Help me Solve all my Ford Problems

[94x4]

My dad was driving my 91 2wd Explorer to have an immobilizer put in, and 10 minutes from the house the tranny started acting up.

It wont shift into 3rd, BUT if you shift it like a 3 on the tree it will go in without a problem. The transmission was rebuilt 4 or 5 months ago, and has been solid since then. No slipping, no nothing, and then all of a sudden it does this. If you leave it in drive it will just rev to **** and not shift at all. Im REALLY hopping this is something small. I checked the fluid and it was between half way and add, so im gonna top it up, but I dont think that would be the problem.

AND

Signal lights all stopped working. If you put the 4-ways on they all work, but if you click the arm down or up it just makes a very faint noise, the indicator on the dash stays lit and flickers (not like its supposed to, just flickers like a lightbulb thats gonna burn out), but nothing from the outside bulbs.

It did this before a while ago and fixed itself after a few days, but I wanna know wtf this is.

AND

It has an idling problem. I took it to a mechanic and he found a cracked vacum hose grommet. I fixed that, and it was still the same. Took it back to him and he found that if you disconected the IAC sensor on the driverside of the intake manifold it would stop idling high and run nice. But he said it was just temporary and that when it gets cold out it wont be good. Well its getting cold out now, and its getting alot worse.

This is the weird part... I bought a new IAC a few months ago, put it on, plugged the sensor back in and it ran just as bad, idling up to 2500 in park. I took it for a rip around the block to see if it would calm down but no luck.

So how the hell does that work. You unplug the sensor and it fixes it. You get a new sensor and plug it back in and its still the same, so its gotta be something else.


Sorry for the long post, but I need some help diagnosing these things. I dont want to spend anymore money on this **** box lol.

 

[dogfriend]

. I checked the fluid and it was between half way and add, so im gonna top it up, but I dont think that would be the problem.

I would pray that this fixes it, but wonder where the missing fluid went?

AND

Signal lights all stopped working. If you put the 4-ways on they all work, but if you click the arm down or up it just makes a very faint noise, the indicator on the dash stays lit and flickers (not like its supposed to, just flickers like a lightbulb thats gonna burn out), but nothing from the outside bulbs.

It did this before a while ago and fixed itself after a few days, but I wanna know wtf this is.

Probably the MFS, multi function switch aka turn signal switch. Search for MFS for more info.

AND

It has an idling problem. I took it to a mechanic and he found a cracked vacum hose grommet. I fixed that, and it was still the same. Took it back to him and he found that if you disconected the IAC sensor on the driverside of the intake manifold it would stop idling high and run nice. But he said it was just temporary and that when it gets cold out it wont be good. Well its getting cold out now, and its getting alot worse.

This is the weird part... I bought a new IAC a few months ago, put it on, plugged the sensor back in and it ran just as bad, idling up to 2500 in park. I took it for a rip around the block to see if it would calm down but no luck.

So how the hell does that work. You unplug the sensor and it fixes it. You get a new sensor and plug it back in and its still the same, so its gotta be something else.


Sorry for the long post, but I need some help diagnosing these things. I dont want to spend anymore money on this **** box lol.

I'm thinking your idling problem is a vacuum leak or air leak somewhere after the MAF sensor. Its letting in too much air, so your truck is idling too high.

I can't help with the money part. But solving the Ford problem is simple - you just need to get rid of the Ford(s). : j/k

 

[IZwack]

But solving the Ford problem is simple - you just need to get rid of the Ford(s). : j/k

LOL you're so right!

 

[94x4]

O believe me lol, I've been trying to get rid of it.

 

[quicklook2]

did you reset the computer after the new iac was put on?

 

[94x4]

did you reset the computer after the new iac was put on?

no, and I was wondering if I needed to do something like that. Do you?

 

[dogfriend]

It couldn't hurt, and it might help. If your truck learned how to run with a vacuum leak, you might be able to have it "forget" what it learned. Disconnect the battery for about 10 min or so, then reconnect.

 

[quicklook2]

reset the computer and than give it time to relearn after.

 

[mikeinri]

If that doesn't work, there are several methods available to help you get rid of your problems...

1. Drive to the top of a hill. Put in neutral. Jump out, let it go off the cliff...

2. Can of gas, a well placed match...

Well, these ideas seem to work in the movies anyway... Unfortunately, the legality of these options may vary from state to state...

Mike

 

[phxdale]

Take a propane torch, turn it on but dont light it. Move it all around the engine bay by all the possible leak spots while the engine is running. If you find the leak, engine rpm should jump up a little bit when it sucks in the propane at the leak spot instead of air.

If you haven't found a sutable nearby cliff that is.

 

[mikeinri]

Propane??? Sounds like that would take him out too!

 

[dogfriend]

Propane??? Sounds like that would take him out too!

No, actually that is a good trick to help find a vacuum leak.

Don't light the torch! Just direct the gas around the locations where you suspect that you could have a vacuum leak. When the propane is sucked into the manifold, it will cause the rpm of the engine to increase momentarily.

 

[Gadget X]

Have you checked the modulator valve to see if that is what is causing your tranny to act up? If it is malfunctioning, then you will be sucking tranny fluid into the vacuum manifold, which will cause your ex to run funny, and it would explain where the missing fluid has gone.