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Thread: I require help with a v8 engine problem

  1. #1
    Member FMD's Avatar
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    Question I require help with a v8 engine problem

    My 95 ford e350 small block V8 is having major issues right now. It runs exceptionally rough, and stalls. give it gas and its 'ok' but still stumbles a bit.

    Spark is good, and fuel is fine. We found out that tapping on the EGR control thingy, that the truck, idled great, so we bought a new one of those. Installed it, and then the truck wouldnt start at all...

    after discovering that a wire, (i forget what its called, it comes off the distro, its the 9th wire, goes to something else.) anyways that fell apart so we replaced that...
    Finally after actually putting it completely back together (it was just sorta sitting there) it started... anyways the problem still exists. A good friend of mine, spoke to a friend of his, who thought it maybe the EGR itself, so we took that off, and visually inspected it, however have no way to test it... any ideas? A new one is $90. I cant afford to keep throwing new parts at this thing... yet I need the truck for work.

    Any ideas?
    Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.

    "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938

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    '95/older vehicles use OBD-I computers. Cant remember if that version throws a trouble code for EGR problems, but if you can borrow a hand held scanner tool it may detect one. I think the dashboard emissions light would also come on if it was EGR related?

    Does that 1-ton van have an overdrive? Look on the end of the gear selector knob for a pushbutton. If it has O/D, does the tranny keep hunting for a gear when the motor stumbles, like its trying to compensate? Turn off O/D and see what happens.

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    The truck does have OD. there is no engine light, and you cant get it out of park fast enough before it stalls.
    Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.

    "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938

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    Spark, fuel, compression? Does it overheat when it runs? No cracked heads?
    Kiss someone that's different. It helps.
    Lets get the facts first, then go for the jugular!!
    It's all transparent, just read between the lines..

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    no the heads are fine... and it doesnt over heat... it 'runs' fine... but it runs rough and stalls.
    Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.

    "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938

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    Did you change plug wires lately, are they on correct? I know on some v-8 (302) you have to run wires a certain way.

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    Can you get it to an Autozone and get a free diagnostic test? It might narrow down the possiblities.

    Georgia L Schlager

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    we (and my two mechanic friends) think it its the IAC ...

    as far as driving it, I am afraid to take it anywhere cause if it stalls and doesnt restart, getting it home will be exceptionally expensive..
    Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.

    "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938

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    Ugh this truck... im ready to take it to a shop...

    im starting to think i should replace all the vaccume lines as well, that thought actually crossed my cranium.

    So far I put $90 into this thing and its ntill not fixed, and its been down now for 2 friggin weeks....while it no longer stalls in park, it now wants to stall in gear. >

    I put an ew IAC valve in it, and an EGR regulator in it... the egr valve checks out as 'ok'

    I also think I may need a new mechanic friend hes dead set on it being a fuel problem... his idea: drop the gas tank which has 35 gallons of fuel, and replace the fuel pump...

    My othe mechanic friend has so far sided with everyone else as it being a vacuume leak...
    Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.

    "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938

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    Quote Originally Posted by FMD View Post
    Ugh this truck... im ready to take it to a shop...

    im starting to think i should replace all the vaccume lines as well, that thought actually crossed my cranium.

    So far I put $90 into this thing and its ntill not fixed, and its been down now for 2 friggin weeks....while it no longer stalls in park, it now wants to stall in gear. >

    I put an ew IAC valve in it, and an EGR regulator in it... the egr valve checks out as 'ok'

    I also think I may need a new mechanic friend hes dead set on it being a fuel problem... his idea: drop the gas tank which has 35 gallons of fuel, and replace the fuel pump...

    My othe mechanic friend has so far sided with everyone else as it being a vacuume leak...
    You can't just throw parts at it!
    Fuel pressure can be tested, DON'T just put a new pump in.
    Check the timing chain for looseness.

    Like Mr. Oranges said:

    Quote Originally Posted by PickOranges
    Spark, fuel, compression?
    You have to cover all the bases.
    Pull the plugs and do a compression test, cold.
    Take that fuel pressure reading.
    Take the distributor cap off, put a wrench on the crankshaft bolt, and turn the engine back and forth. How far do you turn the engine before the distributor rotor turns? That indicates how worn your timing chain is.
    Find a Ford Tech forum! There's lots of good advice out there from friendly people.

    If that fails, maybe someone here knows a good Ford tech. It's 15 years old so it's not super controlled by computers.

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    Check your vacuum reading and fuel pressure with guages before dropping the tank.

    If its a vacuum leak, grab a can of starter fluid and start spraying hose until the rpm rises...wear eye protection!

    Some Fords have the fuel filter mounted inside the tank, does yours?

    The public libraries have repair manuals you can use (Chilton, Clymer,etc). They provide flow charts to follow that help isolate the problem.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MarkLV View Post
    If its a vacuum leak, grab a can of starter fluid and start spraying hose until the rpm rises...wear eye protection!

    Some Fords have the fuel filter mounted inside the tank, does yours?
    I have a chilton manual

    I believe the fuel filter is outside the tank... and what does spraying vac lines with starter fluid do?
    Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.

    "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938

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    Quote Originally Posted by FMD View Post
    and what does spraying vac lines with starter fluid do?
    The engine will speed up/smooth out when the fluid is drawn into the engine at the area of the vacuum leak.

    DO NOT USE STARTING FLUID. THAT IS ETHER, WHICH IS HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE!!!

    Use carb cleaner instead.

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    Vac lines check out.

    me and my friend pulled the codes, says its the throttle positioning sensor... i told him to do that the first time around but he was so sure it was the egr regulater... after all u tap on it it runs fine.. replaced that...

    that didnt fix it.

    then, we took off some other part right next to the throttle body which was all gummed up, i cleaned it out (IAC i think) still a problem, bought a new one, installed, still the problem..

    Now the TPS... I have confirmed it, using a mirror, that their regular screws, however, its upside down, buried behind the alternator, took the alternator off...

    after 3 solid hours, literally 5 different types of screw drivers (same head just diferent types) even modified a screw driver.. glued a hex driver to a socket... at this point it is just about to the point where i am going to strip the head of the screws, and be completely ****ed, or take it to a shop...

    so... next question...

    anyone know of a shop that can take a van thats 10ft tall? Or maybe a mechanic that can come to me?

    my mechanic friend is very unreliable... and its pushing 3 weeks now... and I have to get this thing back on the road soon.
    Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.

    "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938

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    get a new used van. You'll be better off. The OBD II technology is >> OBD I. '95 van is probably rusting to pieces. You'd be better off saving the money and calling a friend or family member who lives south or west to find a new used van.

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