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Help car keeps dying when turning

jakegator

Well-Known Member
Joined
August 1, 2012
Messages
124
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3
City, State
PA, USA
Year, Model & Trim Level
1998 explorer 4dr ohv
Hello,first off I did search, nothing that is similar to my situation. When turning sharply the engine acts like it is going to stall. I recently changed my power sterring pump (which continued to wine). after which I noticed my rpms were high about 1100-1000. I did the test for a high idle, cleaned all the sensors and nothing (yes I reset the computer), so i adjusted the screw to get it to about 700 rpm. It worked for a while then the rpms went back up, screw didnt move. I had driven it about 20-30 miles durring all this. Well today i left school and drove 300 miles home. durring which i noticed when i turn sharply the rpms go down and there is no power unless i floor it then it goes back to normal.The pump was a remanufactered duralast, which is under warranty. Any thoughts to what it is? Could I have set my rpm to low? after my trip it was idleing at about 1000 rpm. Could the pump just be bad? It wouldnt be the first autozone thing to be bad... Or could my rack and pinion be going bad? I did check the fluid when I got home and it seemed to be higher than i remeber (almost over flowing).????

Oh its a 98 eplrer manual 4wd with nearly 200K

Thanks for any help, I need to fix by next sunday!
 



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Huge mistake #1-messing with the throttle stop screw. Now you need to hook a voltmeter to the TPS and make sure the reading is 0 at idle. The computer controls the idle via TPS readings all the screw does is prevent the throttle plate from jamming in the bore. Must do this basic rework before you have any hope of solving the other problems.

Bill
 






Sounds like a vacuum leak, but first do what bill said and reset the idle screw.
 






OK I actually did pt the screw back to the origional mark that i made on it, but didnt check the voltage. I will do that after work. I did check for vacume leaks with carb cleaner and found nothing... but I could be missing something....
 






Is there a pressure switch on that system? And is the IAC ok? That is what should be controlling the idle IIRC.
 






Do some searching on here on how to make a smoker, assuming you own an air compressor. Sounds like a vac leak to me, high rpm at start up and stumbling. IAC shouldn't cause the high rpm start
 






OK but is it possible that the power stering pump can cause high idle?
 






I don't see a connection between steering and idling, unless somehow the fuel line is being pinched by the suspension during turns, or the throttle cable got re-routed when you changed the power steering pump.

Does it make any difference if you turn left or right?
 






The IAC is supposed to step up the idle when the power steering puts a load on the engine. Either its not working properly because of the IAC itself or a problem with its input sensors, or the pressure relief on the power steering system is incorrect, and the load on the engine is too much for the idle control circuit to compensate for.

Bill
 






ok just seems like a coincidence hat it happens now. No there is no difference when turnig left or right. But it onnly does it when I turn. Didnt get to look at it today. Will tomorrow.
 






Hey everyone. So I checked the TPS voltage and it read just fine, same with the IAC. I replaced the power steering pump and it helped alot but its still got a rough idle and fluctuates a bit when turning lock to lock. I noticed the tensioner pully was loose, tried to tighten it with no effect. Ill try to replace that net I suppose. also it started making a chirping sounds, can only hear it under load. Any thoughts?
 






What do you mean by 'loose tensioner pulley'? Is it unable to tension the belt or is it wobbly? The former (and the chirping) is probably due to a stretched belt, beyond the tensioner's ability to compensate. Take a look at the tensioner. If it's close to the end of its travel, the belt needs replacing. A wobbly pulley will be due to a worn bearing. Take the belt off and feel the bearing. You can probably replace it -- or just buy a new tensioner.
Unfortunately, I can't see any connection between those and your idling problem. Is the CEL on?

Hey everyone. So I checked the TPS voltage and it read just fine, same with the IAC. I replaced the power steering pump and it helped alot but its still got a rough idle and fluctuates a bit when turning lock to lock. I noticed the tensioner pully was loose, tried to tighten it with no effect. Ill try to replace that net I suppose. also it started making a chirping sounds, can only hear it under load. Any thoughts?
 






The pully its self is fine and spins for ever, the metal part that connects to the engine is wobbly, but the bolt is as tight as it can go. The whole unit wobbles alot. When I took the belt of it took alot of force to get the tensioner to lossen. Ill check the travel of the tenisoner. It deffinitly felt like it was at its limit of travel.
 






OK so I was looking at the squeaking and the idler pulley has a good bit of give to it. So thats that. but while I was Looking at it the engine died. I went to start it again and no go. If I let it sit then start it, it starts and runs briefly then dies. I first thought it was the fuel pump but when i've had them go out the car wouldnt start again. Any thoughts? Thanks for the help everyone!
 






We still don't know what engine you have and whether there are any trouble codes -- or even if the CEL is on. Are these some closely guarded secrets that you won't share?

OK so I was looking at the squeaking and the idler pulley has a good bit of give to it. So thats that. but while I was Looking at it the engine died. I went to start it again and no go. If I let it sit then start it, it starts and runs briefly then dies. I first thought it was the fuel pump but when i've had them go out the car wouldnt start again. Any thoughts? Thanks for the help everyone!
 






Sorry the engine is in my signature thing the left, its the 4.0 OHV. Trouble codes. It turns out it was a bad powersterring pump. I making a sperate thread about the noise. It sounds like a bad serpentine belt but it happened very adbruptly.
 






Just wanted to wrap this thread up! The power steering pump pulley was seizing and causing the belt to skip and stress other components. I replaced the pump and it stop stalling but now the belt was noticeably loose to i replaced the tensioner and now it idles much better and doesnt stall.

Thanks for everyone's help
 






Thanks for the wrap up.
 






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