2003 Ford Explorer V8 Idle Issues! HELP MEEEEE

[HelpMEEE]

Ok, so first of all great site and thanks to who ever runs this, it's great!

So let's get down to my issue. I have a 2003 Ford Explorer four door with the V8 engine.

Runs great, up until about 7-8 days ago, was driving the "service engine soon" light came on and it ran fine no change in anything.

Then after about 4 days the idle got a little bit rough.

I took it to a friends shop he did the scan and it came back with the EGR.

I did not replace it, but I took it off and used an online guide to cleaning it. I gave it a very good cleaning, and hooked it all back up and it ran fine for the night. No bogging, no idle issues etc.

Today, was out running some errands, and the service light came back on and it's not doing the same thing, not as bad as before though.

Please advice?

and thanks much

 

[zerodevil]

put in a NEW egr valve. and call it good.

 

[HelpMEEE]

Are you sure on that? I read somewhere that it could be the lower intake gaskets or the pvc lines.

 

[EasyRhino]

I would start with the new EGR valve as a known item and go from there. If that is not a long term fix, then I would go after the gaskets and lines.

 

[HelpMEEE]

So, cleaning the EGR is not normally good enough??

 

[HelpMEEE]

=(

 

[SyberTiger]

Read this first.

 

[imp]

Read this first.

Read "this" all the way through! Excellent info and helpful. Thanks! imp

 

[HelpMEEE]

Syber

read the thread and it sounds exactly like my issue, but I cannot figure out which hose it... I have attached some pics, if you could PLEASE point me to which to check that would be AWESOME!

 

[SyberTiger]

If your engine is similar to mine (and I think it is) then find the PCV valve located on the passenger side valve cover. Then follow the hose the PCV valve is connected to. In this picture you will see the hose assembly I'm talking about. On the left side of the hose assembly the PCV valve would plug in. Obviously on the right side you can see the elbow.

 

[SyberTiger]

To add a little more info:

Referring to one of the pics from my original thread:

Note the IAC is the silver colored item in the pic above. The problem elbow is being pointed to.

Now referring to one of your pics:


I believe the red circle shows your IAC. The blue dotted line may be the hose assembly I have been referring to. I say "may" because I can't quite see everything I need to see in the pic. The pics you took are less than ideal for purposes of trying to find the PCV hose line.

 

[HelpMEEE]

Thanks for the help, I was able to locate it and sadly it was fine.

So now I have cleaned the EGR, checked the PVC hoses and fittings, cleaned the air filter, cleaned the MAF sensor, and still have an issue.

Any ideas?

Basically once the car is warmed up when you stop at a red light you get a glug glug glug thing going on, not loud just the idle is rough and you can feel it. When you first accelerate you can feel it a little bit but once it hits second gear you are fine.

 

[matt0248]

Just a thought, pull the vacuum line off the fuel pressure regulator and make sure there is no fuel in there.

 

[SyberTiger]

Also consider using a small canister of propane to find vacuum line leaks.

 

[ellisstep]

Try replacing the idle air control valve.

 

[lela311]

Time to Replace your engine

Sorry to inform you, but you may have to disassemble you engine, you may have a crack in you cylinder, mine was small at first, but with in 2 yrs it caused the coolant to filter into the oil, these newer model cars do not allow you to replace parts on them, you have to replace the entire thing, as new one is $5k, so I recommend trying to find a salvaged one, that is what I am trying to do.