:crying: :crying: Hi. This is a wonderfull site thanks god i found it.
My windstar 2001 was runing almost fine, six months ago the check engine ligts on and 0171/0174 codes were present but stills working fine until the last two months, first start to hesitate at all speed ranges, check the codes again on auto zone and the trouble was two bad spark plug wires, i change it all wire set for a new one and new spark plugs too (autolite double platinum) at this point every thing looks ok but two days later the van star to run rough, here begins the nightmare.

When engine starts runs ok but when change to drive or reverse the idle speed becomes crazy up and down and go worst when a/c is on (on park position the engine runs almost fine) everything looks like the iac valve was wrong and i change it (dealer recomendation) but the trouble stills.

I try everything:
Remove the intake cover
Clean the egr ports
Check the egr valve
Clean all the sensor conections
Check all the vacum lines
Clean the maf sensor
Cange the battery
Change the iac valve
Change the pcv valve
The dealer says they do the tbs for the 0171/0174 codes but still fail.

Do you have any idea what's wrong?????????????

:screwy: The other trouble is the transmision...... one year ago the van starts to change from 3 to 4 at very low speeds i use the o/d buton to correct the problem but now changes from 3 to 4 and hesitates to much goin back and fort, (no o/d light blinks) since the last year i note a burn smell on the engine compartement could be the transmision?
It is a relation betwen the engine stall trouble and the transmision?:shakehead

Pd. Sorry for my english

Angel Galicia
Monterrey, Mex.

If the dealer did the TBS work for the codes P0171 and P0174 ... then why are they not "standing behind their work" (making everything good)?

Did you pay them for this work? ... or was it paid for by previous owner?

Hi 12 ounce. The tbs was paid for the previous owner 2 years ago and was working ok.

This windstar is gone me crazy.

Any help.

Sounds like a well hidden problem. You hit the obvious already like the IAC.

I am thinking it may be worthwhile to take the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) off and ohm it out. If working, it will slowly sweep from a low ohm reading to a high reading. If there are problems with it, the reading will suddenly jump to a high/low reading.

if you have access to an ohm meter you can do this easily, thus, no need to change the part without verifying it as bad first.

Gotta say my first thought was TPS as well, when you combine poor idle/stalling with the transmission appearing to hunt between gears my first thought would be the TPS. Had the same thing with my Nissan, stalling at stops, hunting between gears and traced it down to the TPS. Luckily on my Nissan the TPS is adjustable, on your Windstar its not.

Did they also check the fuel filter and fuel pressure?

If I read the original post it sounds like it currently has the 171/174 code. This normally implies a vacuum leak or a problem with the MAF readings.

Since you replaced the MAF I would concentrate on vacuum leaks. Vacuum leaks can be hard to track down. Look for any looseness in vacuum lines as well as cracks.... I know you said you checked them but I would try again.

The transmission problem is most likely not related.

I agree with DRW, focus on the vacuum leaks first.

It's possible that the TBS was performed with the original design (black)isolator bolts ... and over time, they have also failed. I would inspect the isolator bolt area and be prepared to replaced them with current design (green).

In fact, I have had this problem ... that is, I made the repair using black sealed bolts ... that's what was available when I made the first repair. Had to do it all over again!

This weekend gone to take the engine naked and start again wire by wire, line by line and conetor by conector hope this work.:1zhelp:

By the way the trouble whit the transmission continues, when driving on last gear and slow the speed the transsmision dont shift the gear down to 3 or 2 i have to give full trotle and the gears go to the right position, any ideas?

Thanks.

Aviacionlight, what's the status of your check engine light and codes currently? Your original post seemed to indicate you had the codes 6 months ago and then had repairs done. Is the check engine light still on and if so what are the current codes?

Check the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS). When the car is in drive, the computer uses input from the VSS to control both engine functions (such as fuel and timing advance) as well as transmission shifting.

Lewisnc100 still the same codes 0171/0174

Davwha were is located the VSS?

More bad news yesterday the o/d light star to blink, the oil level was ok.:screwy:

Also make sure you check the fuel pressure regulator vacuum line which can cause those codes as well, didn't see that in your list. Here's a pic:

http://groups.msn.com/FordWindstar/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=24

The VSS in mounted on the transmission case. It is behind a small transmission heat shield above the right driveaxle. It has a 2 wire connector.
With the connector disconnected, there should be 1.5 volts between one of they wires and ground with the key on and the engine off.

Hi Davwha.

The right drive axle is on the passenger side?

thanks.

Update.

New codes found it: 0156, 0174, 305, 0715, 1401

where can i find a list of codes?

Update.

New codes found it: 0156, 0174, 305, 0715, 1401

where can i find a list of codes?
p0156- H02S sensor circuit malfunction (bank 2 post cat.)
P0174- bank 2 lean
p0305- cyl 5 misfire
p0175- bank 2 rich
p1401- DPFE sensor high voltage detected

in my opinion this particular car would be extremely difficult to diagnose without looking at the data stream and car itself. The oxygen sensor and dpfe codes indicate problems with the wiring itself perhaps a short to power or ground, without knowing if they're continous or intermintent faults its hard to say if these problems would cause the problems you have. the lean and rich codes could be produced due to the o2 sensor malfunctioning or the cyl 5 misfire. start by visually checking the wiring for the DPFE sensor and the wiring for the O2 sensor, how about the spark plugs, and wires have they been replaced recently that could cause the misfire.

