98 Windstar No Problems Till 120000 Started Giving Big Sounds

[percyha]

I AM A NEW MEMBER IN THE FORUM.
MY 98 WINDSTAR HAS 120000 MILES AND HAD BEEN RUNNING PROBLEM FREE WITH FULL POWER TILL NOW.
FEW DAYS BACK BEFORE OIL CHANGE I PUT QUARTER BOTTLE ie 1/4 LTR OF GUNK ENGINE CLEAN AS I HAD CLEANED WITH FULL BOTTLE FEW THOUSAND MILES AGO AS THE ENGINE OIL WAS GETTING BLACK.
AFTER 30 MILES THE VAN STOPPED WHILE RUNNING AT 45MPH AND EMERGENCY LIGHTS EVEN NOT FLASH. AAA TOWING HELP SAID THE BATTERY IS DEAD... MAY BE THE ALTERNATOR IS NOT CHARGING SO I PUT A GOOD NEW BATTERY AT WALL MART. THEY SAID ALTERNATOR MAY BE WEAK. I TOOK TO MURRAYS THEY SAID ALTERNATOR IS NOT CHARGING AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT SO I PURCHASED A USED ONE AND GOT IT REPLACED. MY MECHANIC SAID IT IS NOW CHARGING AND IS OK.
THE PROBLEM STARTS NOW. WHILE RETURNING HOME AFTER 10 MILES MY VAN RPM STARTED JUMPING TO 3000..4000…4200 AND OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WAS FLICKERING AND SOON BATTERY LIGHT, OIL PRESSURE LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ALL CAME UP SOLID AND VAN WAS JERKING WHEN I WAS ON FREEWAY AT 60 MPH.
HERE I NOTICED MY MISTAKE THAT BY MISTAKE MY HAND GEAR WAS INBETWEEN D-D2 SO I PUT IT BACK TO D BUT THE VAN WAS SLOWING AND TRYING TO STOP SO I GOT ASIDE AND IT STOPED.
AFTER 5 MIN STARTED AND WENT 1000 YRDS AND IT AGAIN STOPED ON RED LIGHT.
AGAIN I STARTED AND KEPT GIVING ACCELARATOR AND TOOK IT TO THE SAME WALL MART WHICH WAS 300 YRS ONLY.
THEY CHECKED AND SAID BATTERY AND CHARGING SYSTEM IS FINE.
I DROVE FOR 20 MILES BUT ON SLOWING FOR RED LIGHTS ITS OIL PRESSURE LIGHTS FLASHES BUT NOT SOLID AT LOW IDLING AND WENT DOWN TO 700 OR SO AND WHEN I RACE AT MORE THAN 1000 RPM IT GOES AND CAR RUNS SMOOTH AND OK.
NEXT DAY I WAS TAKING IT TO MECHANIC TO TAKE HIS OPINION AFTER 1 MILE FROM HOME IT STARTED GIVING STRIKING SOUNDS….SOME HOW I DROVE 4 MILES TO REACH HIM..WITHOUT COMING OUT THE MECHANIC SAID U HAVE KNOCKING SOUNDS AND ENGINE NEED REPLACEMENT!
I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC HE ALSO SAID IT IS KNOCKING SO U BETTER DON’T DRIVE UNTILL U CHANGE UR ENGINE OR U MAY LOOSE THE VALUE OF CORE OF ENGINE WHICH IS @ 300 DOLLARS.
I CANT UNDERSTAND HOW A GOOD RUNNING VAN IN FEW MILES THE ENGINE GOES JUNK. STILL WHEN I RUN IT HAS GOOD POWER BUT ONLY THE SOUNDS SCARE ME AND THE FEAR IT MAY GET STOPED ON THE ROAD .
I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON. I CAN HARDLY AFFORD EXPENSES FOR REPLACING THE ENGINE ( I AM GETTING USED 70000 MILES FOR $800 AND LABOR $ 700….IS IT OK OR CAN I FIND SOME ONE CHEAPER ….I LIVE IN…. 48315) BUT I AM NOT SURE IF IT DOES REALLY NEED THE CHANGE OR SOME MINOR PROBLEM CAN BE REPAIRED AT LOWER COST.
SOME EXPERTS PLEASE ADVICE SOON AS I NEED CAR TO MOVE AROUND AND SEARCH FOR JOB TOO.
THANKS FOR UR RESPONSES IN ANTICIPATION

PERCY

[CoachKarl]

Welcome Percy.

