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Engine is sputtering at an idle
- Thread starter gentileba
- Start date
thepotroast
Explorer Addict
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- February 24, 2009
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- 1,057
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- City, State
- Asheville, NC
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 3rd Gen EB 4x4 V8
Go to Autozone, have them run a free diagnostic and pull codes. You have a multitude of sensors that don't always trigger a CEL on the dash, that could affect this.
It could be anything from a sensor failure, to ignition, to fuel pressure, or mechanical failure.
Plugs, wires, MAF, IAC, fuel pump, fuel filter, coolant temp sensor, oil pressure sender, coil pack, etc
The reason I mention the sensors is because your truck's computer will only properly dispense the correct fuel/air mixture to the engine based on what the 4 sensors tell it on a cold start. If one of those sensors is faulty, it could be sending it a mixture too lean causing the sputtering. May sound silly, but I just went through a very similar scenario that you're having with my '03. Turns out it was a bad coolant temp sensor, making the ECU think the coolant was up to running temps on a cold motor, and causing it to push a lean mixture of fuel into the engine at the start, making for a very rough start...and extremely rough idle.
Also replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter, as the filter had 130k miles on it, and the fuel pump was sending 0PSI intermittently.
But go get your codes pulled, even if there's no CEL....if you're throwing a code, it's easier to diagnose from that point.
It could be anything from a sensor failure, to ignition, to fuel pressure, or mechanical failure.
Plugs, wires, MAF, IAC, fuel pump, fuel filter, coolant temp sensor, oil pressure sender, coil pack, etc
The reason I mention the sensors is because your truck's computer will only properly dispense the correct fuel/air mixture to the engine based on what the 4 sensors tell it on a cold start. If one of those sensors is faulty, it could be sending it a mixture too lean causing the sputtering. May sound silly, but I just went through a very similar scenario that you're having with my '03. Turns out it was a bad coolant temp sensor, making the ECU think the coolant was up to running temps on a cold motor, and causing it to push a lean mixture of fuel into the engine at the start, making for a very rough start...and extremely rough idle.
Also replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter, as the filter had 130k miles on it, and the fuel pump was sending 0PSI intermittently.
But go get your codes pulled, even if there's no CEL....if you're throwing a code, it's easier to diagnose from that point.
gentileba
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- Augusta, Ga
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- 07 EB
I failed to mention that I did check with my code reader and there were none.
It may be my fuel filter. I'm not sure if it's ever been changed. I really need to get this fixed because I'm about to drive from Fairbanks, Ak to Augusta, GA. Thats about 4300 miles in about 8-10 daysin some pretty cold weather. I can't really risk my exp breaking down somewhere on the Alaska Highway.
It may be my fuel filter. I'm not sure if it's ever been changed. I really need to get this fixed because I'm about to drive from Fairbanks, Ak to Augusta, GA. Thats about 4300 miles in about 8-10 daysin some pretty cold weather. I can't really risk my exp breaking down somewhere on the Alaska Highway.
thepotroast
Explorer Addict
- Joined
- February 24, 2009
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- 1,057
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- 7
- City, State
- Asheville, NC
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 3rd Gen EB 4x4 V8
If you're time constrained, you may just have to take it to a shop or the Ford dealer.
I took mine to 2 shops a few weeks ago when the above problem I described mine having, happened...both shops gave me a completely different diagnosis from each other (mine wasn't throwing codes either)...and since the amount was significant (more than $700 each), I decided to take it to Ford directly, which diagnosed it as a bad coolant temp sensor ($40...), but also told me that the fuel pump was on its way out, and to change the fuel filter. I was under a time constraint as well, and was about to take my SUV on a 1000 mile trip, and the work had to be done, so I had the dealer do it all.
You may just be in that type of situation as well.
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