strarting, rough idle and stall problems

[alfaguila63]

My problems start having a rough idle, the scanner told me I had misfire on #1 cylinder and I check it. The wire was bad an I replace it. Still having the problem. Then the scanner says the oxygen sensor is bad. I replace it and still having rough idle but improve some. I change the gas filter and same. I change the gas pump and nothing change. I change the camshaft position sensor an nothing. Now some times when I start it for the first time on the day it start but shut of. What I do is hold the acelerator when start it for several minutes and then release it and the engine stay on. some times the engine stall when I decrease the speed like in turns and lights. I appreciate all the help you can give me on this. The engine light is of but the air bag light is on since this problem start.

[Searles Lewis]

Originally Posted by alfaguila63

My problems start having a rough idle, the scanner told me I had misfire on #1 cylinder and I check it. The wire was bad an I replace it. Still having the problem. Then the scanner says the oxygen sensor is bad. I replace it and still having rough idle but improve some. I change the gas filter and same. I change the gas pump and nothing change. I change the camshaft position sensor an nothing. Now some times when I start it for the first time on the day it start but shut of. What I do is hold the acelerator when start it for several minutes and then release it and the engine stay on. some times the engine stall when I decrease the speed like in turns and lights. I appreciate all the help you can give me on this.

Wow, wish I woudl get a sensor, a cel, or a nything like that.

If you check by searching by using the search button at the upper left, search for leckemby. It will give two sites, one of which has the answer for ford windstars, it is not the oxygen sensor. It reads that due to lean fuel, I think.

Good luck, and despite what people here have stated, you can even pour mineral spirits onto the egr sensor, it will not do anything at all. They are flammable, will not do anything when you do that.

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by alfaguila63

My problems start having a rough idle, the scanner told me I had misfire on #1 cylinder and I check it. The wire was bad an I replace it. Still having the problem. Then the scanner says the oxygen sensor is bad. I replace it and still having rough idle but improve some. I change the gas filter and same. I change the gas pump and nothing change. I change the camshaft position sensor an nothing. Now some times when I start it for the first time on the day it start but shut of. What I do is hold the acelerator when start it for several minutes and then release it and the engine stay on. some times the engine stall when I decrease the speed like in turns and lights. I appreciate all the help you can give me on this. The engine light is of but the air bag light is on since this problem start.

Clean the IAC (Idle Air Control Valve) amd Check Fast Idle SOlenoid for proper functioning. Check and clean the throttle body also. (carb cleaner)

Does the engine speed up when idling iifyou turn the Air Conditiioner on? If so the Fast idle solenoid is working.

[wiswind]

Stall when you remove your foot from the accellerator is usually caused by a sticking Idle Air Control (IAC) valve, as mentioned already.
When you remove your foot from the accellerator, the computer (PCM) takes control of the Idle speed by opening the IAC to let more air in to keep the idle speed from dropping below a minimum level.
It is common for some dirt to build up on the theads of the shaft that goes from the electric motor to the valve....and cleaning it usually solves the problem.
You remove the 2 small bolts that hold the IAC in place and then spray some cleaner (even WD-40 works) up into it while holding it so that the fluid you are spraying in runs out.....washing away the dirt with it.

Oxygen sensors P0171 and/or P0174 are rarely caused by a defective oxygen sensor on the Windstar.
The most common cause is a vaccum leak.....which is air entering at any point past the MAF (airflow sensor).
Another common cause of these codes is a misfire as the computer is trying to adjust and correct for the original cause.

On 1999 and newer Windstars, the coil packs seem to come up a lot as failures.
A small crack can develop in the epoxy body....and the high voltage can arc through that break in the insulation.
The arc inside the coil body happens and the expense of the arc at the spark plug, causing the misfire.
It is common for all the ohms checks to be fine at the coil and for the arcing to still happen because it is an air gap....and it takes a high voltage to jump the gap.

[alfaguila63]

Originally Posted by wiswind

Stall when you remove your foot from the accellerator is usually caused by a sticking Idle Air Control (IAC) valve, as mentioned already.
When you remove your foot from the accellerator, the computer (PCM) takes control of the Idle speed by opening the IAC to let more air in to keep the idle speed from dropping below a minimum level.
It is common for some dirt to build up on the theads of the shaft that goes from the electric motor to the valve....and cleaning it usually solves the problem.
You remove the 2 small bolts that hold the IAC in place and then spray some cleaner (even WD-40 works) up into it while holding it so that the fluid you are spraying in runs out.....washing away the dirt with it.