Your driving the vehicle with the Oil Light on doesn't bode well for this motor. Someone on this forum recently found the cause of this to be a clogged oil intake (inside the oil pan). Not very expensive to have someone do ($300). That's my guess as to the cause of your oil light too. Addressing the oil pump/intake now may make the Oil Light go out, but the noises and behavior you describe, give me doubts to think that ALL your problems will go away. Any engine run without oil for any length of time will self destruct. Good luck. Post back with any more questions.

Karl

[12Ounce]

Percy

Sorry about your problems. And part of your problem may be something electrical ... that may have been damaged when you had alternator/battery concerns.

If you had a '99+, I would recommend you check the "PCM power relay" ... but on a '98, I don't know what powers the PCM ... I'm fairly sure it is not a similar relay. ????

If it is an engine problem ....

I would be skeptical of replacing the engine (used) unless you are absolutely sure of its history. My preference would to be rebuild what you have ... if you have a rebuilder that you can/should trust ... or if you have the skills and means to do it yourself.

Either way, you're going to lose the service of your vehicle for several days.

Should you trade before it gets worse ...?

[percyha]

Thanks For Quick Replies.
I Checked For Rebuilding This Engine Or Getting A Rebuild Engine With Warranty But They R Beyond My Reach......if Any Referasnces For Getting Used Engine And Some One Who Can Install At Fair Price Will Be Appreciated.
Mean While I Put Johnson Oil Treatment And Ran For 10-15 Minutes But No Improvement In Sounds....
The Van Is No Smoker Neat And Clean Inside Out Like New........how Much Can I Expect For Tradein As It Is?!
Percy

[dean,can]

I have 98 windstar 3.8l running good till about 128,000 miles till i put that gunk engine cleaner(that was a mistake) I blow a head gasket u only should use this when u are planning to rebuild your motor a few mechanic's.

[CoachKarl]

Hello again.

Percy.

If you want to fix this cheap, you're going to have to buy a chiltons or Haynes manual. Automotive fixes are not beyond the common man. Buy the book, quarantine the car. And dig. We're with you, just tell us what you find.

Karl.

[12Ounce]

dean,can
You've learned a good lesson ... unfortunately, it was a bit costly.

A good maintenance program would include timely changes of recommended engine oil and filter ... but would not include adding extra off-the-shelf oil additives. I agree, cleaners are to be used just before a planned engine overhaul. The regular engine oils have enough solvency action to keep the engine internals clean (if changed regularly) ... and assuming there are no other issues such as with the PCV system.

[percyha]

I Am Getting The Engine Replaced With A Used One Having 84000 Miles.
Can I Put The Same Spark Plug Wires And Platinum Spark Plugs Which I Had Installed 10000 Miles B4 Or Put New Ones....also Platinum Plugs Are Ok Or Should Put Double Platinum Plugs...what Is The Difference?
Also Should I Put In New Oxygen Sensors And Heated Oxygen Sensors Or Whatever Are Coming In Used Motor They Should Work Well.
I Think When The Engine Is Reshuffled It Need New Coolant, Transmission Oil.
What Else Should Be Adressed While Reshuffling The Engines.
Any Sujjestions Wellcome
Thanks
Percy

[wiswind]

Percyha,
Yes...you are taking a chance with the used engine.....but I understand the $$$ thing....so is a good risk....the engine you are replacing should come with a short waranty......so that you can exchange it if it does not work...... If it is fine at the start.....you have a GREAT chance of success.

