2002 Ford Windstar Popping Sound While Accelerating

SED1980

MEMBER
2002 FORD WINDSTAR
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
124,000 MILES

Have a 2002 Ford Windstar LX, 3.8L. Tried getting it inspected, two codes came up, PO171 and PO174. Paid $1000 to fix stuff to get it to pass inspection. We had the intake acuator, water pump, intake manifold, oil change. All of this was done in the middle of February, and we were able to get it to pass inspection. Today as I tried to accelerate at a green light, I noticed the van seemed sluggish and the RPM's were up around 3000 at only 25-30mph. The van finally seemed to come back to normal, or the best I could describe it was like the engine finally caught up to the RPMs and smoothed out. A short time later, and I mean a short time, like two minutes, I thought I heard a funny noise. I turned the radio off and then noticed that every time I stepped on the gas pedal a kind of popping noise came from under the drivers side front of the van. When I took my foot off of the pedal, it stopped, only to start again when I pushed back down. Its not a constant popping, I'd say its like sporadically while accelerating from stopped to 30mph, with the RPMs running high. Once the RPMs go back down the engine quiets, but when I press down on the gas, it still sometimes pops. Could this be related to anything that was fixed in the car a month ago? I took it to my uncle who said he thinks it may be like a piston rod, and researching online says it could be tons of different stuff too. Any help you give I would greatly appreciate.

1 Reply

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

OK with those two codes that you said it had or has is why it wouldn't pass smog and is the problem you are having now. So what I need you to do is get some mass air flow cleaner (nothing else) and clean the mass air plow unit. The mass air flow unit is housed in the air filter housing just simply remove it and spray it out. If it don't change how it running then unplug it and start it and check it out keep in mind it will not have much for throttle response. If it stops with doing this then replace it. Clean it first and see if that does trick before replacing it ok. Let me know how it goes. The popping sound is probably backfiring through the intake this is why you only hear it as you step on the gas.