jrowe6
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- January 6, 2010
- Messages
- 409
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Columbus, OH
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 99 xlt
Hey guys, maybe this issue has been delt with before, i expect it has, but i couldnt find the exact answers i needed so I'm hoping actually talking to some people after giving my specific problems will get me where I'm trying to go....
the history...
so, my explorer has just over 200,000 miles on it now. i bought it with 174,000 on it. the check engine light has been on the whole time but i had no problems till recently. i had a buddy at a ford dealer run the codes one time and it was one of the rubber tubes that check the exhaust pressure. fixed that(that was at maybe 180k miles). then the light came back on. replaced the MAF, light is still on(190k miles). after that it ran well for a while. recently i changed my spark plugs/wires and alternator at the same time. after that if i push too hard on the gas the engine stutters like it has a misfire. i checked the wires and plugs and all seem to be connected fine. winter set in and its cold now and the problem seems to be worse. when i start the engine it is harder to start, then while it is warming up it will go through a period or two where its really grumbling. occasionally it will stall out. if i give it some gas and run it above 1,500 rpms for a few seconds then let off it will go back to a normal idle. i can drive it around town fine so long as i dont floor it, but on the highway it can barly run 70mph before im pushing it hard enough to make it stutter. i would take it to someone to have them look at it but im a broke college student and i would rather have that money for parts than for someone to tell me whats wrong. for the record, i put a new iac valve in it a while ago so i know thats not my idle problem. im under the impression its either an ignition timing issue or a fuel system issue. is it possible crappy worn out O2 sensors are causing this? or a weak fuel pump? i replaced the fuel filter not so long ago. so yea, if any of you can put all those clues together and give me a place to start i would really appreciate it. its freezing out right now so i'd rather not spend all day ripping my car apart, break something, then be without my vehicle. ugh....help
the history...
so, my explorer has just over 200,000 miles on it now. i bought it with 174,000 on it. the check engine light has been on the whole time but i had no problems till recently. i had a buddy at a ford dealer run the codes one time and it was one of the rubber tubes that check the exhaust pressure. fixed that(that was at maybe 180k miles). then the light came back on. replaced the MAF, light is still on(190k miles). after that it ran well for a while. recently i changed my spark plugs/wires and alternator at the same time. after that if i push too hard on the gas the engine stutters like it has a misfire. i checked the wires and plugs and all seem to be connected fine. winter set in and its cold now and the problem seems to be worse. when i start the engine it is harder to start, then while it is warming up it will go through a period or two where its really grumbling. occasionally it will stall out. if i give it some gas and run it above 1,500 rpms for a few seconds then let off it will go back to a normal idle. i can drive it around town fine so long as i dont floor it, but on the highway it can barly run 70mph before im pushing it hard enough to make it stutter. i would take it to someone to have them look at it but im a broke college student and i would rather have that money for parts than for someone to tell me whats wrong. for the record, i put a new iac valve in it a while ago so i know thats not my idle problem. im under the impression its either an ignition timing issue or a fuel system issue. is it possible crappy worn out O2 sensors are causing this? or a weak fuel pump? i replaced the fuel filter not so long ago. so yea, if any of you can put all those clues together and give me a place to start i would really appreciate it. its freezing out right now so i'd rather not spend all day ripping my car apart, break something, then be without my vehicle. ugh....help