98 windstar fuel/vacuum problem?

[cr34me]

98 windstar, 103k miles. Drove to town the other day, shut car off when I came back car would not stay running. Towed it home, changed fuel filter,spark plugs,pcv valve. Van starts but when trying to give it gas it sputters and tries to flood. Checked fuel at pressure port, seems ok. If this is vacuum where should I start? checked the fuel pump emergency shut-off and it was not activated.

[wiswind]

If it runs as long as your foot is on the accellerator.....but dies when your foot is not on it.....a common problem would be the IAC (Idle Air Control). The IAC is located on top of the upper intake manifold....next to the throttle body. It is held in place by 2 bolts....and has an electrical connector. You could try removing it...and spraying some Seafoam....or WD-40 inside to lubricate the little screw threads inside. There is a motor that runs.....turning the threaded shaft.....moving a valve open and closed to control the idle speed when your foot is not on the accelerator.

Another thing that I would check......look for a major vaccum leak. Start with the vaccum connection at the top of the upper inake manifold......next to the IAC......and flow it back to the PCV valve. There are a number of things that branch off of this line before it reaches the PCV valve. Make sure that all is intact.....that there is not a crack on the inside of the elbow on top of the upper intake manifold....and that all connections are intact....including the one to the PCV valve. There are a number of other vaccum connections to the back side of the upper intake manifold....so feeling around (gently) back there to make sure you do not come up with any vaccum lines without a home would be the next thing that I would try.

If the fuel pressure drops significantly when you increase RPMs, there is a filter on the fuel pickup (part of the fuel pump assembly in the fuel tank) that could be clogged. I am hoping that this is not the problem as that is more money and work.

Fuel pressure regulator is on the passenger side of the engine.....mounted to the fuel rail.....there is a red vaccum line that goes to it. Make sure that this vaccum line is making a good connection to the regulator. More vaccum = less pressure.....less vaccum = more pressure....to give more fuel to the engine under load. But this could be a source of vaccum leak.....I have read about the connector leaking....and even the diaphram inside the regulator leaking..(fuel into the vaccum line)...but it does not seem to be listed as a major problem in any forums.
The vaccum line goes to the back side of the upper intake manifold.....

[cr34me]

thanks, weird thing we just traveled over 300 miles when this problem happened. Van will run when I give it the gas via throttle body on the engine. When depressing the pedal inside is when it wants to flood...replaced the pvc and y connector at intake next step to drop tank?? Should I have it towed or buy something to get codes if any ??

[Tahanta]

My 98' windstar keeps blowing fuel pump fuses. Replaced filter under van on drivers side and still blows fuses. I can pull over pop another fuse in and drive maybe 3 or 4 more miles and blows another. Fuel pumps 155.00 but don;t know if that will fix it. Anyone having similiar problems? E-mail me at [email protected] PLEASE.

[cougarman]

Hi Tahanta, welcome to this great Forum, I don't have your answer but may I suggest starting a new thread with title " Fuel pump blowing fuses". You will get more readers and a better chance of getting an answer.
Good Luck
Jeff