98 Windstar question

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Dennis - 19 Feb 2009 23:50 GMT

I have a '98 windstar with about 100K miles. Lately it has had a few
intermittant problems starting/idling.

1. No error codes reported
2. When temperatures lower than (-5F), runs real rough and idles real slow
( 500 rpm ) for 10-15 seconds, then kicks to fast idle and runs perfectly.
3. After driving until warm, after it sits for 20 minutes, it takes 15
seconds of cranking to restart.
4. After driving highway speeds for extended periods, engine will not idle
down ( 2000 rpm idle )

All these problems are very intermittant.

Anyone have any ideas where to start?

Reply to this Message

clare@snyder.on.ca - 20 Feb 2009 03:46 GMT

>I have a '98 windstar with about 100K miles. Lately it has had a few
>intermittant problems starting/idling.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
>Anyone have any ideas where to start?

I'd look at the idle speed control valve/motor.
How often do you change your oil? with short trips and cold weather
condensation can screw up the PCV valve system and pump "crap"(oily
foam?) into the intake and that will really do a number on the ISC if
it gets in.

Reply to this Message

Dave D - 20 Feb 2009 08:36 GMT

>I have a '98 windstar with about 100K miles. Lately it has had a few
>intermittant problems starting/idling.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Anyone have any ideas where to start?

Could be the TPS (throttle position sensor) or the O2 sensor. I would think
that the latter would throw a code, however.

DaveD

Reply to this Message

clare@snyder.on.ca - 20 Feb 2009 12:33 GMT

>>I have a '98 windstar with about 100K miles. Lately it has had a few
>>intermittant problems starting/idling.
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
>DaveD

Both would throw codes and neither would cause that particular
problem. The ISC is almost the only thing that CAN cause the problem,
and it IS common. Happens on my 96 2.5 Mystique on occaision.

Reply to this Message

dsi1 - 21 Feb 2009 02:15 GMT

>>> I have a '98 windstar with about 100K miles. Lately it has had a few
>>> intermittant problems starting/idling.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> problem. The ISC is almost the only thing that CAN cause the problem,
> and it IS common. Happens on my 96 2.5 Mystique on occaision.

You are talking about the solenoid controlled valve thingie that opens
to allow air to bypass the throttle plate when it's cold? This sounds
correct to me and in fact, I was having this same problem with my 94
Taurus and was looking for a replacement Idle Air Control valve on eBay
but it seems the problem has fixed itself. I like self-fixing cars. I
highly recommend that folks get one as soon as they can. :-)

Reply to this Message

clare@snyder.on.ca - 21 Feb 2009 03:26 GMT

>>>> I have a '98 windstar with about 100K miles. Lately it has had a few
>>>> intermittant problems starting/idling.
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
>but it seems the problem has fixed itself. I like self-fixing cars. I
>highly recommend that folks get one as soon as they can. :-)

The problem hasn't fixed itself, it's just gone into "remission". Like
a Cancer, it's not cured till it's been gone for 5 years!!!

Reply to this Message

Picasso - 22 Feb 2009 01:36 GMT

I have had 2 throttle position sensors go on different vehicles neither
threw codes, but both vehicles reved around 3k, rather than this
intermittent problem.

Reply to this Message

Alan B. Mac Farlane - 20 Feb 2009 12:36 GMT

> All these problems are very intermittant.
>
> Anyone have any ideas where to start?

wait till it is consistently broken ... then trace down the smog system ...
EGR and PCV values are getting carboned up, your smog pump is wearing out ..
they are doing their job and getting old.

Try taking some Carb cleaner and squirting it up those sucking tubes and
clean the ventilation system a bit .. this will strip your Oxygen sensor and
likely kill it off ... needing replacement.

Reply to this Message

clare@snyder.on.ca - 20 Feb 2009 17:41 GMT

>> All these problems are very intermittant.
>>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>clean the ventilation system a bit .. this will strip your Oxygen sensor and
>likely kill it off ... needing replacement.

FIRST step is to remove and clean the Idle Speed Control.
It CAN sometimes be cleaned in place, but it has the possibility of
damaging the O2 sensor or Cat Conveerter depending what solvent you
use.

Intake System Cleaner (like carb cleaner or choke cleaner of years
gone by) is the best bet.

After it is cleaned, put it back on and "exercise" it by putting the
vehicle in and out of gear (if automatic), turn AC and headlights off
and on, etc untill the solvent is all dryied out. Sometimes you need
to run a bit of cleaner through it again on the car to get it working
smoothly.

Reply to this Message

Alan B. Mac Farlane - 21 Feb 2009 00:40 GMT

yeah ... what clare said ... below ... good stuff.

Better to keep a good fuel source with a consist cleaner lubricant in it
that is sorted out correctly .. as the wear on the Oxygen sensor is
consistent.

Having your engine system get dirty, gummed up, and needing the cleaning
that gets the job done .. if that is frequently at issue for using a
leptokurtic wear pattern set in ... well it is hard having it get dirty and
it is hard to having it get cleaned more so the staying steady on it.

Sooooooo ... you can do this work, the results will be fantastic, and in a
few days .. your oxygen sensor is the poop. Swap it out and back to great
news again. Or your EGR got filled up a bit faster ... stuff like that can
naturally happen ... as it does in ANY case eventually.

Clare and I are not saying anything different ... Clare is just saying it
much better then me.

Thanks Clare :?

sumbuddie peaking behind the curtain

> FIRST step is to remove and clean the Idle Speed Control.
> It CAN sometimes be cleaned in place, but it has the possibility of
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> to run a bit of cleaner through it again on the car to get it working
> smoothly.

Reply to this Message