Ford WindstarIntroduced in the mid-1990s, the front-wheel-drive Ford Windstar minivan campaigned with an emphasis on, and reputation for, safety. And in the hotly contested family minivan market of the time, that was an especially solid piece of ground to be on. As long as buyers didn't need to haul adults in back on a regular basis, the Windstar served a family's needs just fine.
While compression test is something that I might do, It would be much easier to simply hook up a vacuum guage. I usually go for the easier things first.
see... How to Use and Interpret a Vacuum Gauge
and look at scenarios 5 and 8.
I'm thinking that if you have a bad valve you may have a miss, and maybe some blowback to fowl that one plug.
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BroncoJoe19
2006 Alt Fuel Jeep (electric)
'98 windstar 3.8L
'99 Crown Vic 4.6L
'90 Full Size Bronco 5.0L
I'm not a professional mechanic, take my suggestions with a grain of salt, or a cup of coffee
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I just wanted to post and say thanks for all the great info here. I have a '98 Winstar with about 220 KMs on it and it was chugging and missing. I checked the forum and read through a few threads unitl I hit this one when it was a page or two. The CPS sounded like a good way to go for me. I had already changed the plugs and wires and then the coil pack.
I ordered the CPS and it came in and I went to change it this past weekend. I took the old one off and realized then they had sent the wrong one out to me - 2 pin connector instead of the 3 pin I needed. Well, I had the CPS off and took a closer look at it, it looked to me like it had some where and tear in it and some fouling up on the metal plate on the inside. I took a flathead and scraped off a little of the gunk on it and put it back in - like I had a choice!
It ran better with the adjustment - not perfect but better. I got the 3 pin connector CPS on Tuesday night and changed it out tonight and it is running much, much better so far. No chugging at all - 99% better, it only misses one or two times when going into 3rd at low RPMs. So far, so good. I guess I'll see what the next few days bring. I reset the codes and we'll see. Anyway, thanks for all the great advice and information, it really helped me out.
Good luck CraigRK and one piece of advice I might be able to help you out with is when you try to loosen those rusted nuts and bolts, try tapping them with a hammer and a punch if necessary. Sometimes it helps and breaks the corrosion seal on the top threads - a few heavy taps and it usually helps. Of course I agree those bolt heads are ridiculous and easy to strip and/or break and hard to get at with all the tubes and lines in the way. Anyway, sometimes the heavy taps work well.
Thanks and again, good luck with getting it fixed.
well, i am not the best mech, but i know a lot about the locking converters that ford seems to love to put into their vehicles, as their overdrive, and when they are worn they lug into locked, and cause some vehicles to lug in low rpm like a truck in 5th and going too slow. Especialy my t-bird.
I have a 1998 Windstar 3.8, Double Platinums are not stock or required for this vehicle. Motorcraft #SP-486 is the stock plug and it is Platinum, not double platinum.
I see 22 different types of plugs you can put in this vehicle and only ONE specified stock and it is the Motorcraft #SP-486.
100,000 miles for a plug to last is not long enough for you, double platinums wont last any longer.
Platinum plugs run hot, double platinum runs even hotter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CraigRK
Thanks for your response.
Several tens of thousands of km's ago, I replaced the original plugs with the specified Autolite APP765's (double platiums). Ran great for many, many miles. The very recent change was to Autolite APP105's which are also specified for this vehicle, and are a replacement for the APP765's (although that replacement by Autolite is somewhat suspect). I went with double platinums purely for longevity reasons, especially given the PITA to change the plugs on the far side. The APP765 plugs that came out looked A-OK, and with just the plug replacement, there was really no detectable difference. I really don't think the issue is plugs, but hell, if throwing in a set of 6 $2 plugs might solve the problem, I'll give it a try this weekend.
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Mark V
Look for me on the PS3 network, I am usually playing Uncharted 2 demo right now. My PS3 name is delorean6683
Yeah be pissed at every automobile maker then. They all use stupid type of fasteners like this.
Stainless steel would have been a big no no, mixing different metals would have made the issue worse.
