01 5.0L AWD stumbles and pings - sometimes

[eric256]

My beloved 2001 AWD 5.0 has developed a stumble. Doesn't feel like a true miss, but it may be.

All started when I had a leaking, spraying, water pump bypass hose. Sprayed water straight up and all over everything. Got that fixed.

I had guessed that some of the wires had gotten wet causing the stumble. It only happens, or seems to happen in 2nd-4th with a moderate load. I don't notice it at all in 1st.

Also - on the first day of this problem there was a lot of pinging, but now that has stopped. Idle is fine.

Now things have dried out and I still have the stumble, sometimes very noticeable, sometimes very slight.

I hope that something just has some antifreeze gunk in it.

157,000 loving miles.

 

[nardbuster]

My beloved 2001 AWD 5.0 has developed a stumble. Doesn't feel like a true miss, but it may be.

All started when I had a leaking, spraying, water pump bypass hose. Sprayed water straight up and all over everything. Got that fixed.

I had guessed that some of the wires had gotten wet causing the stumble. It only happens, or seems to happen in 2nd-4th with a moderate load. I don't notice it at all in 1st.

Also - on the first day of this problem there was a lot of pinging, but now that has stopped. Idle is fine.

Now things have dried out and I still have the stumble, sometimes very noticeable, sometimes very slight.

I hope that something just has some antifreeze gunk in it.

157,000 loving miles.

Spark plug wires.... is one riding on the manifold?
Go to a auto part store and get that tool plugged in. It will inform you of which cylinder is missing a spark.

 

[eric256]

Spark plug wires.... is one riding on the manifold?
Go to a auto part store and get that tool plugged in. It will inform you of which cylinder is missing a spark.

Will it find the cylinder even if the service light is not on?

 

[nardbuster]

My service light does not come on.
Yet, plug the tool in and it responds.
Not the light, the tool.

 

[eric256]

My service light does not come on.
Yet, plug the tool in and it responds.
Not the light, the tool.

Tried a Craftsman scan tool - no info on misfire. No codes.

In Hawaii - the auto parts stores are not allowed to loan scan tools. That's some aloha for ya.

I'll stop by a shop for a better scan tool and see what it says.

 

[SoNic67]

Did you clean up the coil packs? They are right on top. Remove the wires one at a time (so you don't cross them) and clean.


If you have an Android phone, just order from eBay one of the cheap ELM327 clones - they are some $13-20. Then use the app Torque to read codes and more - it has a free version and a paid one ($5).
It might be just a "pending code" or something else that can be read in real time.

 

[shadowless127]

I vote plugs and wires. Had this issue years ago on my GF's Grand Cherokee; old wires and gummed up plugs were the culprit.

 

[TheJokersGT]

Alson your MAF could be the culprit, dont rule it out....clean the element with a cue-tip and electronic safe solvent/alcohol. There are youtube vids...dont be scared just be careful, dont push hard be gentle. The reason i doubt its plug wires is because it didnt do it before it got wet and once it drys out it should not continue.

 

[eric256]

In the end it was a bad u-joint causing the rumbling.