it and it starts fine but it idles good but u can hear a slight miss dont show up on tachometer or throw check engine light. while u drive it surges not really bucks and once again dont show up on tach but u can feel it. i changed the fuel filter and air filter and pvc valve is good put full tank of fuel with injector cleaner and still doing it. any suggestions would b good ive heard some people say check intake gaskets? do they mean upper plenum? thanks any info will help also i havent checked plugs or wires yet but i am 2morrow

[spugeddy]

there are some known issues with the intake ports getting clogged in the upper plenum that there is a TSB for, and a good write up at http://leckemby.net/windstar/windstar01.html

I have had issues with the ignition coil pack (x2) and the plug wires actually had a short in one caused by heat contact....

can you provide more details, conditions, results....etc.

[huey224]

thanks ill look into that but wouldnt it set my check engine light off? my light is not on. but im gonna check the gasket any way and clean those. its weird its like its chuggin or something getting on my last nerve about to drive me crazy. but when u hammer down on the rpms like on interstate around 70-80 u dont feel it just at low speeds like 55

[wiswind]

Check the things Spugeddy suggested and also check to make sure that your IMRC shafts are connected to the actuator.
The IMRC system is known for loosing the nylon clips that hold the shafts to the actuator, causing the IMRC to not operate.

[huey224]

yup i have replaced those white clips already they were broke. but today i drove it to town and it was getting worse and worse and the check engine light started flashing so i stopped and had it checked and it said cylinder 3 was misfiring that was the only code he cleared it and it didnt do it for the rest of the day till on my way home it did it like once? we looked at the plug wires and they looked horrible so i bought plugs and wires. but why did it quit when he cleared the codes? kinda weird

[huey224]

changed the plugs and wires and omg a couple of the plugs ends were gone and two of the wires were burnt in 2 the front had been changed but the rear had never been changed I understand why I dread changing the back ones again. that sucked. but the rear clip on that thing yuns was talking about was broke i hadnt caught the rear one just the front one so i checked all of them and put new clips in and it runs like new! thanks for the help

[wiswind]

I changed my plugs and wires from under the vehicle......I would drive the front tires up on the ramps......and slide in under from the front.......and I could reach right up at get to the rear 3 plugs.
My policy.....which worked here......ONLY unplug ONE (1) plug wire at a time.........clears up any chance of plugging wires into the wrong plug.

This worked for plugs and wires.
The coil end of the wire, I would access from above.

Seems from the posts here, 1999 and newer seem to have more issues with the coil pack going bad.

[huey224]

thats what i did i drove up on ramps but my arm wasnt long enough to reach the far right one i had to go inbetween the trans and engine perfect little slot for my arm and the wires was pretty easy since the wires align straigt down to the designated cylinder to the coil pack. thanks