Yeah that part is exposed to the elements and also extreme heat. I was just under my car a few days ago and inspecting the underbody along with the engine cradle. I noticed how nice my bolt heads are and how I can still see threads on exposed studs on the engine.
I think it all depends on how the vehicle has been driven in its life. When I drive mine it is usually for a long distance.
I also live in Wisconsin where the roads turn from black to white in the Winter due to the High amounts of salt we use on the roads. You can literally turn a black car gray in the winter if you do not wash it.
Would you rather own a GM that burns a quart of oil every 1000 miles on an engine with just over 18k miles, imagine what it will be like at 80k miles. GM new about this issue but didnt recall the engines, they fixed the issue only if the original customer complained when the car was new.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CraigRK
I am PISSED!
A new crankshaft position sensor arrived by mail late yesterday, and I attempted to install it this morning. This absolutely critical piece is held in position by two very small studs on the engine block, in a location that is quite difficult to access. The studs themselves are 3/16" diameter (.187") and as they are located low on the engine by the main pulley, are fully exposed to all the elements and salt, rain etc. and SO GET RUSTY. I carefully sprayed these nuts and studs with a good penetrating oil, carefully selected the correct six-point socket, and with only slight pressure, snapped off the tiny stud.
Whether or not my engine problem is due to a failing CKP sensor I will likely never find out. If I attempt to remove the second nut, it will likely snap also, leaving my vehicle with no way to re-attach a new sensor. Because of the location of these studs, it will be virtually impossible to drill and re-tap these studs without removing the engine. To replace a $20 sensor. Held by two tiny 3/16" studs. In a location virtually impossible to access should they snap.
I am glad Ford may survive the current shakeout in the automotive industry (my two vehicles are both Fords), because having the U.S. without an automobile manufacturer is just too scary, but this kind of engineering is utterly inexcusable. I will NEVER buy another Ford.
CraigK
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Mark V
Look for me on the PS3 network, I am usually playing Uncharted 2 demo right now. My PS3 name is delorean6683
I am interested in what you find that fixes your problem as my 2000 Windstar just started the exact same problem you described. But I wont hijack your thread. I'll start a new one.
I am interested in what you find that fixes your problem as my 2000 Windstar just started the exact same problem you described. But I wont hijack your thread. I'll start a new one.
what have you found?
I'm having the same issue as well, but with the 2000 3.8.
just seems to miss every once in a while, sometime predictable sometimes not.
have replaced the coil pack , wires , and plugs as well as the fuel filter.
still having the problem.
not to the extent as the initial poster of this thread, but I think you understand what I mean.
what have you found?
I'm having the same issue as well, but with the 2000 3.8.
just seems to miss every once in a while, sometime predictable sometimes not.
have replaced the coil pack , wires , and plugs as well as the fuel filter.
still having the problem.
not to the extent as the initial poster of this thread, but I think you understand what I mean.
now I have done the tsb fix of the isolator bolts and cleaned the egr ports and replaced gaskets, still having the same issue, and like the initial poster have run the vehicle with no new codes yet,
I just got a new egr valve , but am waiting on putting it in, to see what transpires here
now I have done the tsb fix of the isolator bolts and cleaned the egr ports and replaced gaskets, still having the same issue, and like the initial poster have run the vehicle with no new codes yet,
I just got a new egr valve , but am waiting on putting it in, to see what transpires here, brought that back to the store, didn't need it
ok after doing all this stuff.
fuel filter, TSB for isolator bolts, plugs , wires, DPFE .
I found the IMRC actuator rods were off because of the $7.00 ea. gromets, one was missing, got it at the junk yard for free.
fixed that,still ran crappy,
and I got a P1121
so I cleaned the MAF, to no avail,
went back to the junk yard, got a MAF there for $22.00, put it in after cleaning it and the vehicle runs great.
Moral: I think I would check the MAF first, clean it with non residue electric cleaner ( radio shack 8 oz can $10.00 )
if that don't fix it, try the junk yard for the MAF FIRST !
they want $135.00 plus a core charge of $70.00 at the parts stores.
Buster
Last edited by buster_fatboy; 06-12-2009 at 12:54 PM..
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