Starting Issues

[djsmooth56]

i will start by saying i have attempted to do as much research on this problem before i started this thread. after all my searching, i still do not have a clue where to start fixing my starting issues. here's what i know and the symptoms i have:

2000 Explorer XLT 4.0 SOHC with 97,000 miles i have owned for 1.5 years
sometimes, seems very random, when i start the truck, it will rev up to aprox. 2000 rpm and then drop to near 300 rpm and, unless i put my foot on the gas, it dies. then i can restart it and it is runs fine. when the truck experiences this dying, and i restart it or put my foot on the gas, the engine will sometimes sound like a diesel. a loud ticking sound comes from the engine compartment.

this start up and dying happens randomly no matter what time of day and what temperature it is outside.

lately, (cold weather now) it has been dying on start up and then when i restart it, it sounds like its missfireing or not getting enough gas. it runs like this for a minute or two and then it runs fine. if i drive it for a while and then shut it off for a hour, it will do the same missfire thing but only for a minute or so.

last winter (first winter with the truck) the dying and rough idle only occurred some of the time, but this winter it dies every morning and runs really hard.

from what i read, my problems could be the result of the 00M12 recall fix, problematic IAC, EGR valve, MAF or any combo.

i have attemped to clean my MAF and IAC and after doing so, noticed little or no change in is performance.

if someone could please help me diagnoise the problem so i can get this thing running good. i am willing to spend the necessry money, but i dont have the time to do the work myself. let me know your ideas about the problem and what i can do to solve it.

thanks

 

[djsmooth56]

a little update on the post, i started it this afternoon (25 degrees F outside) and my check engine light came on. i am going to get the code run soon and maybe that will point me in a direction. i am still open to ideas. its really pissin me off that it wont work corectly.

 

[jfred2112]

my 01 is doing the same thing, and i am not sure what it is either. my check engine light has not come on, but the check gauge light has. the oil pressure guage shows no pressure when it happens. the engine sounds and looks like it is getting oil, but it is not registering. after the vehicle warms up a little bit, the light goes off and the gauge starts working. with it being my wifes normal driver i dont get to notice any other problem except the ones she tells me. i replaced the MAF about 6 months ago, and have been trying to flush the oil system before every oil change. but, now that it is cold here it is having the problems every day. any help would be wonderful.

 

[budwich]

jfred2112.... you should check your oil pressure switch. This switch closes under "normal" pressure conditions to allow your gauge to read and of course ultimately turn off the "check gauge" condition. It sounds like the switch is faulty.... assuming you have oil pressure / circulation. Of course, I am not sure why this in itself would affect starting.... but if it is truly indicating low pressure then you have other problems.

 

[djsmooth56]

jfred2112, i had the sam oil pressure reading problem last year and i changed my oil sending unit switch and it seemed to solve the problem. its about a 10 dollar part and tool 10 minutes to change.

 

[TPLYNCH]

Since cleaning the IAC didn't have any effect (solved the no-idle/stalling problem on cold start I was having), then the next most likely culprit is a vacuum leak or leaking intake manifold o-rings (00M12). Start simple, check all your vacuum lines and any caps on unused lines from the "octopus", as well as the egr/dpfe tubes, for cracks or leaks. Also check the air intake tube from the MAF sensor to the throttle body for cracks/leaks. If you don't see/hear anything obvious, then try tightening the intake manifold bolts. If still no change, then you'll have to check for manifold leaks. I believe the usual method is to spray (can't remember what) around and listen for
changes in the idle.

 

[lorenzo81]

'00 XLT also

djsmooth56 and jfred2112
My 2000 XLT with 98000 was also doing the exact same thing. I told my husband about it. At first he thought it was the battery. Then the check engine light came on. He hooked up the OBD II sensor and it was the Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF). I still have trouble getting it to start on first try, but on the second it fires up and idles great. Now the transmission is slipping really bad and today for the first time the OD light began flashing. I hope it is nothing too serious. He is going to change the fluid and filter.
Check out this page http://www.explorer4x4.com/tips.htm and scroll all the way to the bottom. It talks about the MAF problem. If anyone can help me about my transmission, please do.
Also the oil pressure guage reads low/ no pressure just like jfred only on start up.

 

[jp450]

a little update on the post, i started it this afternoon (25 degrees F outside) and my check engine light came on. i am going to get the code run soon and maybe that will point me in a direction. i am still open to ideas. its really pissin me off that it wont work corectly.

What were the codes. P0171 and P0174 (Lean bank 1, Lean bank 2) would most likley be the intake gaskets. With the cold weather you may also see P0300 (Random misfire) along with the above. If the gaskets have not been replaced then have it done. By the sounds of it you may have not. A dealer would have more than likely fixed the timing chain rattle while the intake was off.

 

[julianmonsta]

where are the intake gaskets?
how much?
im having the same problems except when i start up my oil gauge is stuck to low then after a few minutes of driving or warming it up pops right to where it should be. ive also pulled the p0171 p0174 and p0300 codes. clean maf and iac. noticeds the inside of my iac was black as anything nothing changed with a few shots of electrical cleaner let it dry. someone please help

 

[jp450]

The intake gaskets are on the intake manifold. If you remove the black cover with the "SOHC" on it you will see another piece of plastic that has a bunch of tubes on it. The tubes snap off pretty easy but be careful not to force anything. If you are not too familiar with the intake I would recomend getting a repair manual. That will point you in the right direction. There are upper and lower gaskets. I would replace them all. The gaskets should be no more than about $30 for upper and lowers from the dealer. You can clean the MAF and IAC till the cows come home and it still wont fix your problem.

 

[djsmooth56]

well i finally got the beast into the shop last week and he found a couple fuel injectors that were bad and a lot of carbon build up in the intake manifold. he cleaned the carbon and replaced the injectors and then said he tried and adjust the idle up a little to prevent the dying. well, it did'nt fix much. the gas mileage might have improved slightly (i was in 4wd for most of this tank cuz of snow) but it still stalls randomly on start-up and also still sounds like a diesel some of the time.

I did mention to the mechanic that i thought it was the intake manifold o-rings but he did'nt think so. should i take it to another mechanic and get another opinion or just live with it till spring and sell the pos? any ideas?

 

[jp450]

I would strongly recomend that the O rings be replaced if you havnt already. They are a common failure point. Also there is no adjustment that can be made to increase the idle without reprograming the PCM. Keep an eye on it and if the P0171 and P0174 come back, which I would put money on, then change the O rings.