Oxygen sensors P0171 and/or P0174 are rarely caused by a defective oxygen sensor on the Windstar.
The most common cause is a vaccum leak.....which is air entering at any point past the MAF (airflow sensor).
Another common cause of these codes is a misfire as the computer is trying to adjust and correct for the original cause.

On 1999 and newer Windstars, the coil packs seem to come up a lot as failures.
A small crack can develop in the epoxy body....and the high voltage can arc through that break in the insulation.
The arc inside the coil body happens and the expen se of the arc at the spark plug, causing the misfire.
It is common for all the ohms checks to be fine at the coil and for the arcing to still happen because it is an air gap....and it takes a high voltage to jump the gap.

Scanner don't show any code. I clean the IAC. It was a little sticky and after the cleaning It move freely. The idle still a little rough and I don't now about stalling because that didn't happen all the times. That about the coil make sense because looks like a misfire but why don't show any code?

[wiswind]

It is possible to have a misfire and not get a code.....it has to happen a couple times......be serious enough to trip the code.
It will not trip for a really slight misfire........I know from experience in trying to track down a very slight miss for a LONG time before it got bad enough to trip a code and direct me to the cylinder that was causing the problem.

One thing that you could try is Berryman's B-12 Chemtool in the metal can.
It is a strong, solvent type, cleaner that will clean up deposits in the fuel injectors, if they are there.
There are LOTS of cleaners out there, but this is the ONLY one that would clean the deposits that seemed to build up over time inside the end cap of the fuel injectors on my '96.

[Searles Lewis]

Originally Posted by alfaguila63

Scanner don't show any code. I clean the IAC. It was a little sticky and after the cleaning It move freely. The idle still a little rough and I don't now about stalling because that didn't happen all the times. That about the coil make sense because looks like a misfire but why don't show any code?

Cuz it is a Ford, and the electronics on it are simply buggy beyond belief. You can clean some of them, but even that is hazardous, as a few years back a number of web sites told people to spray liquid on it, and hook it back up, which would electrocute you very fast.

Mine started out as bad idling, too. Now I get a miss.

[azharj]

tempfixit
Fast Idle SOlenoid is a new word to me. In 2000 windstar where it is located? what is part No.
azharj

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by azharj

tempfixit
Fast Idle SOlenoid is a new word to me. In 2000 windstar where it is located? what is part No.
azharj

It is actually part of the Idle AIr Control Valve, and is controled by the PCM. The info below is from autozone.com repair manual.


Operation




The IAC valve adjusts the engine idle speed. The valve is located on the side of the throttle body. The valve is controlled by a duty cycle signal from the PCM and allows air to bypass the throttle plate in order to maintain the proper idle speed.
The IAC is located at the top of the upper intake manifold adjacent to the throttle body.


WARNING
Do not attempt to clean the IAC valve. Carburetor tune-up cleaners or any type of solvent cleaners will damage the internal components of the valve.




Testing








Fig. Idle air control solenoid schematic-3.0L engine






Fig. Idle air control solenoid schematic-3.8L engine

1. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position.
2. Disconnect the wiring harness from the IAC valve .
3. Measure the resistance between the terminals of the valve.
4. Due to the diode in the solenoid, place the ohmmeter positive lead on the VPWR terminal and the negative lead on the ISC terminal.
5. Resistance should be 6-13 ohms.
6. If resistance is not within specification

ANother link with part number for IAC,

http://www.fordparts.com/Landing/Motorcraft.aspx


View
Image
Part Name: Idle Air Control Valve


Part Number: CX1725
Part Description: 3.8L

Look at the above link, enter info and click on View Image and it will show the part and location on engine.

Hope this helps

[Searles Lewis]

Originally Posted by tempfixit

It is actually part of the Idle AIr Control Valve, and is controled by the PCM. The info below is from autozone.com repair manual.
Hope this helps

Is this the plug into it, on the right hand side?

[azharj]

Dear all members
Wiswind, Olopezm, 12Ounce and Tempfixitis are experinced and good advisers. I appriciate them. but read these two posts/ threads. You will also appriciate them and may find some solution.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1067905
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1074785
AzharJ