I have this same problem. I just did the TSB for p0171 and p0174. Now my van runs worse than it did before I started. Unfortunately the check engine light hasn't come on yet so I can't pull codes. As far as the TSB I kind of did it in two steps.

My check engine light came on and I took it to Ford. He told me my intake was sucking air. I decided to replace the gaskets myself. Only after I was finished did I search on the internet for other people having this problem. Well I read the TSB and realized I should have replaced the isolator bolts. So I removed the plenum and replaced the bolts without taking off the upper intake. Should I have gone throught the whole procedure again? My valve cover does not have the hole at the 5 O'clock postion. My vacuum lines seem fine. I guess I just need to know if I should have taken everything off again and cleaned it all or if I was fine just replacing the bolts. The time between installing the upper intake o-rings and replacing the bolts was about 2 days. The car ran the same (bad) after both of these jobs.

I have this same problem. I just did the TSB for p0171 and p0174. Now my van runs worse than it did before I started. Unfortunately the check engine light hasn't come on yet so I can't pull codes. As far as the TSB I kind of did it in two steps.

My check engine light came on and I took it to Ford. He told me my intake was sucking air. I decided to replace the gaskets myself. Only after I was finished did I search on the internet for other people having this problem. Well I read the TSB and realized I should have replaced the isolator bolts. So I removed the plenum and replaced the bolts without taking off the upper intake. Should I have gone throught the whole procedure again? My valve cover does not have the hole at the 5 O'clock postion. My vacuum lines seem fine. I guess I just need to know if I should have taken everything off again and cleaned it all or if I was fine just replacing the bolts. The time between installing the upper intake o-rings and replacing the bolts was about 2 days. The car ran the same (bad) after both of these jobs.
what do you mean by bad? i love how just about everyone with a P0171 or P0174 automatically wants to replace the intake gaskets and bolts, although a common problem its not always the case, i've seen plenty of windstars where the problem was as simple as a bad vac. line. I understand that the dealer told you it was that, but i've seen certain techs take the customer for a "ride" by saying its the gaskets, and yes even though they do replace them at the same time they fix the vac. line and "puff" the codes are gone, and the tech just made himself 3 to 4 hours in 1.5 hours.

what do you mean by bad? i love how just about everyone with a P0171 or P0174 automatically wants to replace the intake gaskets and bolts, although a common problem its not always the case, i've seen plenty of windstars where the problem was as simple as a bad vac. line. I understand that the dealer told you it was that, but i've seen certain techs take the customer for a "ride" by saying its the gaskets, and yes even though they do replace them at the same time they fix the vac. line and "puff" the codes are gone, and the tech just made himself 3 to 4 hours in 1.5 hours.

I know, I just figured since Ford had come out with a TSB on the p0171 and p0174 codes that it must be a common problem. They even came out with new isolator bolts. So I think it was in my best interest to do the TSB. Even though your comments are very true the criticism doesn't help me out. Right now the van idles a little rough when in park, but shift to drive and the whole engine starts shaking. When you give it a little gas it seems to run smooth. So I think it does sound like a vacuum line but I I've checked the ones I had to disconnect and I believe all are connected.

I pulled the codes again after the check engine light came on and p0171 and p0174 are back up. Is there anyway the plenum baffles didn't line up right? The reason I ask is because the first time I took the plenum off the baffles were kind of loose and I think I could have pulled them out. (I didn't, I left it all in 1 piece.) The second time I removed the top plenum the baffle seemed to be in there pretty tight.


Thanks again
Jason

in my opinion this particular car would be extremely difficult to diagnose without looking at the data stream and car itself. The oxygen sensor and dpfe codes indicate problems with the wiring itself perhaps a short to power or ground, without knowing if they're continous or intermintent faults its hard to say if these problems would cause the problems you have. the lean and rich codes could be produced due to the o2 sensor malfunctioning or the cyl 5 misfire. start by visually checking the wiring for the DPFE sensor and the wiring for the O2 sensor, how about the spark plugs, and wires have they been replaced recently that could cause the misfire.


All the wires have ben removed a month ago and change it for new ones, the sparks too i used autolite double platinum, change the iac valve for a new one and the psv too, check the vacum lines and all looks ok.

Now the o/d light blinks afther 2 min. drive and the shift is roug (code 0715 apears) any sugestions?

thanks

Hi, this code is on my van.

P0715 is a loss of signal from the Turbine Speed Sensor (TSS) aka Transmission Speed Sensor.

Where is exactlly located?

Is the same the Turbine speed sensor and the transmision speed sensor?

:disappoin Update.

P0715 is gone, just clean the conector of the transmision speed sensor and afther a week the transmision runs ok.

But the hesitation on the engine still on, and really i don´t know what to do im on a dead point, the dealer only wants more and more money.

:screwy: :banghead: :icon16: :shakehead

UPDATE.

The problem was on the HOT PACK and i can´t see it by simple view, it has two very small cracks, since i change it everything was ok no more hesitation no more stalls.

I hope this can serve to you.

Angel Galicia

What's the Hot Pack and where is it located?

I wonder if he means coil pack? That would explain a lot of things.