Engine miss

[Mixerman]

Purchased a 94 explorer about 5 months ago. Has been running great until recently. A couple of weeks ago, I was driving it and it kind of "hiccuped". I happened just once in my half hour drive. Now it's happening much more frequently. I can be driving at any speed, or even idling and the engine will just skip a beat for just a fraction of a second. Sometimes the CEL light will just flicker once real quick, sometimes it won't. It's almost like someone turned the key off for a 1/4 of a second.

Any ideas of what to look for would be helpful. I really started to like this truck, so it would be sad if I had to shoot it.

[FIND]

Check your plugs. Also test the resistance on your plug wires. If it has been 60,000 miles or so since they have been last changed, it is a good time to change them. You may also need to have your injectors cleaned.

Of course, before any of that, check for any of the usual suspects, vacuum leaks.

[Mixerman]

Originally Posted by FIND

Check your plugs. Also test the resistance on your plug wires. If it has been 60,000 miles or so since they have been last changed, it is a good time to change them. You may also need to have your injectors cleaned.

Of course, before any of that, check for any of the usual suspects, vacuum leaks.

Hmmm... Good thought on the plugs and wires. Would they cause the CEL light to flicker when it is having an "episode"? Would any of the above leave a code? I read the info and watched the video on reading codes on the OBD I's. I'll have to give that a try too.

Thank you.

[mr cribb]

I had a similar situation w/o the CEL flicker... I changed out the plugs and wires.... I pulled out some autolite double plats that'd been in there for a while, I also removed the motorcraft wires... Dunno if the wires were factory or not, I hope not since it has 195k.

I re-installed motorcraft platinum plugs $4.69 x 6 and installed motorcraft wires $50 all from advance. Truck runs far better... Until I found the radiator peeing on the ground.... Oh well such as life on an old truck.

[FIND]

well, a misfire by itself should throw a cel. Bad plugs or wires won't throw a cell in and of themselves, however if they cause a misfire, CEL. Your check engine light should be flashing any time your engine is having an issue, and a misfire could cause various lights to flicker, just the effect of grounding all that voltage and the shuddering caused by a misfire.

[92exp4x4]

If you do a tune up, make sure you get motorcraft plugs. These are the best for the Explorers. Do a search and find out how many people have had problems with other plugs.

Motorcraft parts are usually the best solution most of the time. I have been burnt too many times in the past by cheap parts.

I have noticed too, that my Explorers will slighly 'miss' at idle or run a little rough. This is common with Fords I think, and it goes back into the 60s. All of my dad's old fords and ones I own(ed) have rough idles. Some are better than others, but they all do it to a degree. My 92 sport lopes like its got a performance cam. But clears up when you give it any amount of throttle. It has 60,000 miles on it, a fresh tune up, and runs great out on the road.

I wouldn't worry so much about a slightly rough idle but if it misses under accelleration, you have some issues.

[FIND]

Originally Posted by 92exp4x4

If you do a tune up, make sure you get motorcraft plugs. These are the best for the Explorers. Do a search and find out how many people have had problems with other plugs.

Motorcraft parts are usually the best solution most of the time. I have been burnt too many times in the past by cheap parts.

I have noticed too, that my Explorers will slighly 'miss' at idle or run a little rough. This is common with Fords I think, and it goes back into the 60s. All of my dad's old fords and ones I own(ed) have rough idles. Some are better than others, but they all do it to a degree. My 92 sport lopes like its got a performance cam. But clears up when you give it any amount of throttle. It has 60,000 miles on it, a fresh tune up, and runs great out on the road.

I wouldn't worry so much about a slightly rough idle but if it misses under accelleration, you have some issues.

Autolite or NGK plugs are also very good options for an explorer, I use either brand often. Denso also produces high quality plugs. I put a set of NGK double platinums in my ex-wifes explorer, and I am going to throw some Autolite iridium plugs in on mine when I do a tune up in a month or two. I put Autolite iridium plugs in my dad's explorer back when I was putting a transmission in it, since I figured it was a good time for a tune-up. Stay away from anything with multiple electrodes or any fancy electrode design such as Bosch or E3. Also, like 92exp4x4 said, stay away from the cheap junk plugs like champion.

IDK about this loping idle.... none of my explorers have any kind of lope at idle....

[92exp4x4]

FIND, you seem very knowledgeable. You must be a professional mechanic. Its great to have people like you on this forum. I must admit my only professional experience is working on forklifts for a few years until being laid off in 2008. I have learned alot about my Explorers from guys like you on this forum. Whats your story, anyway?

[92exp4x4]

We have a couple of old Fords. My dads 62 fairlane 221 v8, the 68 mustang 289. I had a 94 mustang GT, two broncos, both v8s 302 and 351 respectively. They all had a very slight lope especially the GT.

Every one of my Explorers have a slightly rough idle compared to other vehicles i have messed with. My 92 sport is the worst with it but has never given me any issues. All the vehicles run fine with no problems. I can only assume this to be the nature of the beast as I have had contact with so many doing the same thing.

