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2002 E150 Stumbling Problem

Tiny
SHARKB8
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 FORD E-SERIES VAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 90,000 MILES
2002 E150 Stumbling problem. It only happens at about 40-50 mph with light throttle, going up mild hill or light acceleration, and usually in overdrive. Pressing harder, enough to make the trans shift down, the problem seems to go away. Stumble is about once a second, but not like a clock, more random. The problem isn't severe enough to prevent normal driving. I have a K-N air filter, just cleaned, fairly new spark plugs. 90k miles on vehicle. Other than oil changes, no major work done.
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Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 AT 2:34 PM

11 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Kn filter can cause problems fo maf sensors check maf right behind the filer if its dirty. Replace it, Fords don't clean well. If it looks ok check fuel pressure
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Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 AT 4:17 PM
Tiny
SHARKB8
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  • 10 POSTS
I replaced the KN filter with the regular kind. Problem solved. Thanks Merlin2021!
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Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 AT 3:24 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Good work.
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Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 AT 8:35 AM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Atta boy Mike-you're still the one as usual my Fordman
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Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 AT 10:14 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Thanks Jess.
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Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 AT 10:46 AM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Kids here are into that filter-the thinking is to make your horse run faster little that they know the MAF sensor will confuse the brain is to the amount of incoming airflow -You have a great day my friend-God bless
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Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 AT 11:04 AM
Tiny
SHARKB8
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Hi. I'm baaack! Ok, so the problem hasn't gone away as I thought. It still stumbles around 45-55. Other than replace the air filter at that time, I've not done anything. About 4 months ago I replaced the spark plugs with non-Motorcraft, and noticed that the originals were different, depending upon which bank they were installed on. What's with that? Anyway, other than the stumble, it runs fine.
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Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 AT 7:49 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Don't forget about that maf sensor.
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Thursday, June 16th, 2011 AT 8:40 AM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
Went thru same deal w/ '03 Ford Escape

Repetitive, fast hesitation, lasting 1-2 seconds, more evident climbing a incline, while slowly administering gas. Random or none on level ground.

---No codes --- (cleaned 1st, and/ or replaced the following

New Plugs. Then "genuine plugs". Bah-Hum-bug, nothing wrong with the other new ones, I just installed!

Boots and springs

air filter

MAF

EGR

A new IAC for Sheets & Giggles!

Mega Vacuum leak search several times.

Fought with wife many times over situation, 2+ months!

I really hated taking off the "Plenum" so many times to access the other 3 cylinders

Each part seem to fix it for a day or two.I did not mind replacing the suggested parts, as I am all for "PM" and she's got 100,000 miles on her rig.

The final cure was #3 misfiring (lucked into the correct cylinder) I was gonna swap a new coil pack down the line, till it stopped

#3 was the ticket!

I had tried to get the Technical school to ride me with their portable machine---things did not work out, with their schedule.

I went to a salvage yard to get a used pack ($10) to swap around, then buy a new one if solved the problem.

So happened, the salvage yard guy had a machine, in a stored code, it said #3 had misfired. My little scanner could not tell me that!

Runs perfect now, with the New $79 Coil Pack!

Always stick with a Jeep CJ, You can diagnose them, as you hear 'em drive by!

The Medic
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Thursday, June 16th, 2011 AT 6:38 PM
Tiny
SHARKB8
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
UPDATE: So, I cleaned the MAF sensor, which made a big difference in the driveability. But the hesitation was still there, but not as much as before. I decided to look at the spark plugs just to see how they looked. The originals I remember looked light brown, but these looked like they were painted with brown/black around the insulator. The plugs were Champions. I'm not sure I tightened them down enough, as they were very easy to loosen. The threads on most were kind of blackened. I decided to replace them with the closest plugs I could find to the original Motorcraft. I got some Autolite Platinum plugs, and put them in, being more careful to tighten them more this time. Went for a test drive, and. YEESSS! THAT DID IT! Runs great, smooth, no stumbling anymore. I had resigned myself to purchasing a scanner and trying to find out where the problem was coming from. Right under my nose.
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Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 AT 5:30 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Dont forget, with Fords you may also need to renove the negative battery cable to clear the KAM(keep alive memory). Fords sometimes dont know they been fixed!
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Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 AT 7:24 AM

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