As stated earlier.....stay away from miracle in a can stuff. A quality motor oil and filter with regular changes of BOTH will keep your engine insides clean.

I use Mobil 1 oil....and....yes it gets dark.....that is due to the detergency of it. The inside of my engine is nice and clean.

I strongly recommend that you use ONLY MOTORCRAFT double platinum spark plugs. They have platinum enhancement on both the center electrode and the ground tab. This is crucial for our engines as they use a positive spark on one side of the engine.....and a negative spark on the other. What this means....is....that the center electrode takes most of the wear on one side of the engine.....and the ground tab takes most of the wear on the other side. Also....they use a "wasted spark" system on our engine. That is.....we have a coil pack that has 3 coils for 6 cylinders. Each coil secondary has a cylinder spark plug at each end......in other words.....2 cylinders are fired each time. So....when a cylinder fires......another cylinder's spark plug also fires....but it is during a non-used state....as in no fuel in that cylinder.....so...many more sparks than expected. The Motorcraft double platinums are good for 100K miles.....and they DO last that long unless there is some engine problem that damges them....which would damage any plug.

Bosch spark plugs have been noted to not work well in our engines.

With the installation of the new engine.....you will want the coolant changed, verify that all the hoses are changed or in very good condition, the oil and filter should be changed.....and then change the oil and filter again in say.....1000miles to 1500 miles to flush out any stuff that may have been sitting in that engine......(no miracle in a can though...JUST oil).

Oxygen sensors......depends on the condition. They can be inspected for any green-ish stains on them.... Green on the oxygen sensors is an indication of coolant into the cylinders....a leaking lower intake manifold gasket seems to be a greater cause of this than a head gasket on the post '95 windstars. Engine coolant is damaging to oxygen sensors and can make them completely fail. The OBDII system on our cars.....monitors the oxygen sensors....and will set a code telling you what is wrong with exactlly what sensor.

If I were to have 1 sensor changed.....I would do both sides.....so that they have the same switching charactoristics. As they age....the slow down...... The "upstream" sensors....which are located in the pipe in between the motor and the catalytic converter are used for engine management....air / fuel ratio....etc. The "downstream" sensors are located after each catalytic converter. The down stream sensors are used to monitor "Catalyst efficiency"....in other words....they make sure the catalytic converters are working. You have 2 converters.......a dual exhaust system....until after the catalytic converters. So....you have 2 upstream oxygen sensors.....and 2 downstream sensors. For a total of 4 oxygen sensors. If you end up buying new oxygen sensors.....I would buy ONLY Motorcraft brand. They sell them at www.rockauto.com for a decent price (under $60 US each).

Oh....I would also buy and install a new serpentine belt.....as it is quite likely that it has been / will be contaminated with oil, and other fluids....and that will make it prone to failure. The belt should be replaced AFTER the other repairs are done.....and the pulleys cleaned up.

Transmission fluid and filter change is highly recommended. I think that your '98 uses Mercon V. Do not use Mercon....in place of Mercon V....as they have different frictional charactoristics. Aso....steer away from a ATF that claims to be both Mercon V and Mercon.

Another repair.....have them carefully check the "front cover" gasket for leakage.
The front cover (also called timing chain cover) has the water pump and oil pump mounted to it. This gasket is prone to failure. Often, when it fails....the bolt that is located behind the oil pump....will be loose....as the gasket material is no longer behind it.....
That is not so bad of a repair with the engine out of the car. The gasket is not expensive....Ford has an improved gasket material for this gasket. IT is VERY expensive (as in Labor intensive) to have done if the engine is in your car.

You will want to be on the lookout for any vaccum leaks....which may set P0171 and P0174 codes. These codes are rarely caused by oxygen sensors....though many oxygen sensors have been replaced in trying to fix those codes. There are a LOT of codes for specifically oxygen sensor failures.

