Ford Econoline van problems here..

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jim sanders
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Ford Econoline van problems here..

Postby jim sanders » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:09 pm

:o heard about some recent troubles from a couple members here lately.
just thought i'd start a thread to try to help out.....

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Bob Kraemer
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Postby Bob Kraemer » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:07 pm

Thanks Doc, :)
OK here's the deal bought a 1994 Ford E250 cargo work van with ladder rack & shelves just what an electrical contractor needs. Looks great and all. 180,000 miles on it. Yea I know a lot of miles. Still better than what I am currently driving.
The engine has a miss in it. Did a tune up cap, plugs, wires & rotor still has a miss. Check engine light is "not" on. You can feel the miss a little in 1st & 2nd gear when the trans shifts into 3rd & overdrive you can really feel it. The van sat for a 1 1/2 years and was started every couple of months. I put some injector cleaner in the gas and 15 gallons of premium gas in it hoping bad gas was the problem. Not the problem.
I am going to rebuild a different 5.8 engine when time & money allows and do a weekend swap of engines.
As much as I hate to say it I need band aid fixes & repairs for now.
I haven't put the engine/computer an a analyzer yet, but that may be my next step.
Any thoughts or ideas? :? :?
Edit to add: I haven't done a comp. check or leak down check because no matter what issues they may reveal no money or time to deal with them.
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jim sanders
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Postby jim sanders » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:26 pm

maybe poor fuel pressure/volume... should be a shrader valve for a screw on pressure gauge on the fuel rail to check.... but most likely it has a tired or dirty injector... i have never seen anything added to the fuel that has really helped.... we used to have a cleaning system that once you had engine temp up, disable the fuel pump and run the engine on the pressurized cleaning solution.... had good results with that... have you narrowed it down to which cylinder is misfiring ?
GOOD TO GO !!
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Bob Kraemer
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Postby Bob Kraemer » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:38 pm

Haven't narrowed which cylinder is miss firing yet. If I put the engine/computer on a hi-tech analyzer will that help find which cylinders are screwing up and other problems/issues?
I'm a decent mechanic, but when it comes to this hi-tech computer controlled crap I'm lost. :oops:

Thanks Doc :)
Bob Kraemer

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jim sanders
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Postby jim sanders » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:49 pm

they should be able to pinpoint with a cyl balance test.... the reason i suspect a clogged injector is you have not seen a check engine light.. if fuel was spraying but not firing/burning the oxygen sensor(s) would pick up on that (if working correctly) and turn on the light... not sure if you can reach all the injectors with a stethescope to listen to them clicking..did any of the plugs you removed tell /show anything unusual ?
GOOD TO GO !!
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Bob Kraemer
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Postby Bob Kraemer » Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:44 pm

Some had some oil on them others look OK I think the oil problem happened when we loaded the van on a 2 1/2ft high trailer (van had a flat tire and another had a nail in it) and no spare. I drove the van up on the trailer. After that it started puffing out smoke. I think some oil got into the PCV valve which was bad and allowed oil to get into the intake, so I replaced it. To be honest Doc I commited a turners/mechanic bobo I didn't mark/keep the plugs in order. :oops:
I've been working on my van almost non stop since Sunday evening because I have a new Family Dollar store to wire from the ground up that is about 1.25 hours from my house. My current van will not make that trip everyday so that why it's been AH's & elbows trying to get this van ready.
Sounds like a trip to the shop up the street from me tomorrow, to put this thing on a analyzer to find out what is going on.
About how much should this test/procedure cost and how much do new injectors cost?

Thanks Doc 8) 8)
Bob Kraemer

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Postby jim sanders » Sun Jul 01, 2007 8:39 am

any news Bob ?
GOOD TO GO !!
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Bob Kraemer
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Postby Bob Kraemer » Sun Jul 01, 2007 2:17 pm

Well Doc #2 hole is dead or almost dead, haven't done a leak or comp check, no use what ever it tells me is going to require a minimum of pulling the EFI and head/heads off to fix it and probably more.
With 180,000 miles on the engine to much work to just band aid the problem.
So right now I am trying to nurse the thing along till I can find a core to rebuild and do a engine swap on a weekend. Start some Friday after work and hopefully I am back running on Monday morning.
Did I forget to mention how much I hate swapping engines in vans? :evil:
Bob Kraemer

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jim sanders
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Postby jim sanders » Sun Jul 01, 2007 2:24 pm

:( yea i know... i hate vans .... just read your post regarding the dragster also ..... jeeez.....
GOOD TO GO !!
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Bob Kraemer
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Postby Bob Kraemer » Sun Jul 01, 2007 2:35 pm

:( yea i know... i hate vans .... just read your post regarding the dragster also ..... jeeez.....
Doc,
I am thinking of turning in my crew chiefs card, my mechanics card and just sticking with what I know which is nothing. :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Bob Kraemer

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"Friends are quiet angels that lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.''


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