If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
2000 Windstar cold stall
Hoping someone can tell me what's causing my Windstar to stall on cold
days. Here are the symptoms: On cold days (say colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit) the van will stall when the motor is still cold. When I say stall I mean the engine tries to die, sounds like the fanbelt is squelling whenever it's trying to die. Most of the time, the engine doesn't actually die, it just sputters and starts back up. If I drive it for about 20 minutes or so it won't try to stall anymore. If I drive it really, really easy when it's still cold, it won't stall. Easy meaning not taking it over 2000 RPM. If it's warm outside (warmer than 60 degrees Fahrenheit) it won't stall. If I let the van sit outside when it's cold and warm up for 10 minutes or so it won't stall, assuming it doesn't die while idling which it has done once before. If I just hop in the van when and crank it up when it's been sitting all night and it's cold outside and I drive normal, the van will stall. Any suggestions as to what is causing this? This seemed to start when we had our first cold snap of the winter. |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Upper and lower intake manifold seals leak on the 3.8 and cause a host
of problems. They are tempermental esp. in cold weather because they shrink excessively and allow lots of unmetered air into the cylinders, severly leaning out the engine at idle. You may experience drivability concerns and/or a check engine light (codes P0171 and P0174, banks 1 and 2 lean). Also, your mass airflow sensor could have dirt built up on its hotwire. This is another common leaning condition; but is less temperature sensitive than leaking intake seals. The upper intake seals are fairly easy to change. There are "seal washers" under the holddown bolts that should be replaced also to improve clamping force. There should be a Ford TSB on this. Toyota MDT in MO |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
OK, I took the van to the dealer today and they said the problem was
with the idle air control valve. Dealer said the intake seals are fine. I thought if I had a bad IAC valve, I would experience idle problems? Most of my problems are with stalls going down the road. Another thing, why would my stalling problem not appear during warm weather if I had a bad IAC? As it stands now, I only have this stalling problem when it's really cold outside. Past few days have been in the 60s and the van hasn't given me any problems. I think the dealer just doesn't want to warranty their work without charging me something. Comboverfish wrote: > Upper and lower intake manifold seals leak on the 3.8 and cause a host > of problems. They are tempermental esp. in cold weather because they > shrink excessively and allow lots of unmetered air into the cylinders, > severly leaning out the engine at idle. You may experience drivability > concerns and/or a check engine light (codes P0171 and P0174, banks 1 > and 2 lean). > Also, your mass airflow sensor could have dirt built up on its hotwire. > This is another common leaning condition; but is less temperature > sensitive than leaking intake seals. > The upper intake seals are fairly easy to change. There are "seal > washers" under the holddown bolts that should be replaced also to > improve clamping force. There should be a Ford TSB on this. > Toyota MDT in MO |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
>I think the dealer just doesn't want to warranty their work without
>charging me something. I wouldn't jump to that conclusion necessarily. If the tech looked at the car while it was acting up he should have a good idea of the cause. If he couldn't duplicate it then the cause is still a matter of conjecture. An IAC valve can certainly cause a stalling complaint anytime the engine is somewhere near idle speed. It is a simple solenoid valve that opens and closes rapidly at the computer's command to allow the right amount of air past the throttle body, and help maintain idle speed. It can be used to raise cold engine idle as well. Ford IACs can stick intermittantly and not respond to computer control properly, causing a stall in a bad case. I assume you have a basic 3/36 warrantee and you're out of it with it being a 2000 model year van. I don't think Ford is going to cover anything driveability related at this point anyway unless it falls under an emissions component classification. I don't know about the stalling only when moving. It doesn't ever stall or stumble sitting still? And have you ever had a check engine light since this problem developed? Toyota MDT in MO |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
The warranty I was referring to was a repair the dealer performed. It
has a 12,000 or 1 year warranty. Get this. The repair was leaky intake gaskets. My van has about 70,000 miles on it. It has stalled once that I know of while at idle, real cold morning, been sitting all night. Other than that, most all the stalls have occured while driving when the engine is above 2000 RPM. I had one check engine light come on. It came on or about the 8th stall. That stall was somewhat 'violent' in that the motor died @ around 3000 RPM and then tried to restart. Kinda shook the car. The code was a cam position sensor. Other than that, no check engine light in weeks and only that once. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Here's what was on my repair ticket:
eec test pinpoint test replace upper intake gaskets port gaskets isolator bolts valve cover |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Ok, thats pretty specific info!
Now I'm looking at something that just shuts the engine down hard, not a vacuum leak or IAC. Althought the IAC could have acted up that one cold morning... I'm going to guess that spark is dropping out. It would be easy to point to the cam sensor since it set a code, but surprisingly, these engines can keep running with a lost cam signal (lost while the engine is already running). I've heard of a cam sensor false code related to the 3.8 due to a nearby sensor causing something like an RF glitch or a 5 volt sensor supply power glitch but haven't seen it. (Internet discussion) But I believe what I read was true. And the spinning cam sensor drive assembly can tighten up or even break, causing noise or complete cam sensor failure. So all this means is that the code could be real or a ghost code. Fun...... When you say it died at 3k and 'tried to restart' I read that you lost full power instantly and before the engine reached 0 rpms it chugged back to life (as if you were driving along and you turned the key off for a couple seconds then back on). If that's true it could be any kind of spark loss or battery power loss to any ignition or fuel injection component. I think your van would need to be road tested by a mechanic until it happened. Then possibly road tested again with test equipment monitoring suspect areas. Sorry, I'm out of ideas, but if you explain your problem to a good shop as thoroughly as you did here -- and let them have it 'til it acts up, you will probably find the shortest path to a correct repair. Good luck, Toyota MDT in MO |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
rec.autos.makers.chrysler FAQ, Part 1/6 | Dr. David Zatz | Chrysler | 7 | February 1st 05 01:43 PM |
2000 E320 cold start | dren | BMW | 0 | January 17th 05 11:49 PM |
2000 A4 - Window problems in cold weather?? | ABT | Audi | 2 | January 15th 05 12:58 AM |
rec.autos.makers.chrysler FAQ, Part 1/6 | Dr. David Zatz | Chrysler | 10 | January 2nd 05 05:15 AM |
rec.autos.makers.chrysler FAQ, Part 1/6 | Dr. David Zatz | Chrysler | 10 | November 16th 04 05:28 AM |