Please Help 2000 LX 3.8 intermittant stall and jerk???

jaydadder · #1 10-12-2005, 09:56 PM

Hello all,
I'm a new member that has been lurking here for a while and have yet to find my specific issue. I purchased my Windstar in May from a Ford dealer. The only things done by me have been an oil change and new tires.

The Specs: 2000 LX Windstar with the 3.8 motor with 59,000 miles.

I drive this van to work 32 miles round trip (a mixture of city and highway).

For the past 2 weeks, while traveling at highway speed, I get what I feel as a jerk, it is over very quickly. This may happen on the way to work once or twice and then behave fine on the way home or vice versa. The rest of the time it starts and runs great. During this period I have had one incident of a stall while stopped at a red light. It started right back up and was fine the rest of the day. The Check Engine Light is not on and seems to be operational.

I'm not a mechanic, but have done alot of repairs on older cars. I'd appreciate any advice you guys can give. I like my Windstar and Ford's in general, but I'm not trusting my Windstar lately.

12Ounce · #2 10-12-2005, 10:20 PM

I'd put three things on my "watch list":
.Fuel filter
.Fuel pump relay
.PCM power relay

...refer to glove box manual for relay location.

jaydadder · #3 10-13-2005, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

I'd put three things on my "watch list":
.Fuel filter
.Fuel pump relay
.PCM power relay

...refer to glove box manual for relay location.

Sorry about the double post...

Hi 12Ounce,

Thanks for the quick reply. I was planning on changing the fuel filter, air filter and cabin air filter as part of the 60,000 mile tune-up (probably this weekend).

Any thoughts on do it yourself trans. fluid flush? I see that's due too.

About the relays, they would be #207 and #304? There's definitely not a shortage of fuses and relays in the manual.

Any other "tune-up" suggestions while I'm at it?

Thanks for your help.

12Ounce · #4 10-13-2005, 08:40 PM

On tranny fluid changes, I recommend you follow the Haynes repair manual ... simply drop the pan (yeah, quite messy) wipe out the pan, wipe off the magnets, replace the filter .... and then replace the 6 1/3 qts, or so, that are necessary for refill. Note: the filter seal may stick in-place in the tranny body. You can just pull the seal off the new filter and stick it in the old seal ... if this happens.

Use Mercon V, of course. I like (but don't use) the big brand names such as Castrol and Valvoline.

(I'm "experimenting" with Mobil 1 ATF ... not recommended, as it is not Mercon V).

jaydadder · #5 10-13-2005, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

On tranny fluid changes, I recommend you follow the Haynes repair manual ... simply drop the pan (yeah, quite messy) wipe out the pan, wipe off the magnets, replace the filter .... and then replace the 6 1/3 qts, or so, that are necessary for refill. Note: the filter seal may stick in-place in the tranny body. You can just pull the seal off the new filter and stick it in the old seal ... if this happens.

Use Mercon V, of course. I like (but don't use) the big brand names such as Castrol and Valvoline.

(I'm "experimenting" with Mobil 1 ATF ... not recommended, as it is not Mercon V).

No flushing required? Is not using the big brand names a cost thing? Can you confirm the relay numbers I gave earlier?

Thanks again.

12Ounce · #6 10-13-2005, 11:08 PM

No, No, I wouldn't skimp on fluid quality because of a little price difference. It's just that those big brands' Mercon V were not yet available in my area when I got my Winny ... Mobil ATF was, and I didn't know enough not to use it. If I knew then what I know now, I would have sought out a quality Mercon V.

You've identified the relays correctly.

jaydadder · #7 10-14-2005, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

No, No, I wouldn't skimp on fluid quality because of a little price difference. It's just that those big brands' Mercon V were not yet available in my area when I got my Winny ... Mobil ATF was, and I didn't know enough not to use it. If I knew then what I know now, I would have sought out a quality Mercon V.

You've identified the relays correctly.

Thanks again for the help. I'll post my results after the tune-up.

jaydadder · #8 10-30-2005, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaydadder

Thanks again for the help. I'll post my results after the tune-up.

Finally did the tune up, replaced the fuel filter, air filter and cleaned the IAC motor, throttle plate and Maf sensor with throttle body cleaner.

All is well after 5 days no jerking or stalling. Thanks again for the help.

12Ounce · #9 10-30-2005, 07:21 AM

Just curious .... did you replace the relays in your tune-up?

Also, you asked ... and I forgot to respond about tranny "flushing". I do not recommend it. Haynes repair manual outlines all you need to do ... a simple (messy) pan drop and cleaning.

DRW1000 · #10 10-30-2005, 10:08 AM

I just wanted to add that I bought my Mercon V from Ford. It was resonably priced @ 4.09 Canadian. It was on sale. I also bought the filter from Ford because I did not want to have the pan off and then notice that I had the incorrect filter- I assumed Ford would give (sell) me the correct one. The transmission pan gasket is reusable.

jaydadder · #11 10-30-2005, 12:01 PM

I didn't replace the relays, I wanted to see if the filter replacement would do the trick and it seems to have. All the filters looked pretty nasty. Are the relays something you can purchase at an autoparts store or are they a dealer item?

Does the pan drop and filter change satisfy the warranty requirement for the 60,000 mile service? I have an extended warranty from Ford.

MT-2500 · #12 10-30-2005, 12:14 PM

On the ford trans a total trans flush is the best.
There may even be some tsb's on it.
Have the dealer run your vin for TSB's on it.
You need to get all of the old trans fluid out of it or even a little of the old fluid left in there will contaninate the new fluid.
MT-2500

12Ounce · #13 10-30-2005, 12:39 PM

I would expect the relays to be available aftermarket. I have bought mine from Ford ... and they seemed to have gone through some engineering upgrades over time. I recommend you purchase a couple of each size and keep them as on-board spares. You WILL need some, somewhere, eventually.

I do not know about the warranty requirements. I do have a shop manual and have read over what Ford means by tranny "drain and refill" (307-01-146). It merely means overfilling the tranny with fresh fluid and pumping/dumping fluid through the external fluid cooler by removing a hose. No external flushing machine is used. (I have oversimplified here). I have never done this exact procedure as outlined.

There is, however, a stand-alone back flushing procedure (307-01-328) for the external cooler, that does use a flushing machine. The last steps involve using compressed air to remove all the cleaning agent.

12Ounce · #14 10-30-2005, 12:50 PM

If any dealer or transmission shop ever insists that you need a tranny flushing using their favorite (money making) machine. I would suggest you get them to show you, in some Ford document, where Ford recommends it.

(I'd like to see it myself).

MT-2500 · #15 10-30-2005, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

If any dealer or transmission shop ever insists that you need a tranny flushing using their favorite (money making) machine. I would suggest you get them to show you, in some Ford document, where Ford recommends it.

(I'd like to see it myself).

There is quite a few ford tsb's on it. And I have run into the problem on a lot of ford trans. Some as low as 25K.
Do you need the tsb no or do you want to see the hole tsb?
Or just ask your ford dealer he knows best.
MT-2500

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