[FIND]

Originally Posted by 92exp4x4

FIND, you seem very knowledgeable. You must be a professional mechanic. Its great to have people like you on this forum. I must admit my only professional experience is working on forklifts for a few years until being laid off in 2008. I have learned alot about my Explorers from guys like you on this forum. Whats your story, anyway?

my story.... I enlisted in the navy ET nuke, but had to leave due to a medical issue, I became a diesel mechanic for several years after going to school for it, then by chance ended up working on a farm for a while during my first divorce because the pay was killer, but quit that to go back to college, where I am at now hiding from the economy. I drive explorers because I am not a fan of many vehicles produced since the mid-90s, and I hate getting new cars. However, since I have three kids, and live in south dakota, I need something with enough space and utility to get around, especially for some of the odd jobs I do. My explorer has seen places I don't want to talk about. Anyways, given their durability and the amount of utility you can get out of them, for their size, a first gen explorer is the best vehicle you can own in my opinion. I had considered second gens, but I ran across the one I gave to my ex-wife by chance, tried it out, and haven't wanted anything but explorers ever since.... well aside from my Lincoln..... and I have been considering getting an older diesel suburban, cause they are so cool... but I digress....

Those older vehicles, a lope at idle isn't surprising.... but your explorer.... well the idle should be really smooth because of all the electronics. Your IACV is electronically controlled to meter air at idle, and electronic fuel injection means each cylinder is getting an equal amount of fuel. A slight lope at idle is perfectly ok, and isn't going to give you any major issue probably. Just saying, it isn't how they were designed.

[92exp4x4]

First of all, my apologies to mixerman for hijacking this thread.

Second we have much the same opinion of these trucks. I can't agree more with you about the great value the Explorer offers. The first gens are my favorite as they have the truck roots and rugeddness that go back to the early 80s with the newer style and reliability of the later models. They are not over complex like new vehicles and are the perfect size. The only second gen I would want would be a 5.0. If I had the money I would build a Saleen clone as the chances of finding a real one are slim to none. Currently the newest vehicle in my stable is a 97 Powerstroke F-250. Probably won't ever get anything newer until parts are no longer availablefor this old junk!

I remember looking at explorers new with my dad in 91. We couldn't afford one and bought a van instead, but I have liked them ever since. Then when Jurassic park came out in 93 and Explorers were used in the movie I just had to have one. Funny how marketing affects 10 year olds!

Speaking of Lincolns, I too had one - an '85 Mark 7. I loved that car and I wish i never sold it. That thing was fast and it wasn't even an LSC. I smoked quite a few civics in high school with that car.

But anyway, back to being somewhat on topic, I understand what you are saying about the "lope". My trucks run just fine and this whole thing could just be perception, as I'm sure i have not seen the amount of different engines you have.

[cyclone65-5.0-4s]

My 93 did the same thing about 6 weeks ago, and since then the CEL stays on and it has a constant rough idle along with a bad hesitation/stumble on acceleration from a dead stop. At cruising speeds or normal driving it seems to run fine (although CEL is on always), even when in passing gear, runs fine. Since this started, I have replaced plug wires (motorcraft), IAC valve, TPS, O2 sensors, & fuel filter. The plugs were changed 25,000 miles ago, also motorcrafts. I am stumped on this, any help would be appreciated!!

[mr cribb]

I will say that if you have any explorer issues the most common people to ask are FIND and Joe Dirt.... Just don't argue with FIND on how performance bolt ons "magically" make our 1st gens any faster..... There are plenty of threads telling you how it really is...... Lol

On a side note I fixed my little green peeing gremlin today.... No more green leaks... Now I shall wait to see what else my X wants to throw a fit about.

[DV8]

ahh, the ford explorer. if its not one thing, its a hundred.

[Mixerman]

Yay Powerstrokes! I've got a '96. Love it. Back to the explorer though... It idles fine. It just has that miss every so often. Kind of reminds me of when the cam position sensor on the Powerstroke was going out. Do these explorers have a cam sensor?

[92exp4x4]

Actually yes, the california emmisions models do. If you see a 4.0 with an EGR system it also has the cam sensor. They are expensive and really hard to get to. Some 93s had it and all 94s and newer have this system.

I love my Powerstroke, it needs glowplugs though. Add that to the list of projects...

[DV8]

my x does the same thing, but just at idle... just every now and then, a lil "bump" from the sick cylinder, feel a lil miss, then smooth for a while. mine mainly just does it in gear tho...

[Mixerman]

Well, it finally died and wouldn't start. Turns out it was a bad ground wire. It was the small black wire that comes off the neg terminal on the battery. It had corroded bad inside the casing. After chasing it for miles to finally get to wire that was still bright copper colored, it was replaced and all is well!

[FIND]

Originally Posted by Mixerman

Well, it finally died and wouldn't start. Turns out it was a bad ground wire. It was the small black wire that comes off the neg terminal on the battery. It had corroded bad inside the casing. After chasing it for miles to finally get to wire that was still bright copper colored, it was replaced and all is well!

Ahh, that will do it.

One of the things I always do with vehicles is upgrade ground straps. You wouldn't believe how many weird issues a poor ground will cause and how long you could spend tearing hair out chasing it down.