I have a number of pictures from my messing with my '96 3.8L....which will be SIMILAR to yours.....
http://community.webshots.com/album/201931518cScpNK

One "miracle in a can" that I do use is Bar's Stop leak...in the engine coolant ONLY. I use one of the newer types.....that is easier to add than the "original peletized" form. Many new car manufacturers put this in at the factory. I would use ONLY Bar's brand.....and don't over-do it. This will take care of the little coolant leaks that our engines are known for....and seal them up before they become any problem.

Also.... www.autozone.com has FREE vehicle specific repair procedures that may be helpful to you. Before trying ANY repair procedure.....carefully read the instructions....as it is easy to be mislead into thinking something is easy....when it is not......."remove engine from car" is a short sentence....but not a short step.

Do a search from this "windstar" forum on specific problems for a lot of great help from others who have already repaired a problem that you may have with your car.

[percyha]

Thanks A Lot For Your So Exhaustive And Informative Mails. It Helped Me A Lot Understanding What To Expect Beforehand. As It Was A Too Big A Project For Me To Handle I Got The Engine Replaced By An Independant Mechanic Who Was Quite Satisfied With The Motor He Installed As A Good One.
It Runs Good Now But At First Start Of The Engine It Gives Check Engine Light (cel) And The Code Is P0743 Which Says "torque Converter Circuit Electrical".
My Mechanic Did Not Know Off Hand But Said It Is Not A Big Deal And Will Be Taken Care After Few Days When He Has Time. I Erased The Code But It Does Not Go And Cel Remains On.
I Drove 30 Miles And It Gave No Problem.
Is It A Big Issue....is It Any Way Connected With Change Of Motor Or A Separate Issue Of Transmission Or Some Fault In Elecrical Circuit Or Some Solinoid Or Sensor Needs Replacement.
Please Advice As I Cant Afford Tranny Repairs Now
Thanks A Lot Once Again

[garync1]

Most likely with the engine swap a connection or a sensor was not properly connected or damage. If it runs well Iwould not worry till your mechanic has time to check it out, any signs of problems before this happens,take back asap.but I would get it fixed.

[percyha]

THANKS GARYNC1
MY MECHANIC WAS ALSO OF THE SAME OPINION...NOT TO WORRY TOO MUCH TILL HE FINDS OUT THE REMEDY.
I RECALL MY VAN B4 THE ENGINE PROBLEMS STARTED,... ONE DAY HAD STUCK GEAR OR SOMETHING LIKE MY MISTAKE THAT I PUT THE LEVER INBETWEEN D AND D2 FOR SOME TIME WHEN MY RPM STARTED JUMPING TO 3000....4000....4200 AND SO ON AND CEL, OIL PRESSURE AND BATTERY LIGHTS CAME UP AND VAN STOPPED. ON CHECKING IT GAVE P0302 ( MISFIRE DETECTED IN CYLENDER 2) AND PO761 ( SHIFT SOLINOID C. CKT. PERFORMANCE OR STUCK OFF )
AND NOW AFTER REBUILDING GIVES P0743 (torque Converter Circuit Electrical)
CAN SOME ONE TELL WHERE DOES THESE SOLINOID REST?
HOPE I GET MORE INFORMATION AND HELP ON MY CODES SO I CAN TAKE RIGHT STEP AHEAD.
THANKS A LOT....WHAT A NICE FORUM WITH SO HELPING MEMBERS

[fdunford]

percy,
First off, DO NOT USE ALL CAPS PLEASE! It's really hard to read this way.

The code P0734 means Gear 4 Incorrect Ratio. A lot of times when the solenoid doesn't work correctly the clutch packs and or servo will not engage correctly which causes no shift (or slip) when the PCM expects one.

[percyha]

Thanks, but the code was P0743 and not P0734 for which u have given ur advice.
Will highly appreciate if u can throw some light on this code....P0743

[fdunford]

Ok, a P0743 means Torque Converter Clutch Solenoid Circuit Electrical.

I found this explanation elsewhere: This code indicates that the PCM has not seen a voltage drop across the Torque Converter Clutch solenoid. This could indicate either an open in the wiring, an open in the solenoid or an intermittent short to ground in the solenoid control circuit.