97 4.0 SOHC explorer idle problem?

[Shaun123]

Ok well for some time now my explorer has been giving me alot of problems.
The check engine light has been on way before this problem started tho..
When i had it scaned i got alot of error codes like 6 of them and they all idicated a Oxygen problem.
Acording to what they told me i figured it was because i cut out my 2 cats and changed the muffler abit anyway thats not my problem the problem is when i start up my car it starts to "backfire" well sorta its more like its lossing power and dont want to keep the engine ruinning i give it some gass all goes fine.
Recently now i noticed when i acelerate whille driving it will hold back for a cople of secs then burst me with power not shure if it could be a fuel pump or injector problem cause i keep runing my tanl verry low on gass till the point the check gague light comes on allso when im at a red light "idle" the car starts to vibrate and lose power never douse turn off tho im hoping its not the transmision cause i had a similar problem last year then one day messing around i blew my trans and when i put a new one in all my problems went away ... im hoping its a fuel system problem tho oh and when i took my car to autozone to get a oil change they said i needed to have my engine flushed and my injectors cleaned i dont trust them tho i live in puerto rico and most people here are out to rip everyone off and i allso heard that a engine flush can be bad for the engine and for $100 it cost to clean the damn injectors for that ill buy new performance injectors anyway i hope my problem can get resolved :roll:

Sorry for my english it aint that great

 

[Shaun123]

Mite as well just delete this post since no one cares about reading my problem .. owell ill get a video up soon of the problem in action... hopefully will record it today if i dont fall asleep first

 

[97WillowXLT]

I'm no mechanic... but possibly the o2 sensors?

I'd check spark plugs/wires too... you can replace all those for under $100.

 

[Billy177]

we need to know the exact codes not just the fact that there were 6 of them

 

[Shaun123]

i changed all the sparkplug and the wires are fairlly new there about hmmmmaybe 4 months or less so that cant be the problem im unshure on the codes but i reas reading up on fuel injectors that if ones dirty suposibly it can cause reactions similar to the ones i have so i know some guy that said if i take him my truck he will take the injectors out and air clean em or some shii? i donno sounds weird to me but im shure he knows what hes doing he use to work on my old civic heh and the best of all FREE anyway videos coming soon

 

[JohnnyO]

First clean and lubricate the idle air control valve (IAC), it's not hard to do. Also there is a rubber emissions control hose on the 4.0 SOHC that tends to get a crack in the elbow where it bends and this will cause the Check Engine Light to come on.

 

[Shaun123]

the idle air control valve (IAC) is on the trotle right? that aint the problem if it is cause my trotle is pretty new had to replace it cause my overdrive clip broke and i couldent find no way to replace just that part oh and i have no idea where to look for the rubber emissions control hose

 

[JohnnyO]

I found an IAC cleaning thread here but it was for the 4.0 OHV. Its IAC is similar to the SOHC but not identical. It's on the intake manifold. Good write-up with pics for the 4.0 SOHC is at www.mysporttrac.com, no linky so click on Members, then Projects, then Maintenance, then scroll down to "Cleaning The IAC Motor". I'm not saying that's your problem for sure but I'd try that first.

 

[Shaun123]

thanx ill try that in the morning : found the direct link http://www.mysporttrac.com/mysporttrac/projects/CleaningIAC/CLEANING_IAC_MOTOR.htm

hmm off the topic i changed my 2 front brakepads and the left rotor its the first time i ever changed my own brakepads but i had fun trying to get the damn bolts out for 3 hours and broke like 4 tools but yeah anyway finally got evrything in place and setup so i take it for a spin evrything is cool then the next day im driving around still making shure brakes are working good and i decided to go a lil fast to see how good it would stop and when i slamed the brakes the top caliper screw cracked and the caliper started to rub on the rim if anyone has any idea how the heck the screw broke let me know so it wont hapen again i had to order a bolt kit from autozone im supose to get it tomorrow it cost me $8 plus $6 for a stronger 15mm socket

 

[Billy177]

you probrally overtorqued it, they are only supposed to go to about 15lbs with locktite

 

[Topflightamp]

Thanks for the tips. My 4.0 SOHC, 143K, had the same symptoms and I opted to buy another IAC.
Noticed the difference right away. No more dead engine episodes.

 

[Lazzman]

Reading this it seems like there can be many symptoms to a failing IAC?

I was told that a bad IAC would cause the vehicle to stall out all of the time and you would have to keep your foot on the gas to keep it running, if this was not happening then the IAC was not the problem. It stated as being black and white i.e either the car was idleing or it was not idleing.

Is it possible that a bad IAC could cause a weak, low rpm idle?

Thanks - and no this is not a thread hi-jack, it is within the same topic.

 

[Shaun123]

i havent really had much time to work on my truck i been sick latelly im kinda sick but yeah anyway i change the 2 front brake pads and and a the front left rotor now i need to change the 2 back brake pads and the back left rotor for some odd reason i keep messingup the left rotors so as soon as i get money ill have that done and then i can work on my idle problem

 

[Blue_Oval_Ford]

Sounds like you have a clogged or bad fuel injector. I had the same problems with mine until I installed new fuel injectors as the old ones were to dirty to be cleaned. Now you can hardly tell the engine is running. A backfire can be the result of a lean fuel mixture possibly from carbon build up or timing chain issue.

 

[Fredness]

If its injectors, here you go:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280070385128&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=018

 

[toypaseo]

A new Ford DPFE sensor helped out my crappy idle alot on my 96.

 

[gotbags?]

ok my knowledge on the subject i had about the same problems so i changed the iac valve did no good so i went to my buddy at the ford place and he told me it was a vacuum leak coming from the intake manifold gaskets they go bad in these year models and they have new and improved ones from ford they cost me i think 30 dollars for the upper and lower and it took me about 2 hours tops to change them out and it fixed all my problems maybe this will help you out