Windstar Misfiring when hot

[Winny1234]

Hi guys wondering if you could help

I have a 1999 windstar 3.8 and the van drives perfectly fine. The problem is that if I drive it for around 40 mins then stop and turn off the van for 10 mins and come back to start the van up it starts bucking and seems like it is misfiring. I have to turn the van off and on 3 times before the misfiring stops. I have no CEL and the van doesnt mirfire or buck when starting it in the morning. I have changed the spark plugs, plug wires, coil, fuel pump relay, fuel filter, cleaned the IAC, alternator and starter were just rebuilt, battery changed, egr ports are clean, pcv valve changed, maf sensor cleaned, IMRC links are good, air filter changed, dpfe changed, oil, transmission fluid, steering fluid all changed. All parts are motorcraft. I even checked all fuses. I am thinkign it maybe the fuel pump but I hear it turn on whenever I cycle the ignition on. The van never stalls even if it is bucking. What else could it be. Please help

[tomj76]

Do you hear a gurggling or bubbling sound in the gas tank when you turn the key on, but before you try to start it? The fuel pump makes a high pitched whine and the bubbling sound is distintive from that.

I've had this problem on our '96 Windstar. I'm not sure of the cause, but I believe that it can be fixed by reseating the fuel line connections at the fuel rail.

Since the fuel pump shuts down after a few seconds if you don't start it, the bubbling noise will die out shortly after that. I've sat and cycled the key to run the pump until the bubbling noise stops, then started the engine without any misfiring, so I believe the noise and the misfire is closely related, but I'm not sure where the bubbles enter the fuel system.