Buck\jerk on slight acceleration

[jsealey]

I have been browsing this forum for a few weeks and have found a lot of good info. There is a lot of smart members out there.
Anyway the problem I am having is a buck and jerk type of symptom that happens only under certain conditions. The conditions are cold and damp weather always seems to be snowing and I am light on the accelerator as it is usually slippery. The engine will lug as normal and than start to miss or there will be a buck and jerk like the engine cuts out. At first I thought it was the Auto 4wd locking as I may have hit an ice patch but that is not the case.
I am thinking MAF icing or contamination? The check engine light does not come on. It idles smooth and runs well otherwise. I guess I should mention it is a 2001 Explorer 4wd 4L. Anyone had this problem or have any ideas? THX.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! You could still have it checked for codes even though there is no check engine light. I've deleted your other thread since it's a copy of this one.

 

[WhiteLimited]

This is very odd! Mine is doing it to! On average right now its about -10 around town and it seamed to have started with this cold weather. None the less I still plugged in the OBD2 reader and got three codes.

P0113
P0102
P1504

I have an extra MAF sensor somewhere and I'm going to go see if that solves the problem. I have been driving it like this because it is so random and I have not really had time to play with it. I will post my results of the different sensor and see what I come up with.Cheers

 

[jsealey]

I forgot to mention that I had checked for codes and got none. Let me know if the MAF change cures the problem. Good luck!

 

[WhiteLimited]

I forgot to mention that I had checked for codes and got none. Let me know if the MAF change cures the problem. Good luck!

Will do! I did have my Check Engine did flash once maybe thats why I got codes? It had only flash once and it is when I was driving up a steep hill, under load. Also when its under load it seams to back fire does yours?

 

[jsealey]

No mine has not backfired. I think it is a lean A\F mixture causing it. If you are getting a backfire that would be unburned fuel in the exhaust too rich or
ignition cutting out maybe?

 

[WhiteLimited]

No mine has not backfired. I think it is a lean A\F mixture causing it. If you are getting a backfire that would be unburned fuel in the exhaust too rich or
ignition cutting out maybe?

Ok so that was a no go did not fix ****. Next I'm thinking is the fule firer then a dirty injector I think I'm going to take it to my buddy on Tuesday hmmm keep yoou posted if you keep me posted!

 

[jsealey]

I think I may have found the problem. As I have been leaning towards the MAF sensor being the problem I pulled the top off the air box and found that a chipmunk or mouse had put maple keys in the air box. There was not a hole in the filter so That was not the problem as ther was not enough to plug the filter(that was replaced a month ago). I unplugged the MAF sensor and pulled it out of the tube its mounted in. When I shined a light in the end or bottom of the sensor there was a piece of plant material bridging the sensing elements inside. I blew it out and put it back together. I'll give it a few days before I do my victory dance as I thought that it was fixed a few times before. I'll keep you posted. John

 

[WhiteLimited]

I think I may have found the problem. As I have been leaning towards the MAF sensor being the problem I pulled the top off the air box and found that a chipmunk or mouse had put maple keys in the air box. There was not a hole in the filter so That was not the problem as ther was not enough to plug the filter(that was replaced a month ago). I unplugged the MAF sensor and pulled it out of the tube its mounted in. When I shined a light in the end or bottom of the sensor there was a piece of plant material bridging the sensing elements inside. I blew it out and put it back together. I'll give it a few days before I do my victory dance as I thought that it was fixed a few times before. I'll keep you posted. John

Yeah see hmmm damn it this is pissing me off. Its not hurting my truck its just SO ####ing annoying! Ugh I have a few things I'm going to try too...Keep you up dated

 

[WhiteLimited]

Take a look at this, just a though I have TMH so I'm going to take a look at it but yeah hmmm....

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233906

 

[WhiteLimited]

So I went down to Ford today and they said it would bee $100 for them to try and find out what the problem is. Then if its covered by my warranty that and the $100 would all be covered. BUT Ford said to do everything I can think of first.

Air Filter
Spark Plugs & Weirs
Fuel Filter
Solenoids < right word?

Crange or clean anything that could be causing it.

 

[WhiteLimited]

Ok dude so I tracked down the problem with mine, sheck the plug wires and cylinders. Mine was a brittle wire from my hot headers...Fixed now.Cheers, best of luck.

 

[jsealey]

Just an update. Running fine now. MAF getting dirty was from a warped air box. The front side was bowed out alowing the air filter to dip down, alowing unfiltered air in.

 

[Crunchy]

Just an update. Running fine now. MAF getting dirty was from a warped air box. The front side was bowed out alowing the air filter to dip down, alowing unfiltered air in.

Word on that. Took me $300 at the dealer to find that problem on mine. A zip tie fixed my air box.

 

[jsealey]

Crunchy did you have the same drivability problems?

 

[Crunchy]

Crunchy did you have the same drivability problems?

Yes I did. A buck/jerk in the truck, feels like you just hit something on the road, somethign BIG!

Only happens when the weather is bad (snowing, rainy, windy etc...), and only when the temps are near or below freezing. Also only felt this at low RPM's, 1800 or so, so that coresponds to about 62 or 84 KM/h in my truck.

Woudl happen for a few seconds, but if I give it gas or let off the gas completely it stopped.

I did everything to track this down, all maintenance (fluids, ignition, etc...).

In the end I brought the truck in cause starting this winter, when it was getting cold outside, after a drive long enough to get the truck to regular temp. my truck would stall when I put it into park. Just turn off completely.

Brought it in, the mechanic traced it to the air box lid not being closed properly. One of the plastic clips were broken and there was a space between the top and bottom of the lid. A small crack not even big enough to stick my baby finger in. That created a leak in my air box causing the MAF to see huge flucuations in the air readings.

It was explained to me that the filter/air box system, when air-tight, the filter acts to equalize the readings seen by the MAF. When a just of wind or somethign hit the crack, it would send the MAF readings off the scale, enough so the truck can't compensate, resulting in a lean (or was it rich) condition.

One zip tie fixed it, to the tone of $300 for the diagnosis.

 

[jsealey]

Ouch! guess i got lucky. If it cost $300 dollars in labour it must not be a very common problem.

 

[Crunchy]

Ouch! guess i got lucky. If it cost $300 dollars in labour it must not be a very common problem.

$150 just to put it on the ford-computer (even though I had no codes, it was standard procedure), one hour of labor to do the work @ $80/hr and throw in an air filter and tax comes out to a tad under $300.