No end-of world virus stuff, nor gubmint takeover, nor Rothschilds assuming full control of world economic order this time - just car help.
Note: I can't put this in the 'Trucks 'n 4-wheel Drives" forum, 'cause this vehicle is neither
. With that technicality out of the way, here's what's up:
* 2005 Ford Taurus SE, 3.0 OHV Flex-Fuel "Vulcan" Engine
* Just under 180K miles
* Owned by kid #N, who's 5 hours away (I'm tryna help him remotely)
Car has begun to stall occasionally when first placed into Reverse, or Drive. He's learned to feather the accelerator to keep it going if he feels it starting to crap-out. Once it gets going, however, it runs fine, accelerating well, holding constant speeds either on streets or the interstate. He's gotten no CEL. An auto parts store just ran some tests, and found no codes, a good battery (12,5V), and a properly functioning alternator.
He reports that it idles well if left in Park. When the AC compressor engages, the engine surges somewhat (as expected), but that it quickly settles back into a regular idle.
Maintenance has been regular and competent. Repairs have been done as needed. The current state of the mechanicals:
* Motorcraft plugs, installed at 110K
* Autolite wires at 140K (damned squirrels)
* Motorcraft coil, 165K
* Alternator replaced 120K
* IAC replaced 150K
* Intake Manifold Runner Control gasket replace 115K
* MAF sensor cleaned 6 mos. ago, when air filter was replaced
* Throttle body cleaned at same time
* Fuel filter replaced at 110K
* AC compressor replaced (the 2nd replacement
) at 155K
Some ideas I've had:
1) Vacuum leak. Hey, it's a Taurus, right? They're [intercoursing]
born with vacuum leaks.
2) IAC. Again, it's a Taurus. One can either buy more Motorcraft IAC's and get maybe 30 to 50K out of 'em, or buy another brand that won't work right out of the box. It's a damned racket.
3) Electrical fault/short. Yup, it's still a Taurus. Perhaps it's a rusty spot at a ground, or a pinched wire somewhere that shorts as the car moves and the engine shifts. When his 1st AC compressor went, the clutch was trashed & kept tripping a fuse that also controlled the Keep-Alive Memory. He could replace the fuse, & the car would run well so long as the AC compressor wasn't activated. As soon as it was, though, the fuse would blow, & it would idle like [excrement], and usually stall.
4) Worn Spark Plugs. I believe we put in Double-Platinum plugs at 110K, that are purported to be good for the 100k the service manual spec's. Then again, when we removed the original plugs (color coded with paint dots) at 110K, they were worn to the point where we were amazed that the car still ran, and that the CEL wasn't lit up. Could it be that they're worn again after nearly 70K miles, and the big gaps are forcing the ignition system to suck-up hella power to make a spark that'll jump those Rosie O'Donnell gaps?
The kicker is that he's looking to sell the thing in the near future, and wants to put no $ into it, if possible. If #4 above were the case, theoretically he could pull the plugs, smash the straps back down toward the center electrode to the spec'd gap, and be out nothing more than the amount of skin he left under the hood trying to reach those [maternal fornicating] rear bank plugs.
What sayeth the peanut gallery?
- Are we barking up the wrong tree?
- Are we [urinating] up the wrong rope?
- Are we pounding sand down the wrong hole?
Let's see if our collective brain trust can figure this out.
Thanks in advance,
FC
