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The science of fluid dynamics in an intake runner does not support the claims. If it did the manufacturer would have reliable and repeatable engine dyno data to support consumer case studies.:thumbdwn:

BG products sells a Motor Oil Additive that is compatable with all oils and has detergents and anti oxidation components. Give it a try as it will clean your engine with little risk of damage.

Frozen U joints and soft motor/transmission mounts can transmit a vibration that in some cases mimics suspension vibration. This normally increases with speed rather than the peaks and valleys of a harmonic related vibration. Another thought would be hard or incorrect sizing on the mounts...

Color temperature of sunlight is nominally quoted at 5,500K but can vary over a broad range depending upon atmospheric conditions and altitude. When evaluating the best color temperature for night driving one needs to consider that the human eye responds differently that it does in daylight...

Search the forum for collapsed lifers, you will find good descriptions of the symptoms and the effort required to replace them.

Disconnecting the battery for 30+ seconds to reset the EEC is the fastest way to get the adaptive map back to a neutral trim. You may want to take a quick look at the MAF for deposits and clean it as needed. Depending upon the code and the OBD II implementation the light may require a scan tool...

Thanks Glacier, your kind words are appreciated.

A true 13000K spectral peak would shift the emission bands to shorter wavelengths requiring more of a UV shroud to prevent transmission of harmful radiation (to both people and materials). When Sylvania originally came up with the HID for automotive applications it was based upon the optimum...

Depending upon the manufacturer ceramic pads can leave a deposition on the brake rotor that mimics rotor warpage. This is one of the larger errant warranty claim issues that Ford processes.

Mileage on the vehicle can be an issue for what you have described. If it is higher then aged O2 sensors or a MAF with deposits on it (in addition to other things) can both cause the readings you have. Look for any lean run symptoms such as plug wear or color. You may also be experiencing...

Fuel volatility increases as the temperature drops in order to aid starting of a cold engine. This coupled with the use of ethanol can aggravate a warm start condition by inducing vaporization in the fuel rail. Fundamentally anything that causes fuel to be delivered at anything under the...

Very nice detail in your description and photographs, well done.

Very nice detail in your description and photographs, well done.

Best of luck on the storm. BG 44K and Chevron Techron are two very good additive packages.

Is there any evidence of deposits on the intake side? High levels can act as a fuel “spongeâ€￾ that release the fuel under vacuum. This can cause the O2 sensors to oscillate with a resulting idle fluctuation. For about $20 and a tankful of gas a good PEA additive will clean the engine...

Although the mileage is low, at 10 years of age many of the components could be experiencing failure. If you have access to a scanner see what codes are coming up in the analysis. Absent any definitive symptoms go through it one step at a time, simple items first, save the expensive items for...

The symptoms you describe are characteristic of IAC sticking. It and the other intake components are susceptible to deposit formation particularly if the fuel being used does not have an adequate detergent package. Replace the IAC and add a can of BG products 44K or Chevron Techron to a full...

Read Heywood

My question was slightly rhetorical in that this is a common misconception. In the many years of engine performance research and testing for various manufacturers I have heard a wide variety of theories relating to commercially available fuels that are not technically substantiated. The...

Disassemble the contact wiper portion of the motor and clean the carbon deposits off with an eraser then brake cleaner.

I am curious why running higher octane fuel would harm the engine. Octane defines a resistance to knock so I am wondering how a higher number than specified would cause damage?

Where the line was broken will depend on what you need to do to splice or replace it, in short I would have to see the installation before I could tell you what needed to be removed. Brittleness is the result of the plastisizers being removed from the material over time due to some of the...

Many newer engines are specifying synthetics due to the VCT. The cam phasers are very sensitive to deposits and will not operate correctly unless they are kept totally clean. Use the synthetic but do not extend intervals to the point of varnish build up in the engine.

The Lincoln Aviator (same basic vehicle as an Explorer) has a 32 valve 4.6 and is rated at 302 HP with 300 lb/ft of torque. All you need is the complete wiring loom, PCM, trans....

Do a weight comparison and I think you will find that there is a significant increase from the 390. This will create a stability problem and excessive wear in the front end.

The fuel pump has to work harder with less fuel in the tank thus that symptom tend to confirm a fuel related condition. Follow the diagnostics mentioned previously and then if no other causes become apparent consider a fuel pump replacement.

A leak in the gas cap seal will not cause a vapor lock type condition. You will fail any emissions inspection that checks for fuel system integrity. If you can hear the pump running check pressure at the rail, if that is ok you may still have low volume, which can contribute to the problem...

Try the diagnostics before you jump right in and replace the pump. Bad vapor return can cause a vacuum in the tank. How about a fuel filter that is plugged. Did you check to see if you were using Ethanol, most states require labeling on the pump. What did the fuel pressure test look like...

ATF in the oil is a deposit-cleaning trick. A better choice would be BG Products MOA. It does a great job of cleaning engine oil deposits. In the case of the lifters however many times it is a wear related issue that cannot be remedied by additives. R&R is the only real option and in this...

Could the noise be from collapsed/worn lifters? The early 4.0 ltr engine has a tendency for failure in the lifters and the sound is a light tapping or knocking.

Are you by chance running Ethanol blended fuel? 10% Ethanol has a knee in the distillation curve that often results in a vapor lock when the vehicle sits for 20 – 120 minutes. Another possibility is the fuel tank vapor return line. If the Canister Purge Solenoid is not working correctly...

One of the purposes of modern motor oils is to reduce the detrimental effects of combustion by products. In a gas fueled engine approximately 10% of the combustion byproduct is water. Some of this in turn makes its way past the rings in the form of blowby. This and other corrosive chemicals...

Check the bottom side of the air intake between the MAF and the Intake manifold, they have a tendency to wear through. Unless you have good evidence of a spark related problem do not discount air/fuel ratio as a cause. Due to the way the EEC is mapped the problem may be going away at higher...

By in large all of the quick treatments are forms of solvent like petroleum naphtha designed to wash the deposits off quickly. In the case of combustion chamber deposits a slow stream of water will do wonders when converted to vapor in the chamber. Technicians tend to use this route to fix a...

With 97,000 miles you could have deposits causing drivability problems. You may want to try a can of polyetheramine based fuel additive. Two that work (among others on the market) are BG products 44K or Chevron Techron. Put it in a full tank and run down near empty before refilling and it...

The fuel formulation can have an impact on octane requirements. For example a 10% ethanol blend can interfere with the additive action on a straight hydrocarbon blend. Consequently different additives are required to keep the engine clean. The best technology in use today consists of...

Using an adjustable vacuum modulator solved the hard shifting problem.

Octane requirements drop approximately 1 point per 1000 feet in altitude per API and SAE testing for normally aspirated engines. So if one has an 87 octane requirement at sea level one theoretically could run 82 octane at 5000 feet and be safe. The problem is twofold. At higher altitude...

Interesting thread with quite a few opinions. One of the biggest factors in low-end performance is the shrouding of the flame kernel by the plug negative electrode (remember indexing spark plugs for racing). So the real question becomes what type of intake port (swirl vs tumble port) is being...

Be careful with the use of the carbon or ceramic pads. They can leave a deposition on the rotor that mimics warpage. This is one of the higher warranty claim problems Ford has. Also, regardless of what pads are used be sure and lube any slider pins every 7500 miles or so. Sticking caliper...