'97 Windstar rough initial idle at start
#1
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'97 Windstar rough initial idle at start
Posting for my father-in-law. This is an '97 Winstar with the 3.8L with 122k. At 80k the van developed a rough idle (intermittent) when it was started. It would chug/miss/sputter at 800 rpm. If you gave it gas slowly it ran smoother above 2000rpm. It does this for a few minutes and then runs good. The van was "tuned up" by a shop at 100k (plugs,wires,air fil, fuel filter, (1) O2 sensor) but continued to run rough when started. I have not noticed any unusual (black/white/blue) exhaust from the tailpipe. I don't believe it's a head gasket, haven't done compression or leak down...
My thought is a leaking injector flooding the manifold, but I haven't tested for a loss of fuel pressure yet. I think the van has another O2 that wasn't replaced but I didn't think it would cause this problem. There is NO service light on. I was posting to get some other opinions/ideas. Also, if I find that the fuel pressure is bleeding off when the van is turned off, is there a way to determine which injector(s) might be leaking.
Thanks for any help,
Steve H.
My thought is a leaking injector flooding the manifold, but I haven't tested for a loss of fuel pressure yet. I think the van has another O2 that wasn't replaced but I didn't think it would cause this problem. There is NO service light on. I was posting to get some other opinions/ideas. Also, if I find that the fuel pressure is bleeding off when the van is turned off, is there a way to determine which injector(s) might be leaking.
Thanks for any help,
Steve H.
#2
You're on the right track---do the tests/investigate what you posted here. They are part of the basics to determine what might be wrong.
Pull any trouble codes even if the light is not on---codes may be stored which will tell you where the problem might be. Also, a coolant leak doesn't have to have smoke to be a problem. It could be the cause of the misfire as well.
122k is borrowed time on a 3.8L, so keep that in the back of your mind too.
Also, you can use autolibrary.org below as a reference for what to test and how.
Pull any trouble codes even if the light is not on---codes may be stored which will tell you where the problem might be. Also, a coolant leak doesn't have to have smoke to be a problem. It could be the cause of the misfire as well.
122k is borrowed time on a 3.8L, so keep that in the back of your mind too.
Also, you can use autolibrary.org below as a reference for what to test and how.