E-350 Titon Acceleration hesitation and Miss

[KatBalouE350]

My 2000 5.4 Titon, hesitates and misses. It was doing this at first only while moving when asked to give bursts of speed. 

Ran fuel cleaners 3x and changed fuel filter once but didn't make a difference. 

At first it was mostly only happening while accelerating uphills around 40 mph. Then started hesitating and missing occasionally on flat freeway roads during and after accelerating, but lately I felt it miss while at a steady pace about half a dozen times.

Changed air filter and that didn't help. 

Now, however, it recently over this weekend when accelerating from a complete stop hesitates, sputters like it is choking, but not every time. 

Thinking it may need a spark plug change I called 3 Mechanics who quoted me between $550 - $1000, the larger amount to "do it right" and change out all plugs, coils and boots. 

I am not working and I can not pay this! Because it is my home I have to figure it out. 

I called my friend and he is thinking it may be a vacuum line and said he might be able to work on it this weekend. 

Does anyone have any suggestions I can give him to help save time and not exhaust my dwindling savings?

 

[CautionToTheWind]

Quite a common symptom of Fords (fixes can vary). Coils are most common fix.

The first thing I suggest you do is to check the fuel pressure. You can rent the tool from Autozone for free and it's such a quick and easy test. If the pressure is fine, then I suspect you have a misfire likely from a coil.

How many miles? Last time spark plugs replaced?

I just now read "bucking" issues turned out to be a fix by a transmission flush. I mention it in case. (hopefully not a torque converter issue)

"An update on my bucking under acceleration issue after a year:
I did a thorough transmission fluid flush, and haven't had an incident of recurring bucking under the conditions I originally observed. I still noticed slight vibration under load in the neighborhood of 40 mph, especially when cold. Leads me to believe its the torque converter that's worn out."

 

[bigsallysmom]

get a code reading. ive got a place in alamogordo that brings out a scanner the half the size of a box of crackers. they told me exactly what part needed to be changed on the truck. i went across the street to desert sun and they quoted me a price of almost $100 to scan it but $0 if I had it repaired by them.

 

[SternWake]

Not familiar with Ford, but sagging and hesitation have always started on my Dodge Van when the spark plug wires were done for.


The reflective engine cover seems to act as a parabolic reflector and bakes the wires more so than on other vehicles.

I recently replaced my wires distributor cap and rotor and plugs all for less than 100$ in parts.

Passed a smog test pretty easily and then bumped my timing back upto 15 16 degrees btdc.

I used Taylor 8mm hi energy series wires, about 35$.  These lasted 10+ years whereas all other brands I used lasted 2.5 or less,  so I bought these again.

 

[KatBalouE350]

Caution, super high mileage over 368k. But engine replaced at 125k and tranny some time after that. No records except engine replacement came with van. It was part of fleet said to of been well maintained.

Thank you. Will pass your suggestion to check fuel pressure on to my friend.

Bigsalley, no check engine light so no code to check.

 

[CautionToTheWind]

A test to confirm coils: http://easyautodiagnostics.com/ford/4.6L-5.4L/how-to-test-the-cop-coils-1

 

[KatBalouE350]

Not familiar with Ford, but sagging and hesitation have always started on my Dodge Van when the spark plug wires were done for.


The reflective engine cover seems to act as a parabolic reflector and bakes the wires more so than on other vehicles.

I recently replaced my wires distributor cap and rotor and plugs all for less than 100$ in parts.

Passed a smog test pretty easily and then bumped my timing back upto 15 16 degrees btdc.

I used Taylor 8mm hi energy series wires, about 35$.  These lasted 10+ years whereas all other brands I used lasted 2.5 or less,  so I bought these again.

SternWake, Hopefully it is an easy fix and if the plugs will try to buy the better ones if possible. I don't have wires if I understood the mechanic. Idk, listening to him put me on information overload mode about half way through. Lol.

 

[highdesertranger]

sounds like a spark issue. is the check engine on? even if it isn't check for codes. highdesertranger

 

[KatBalouE350]

sounds like a spark issue.  is the check engine on?  even if it isn't check for codes.  highdesertranger

Hdr no check engine light. How can a code be checked without one?

 

[highdesertranger]

not all codes set a check engine light. your check engine light works, right? at the very least you should be getting a random misfire code. highdesertranger

 

[KatBalouE350]

not all codes set a check engine light.  your check engine light works,  right?  at the very least you should be getting a random misfire code.   highdesertranger

Hdr, the van is new to me. Only had it a few months. I don't know if ce light works. Have't seen anything appear but will be more watchful here out for random misfire codes now that you have made me aware of the possibility. Thank you.

 

[highdesertranger]

to check your check engine light. turn the key to run but do not start the vehicle, the check engine light will come on. check it and get back to us. highdesertranger

 

[jonsun]

a fuel pump going bad does this too. Like was said check fuel pressure.

 

[KatBalouE350]

a fuel pump going bad does this too. Like was said check fuel pressure.

Hdr, I turned the ignition to on and it only said service your engine soon. No code numbers. I ran it to the store 5 minutes away (ran perfect), and when I got home turned the engine off and did as you said again, turning the ignition to just on and got the same results. 

Bardo, I let my mechanic friend know it is suggested to check the fuel pressure.

 

[highdesertranger]

yep that is your check engine light and it is working. have your mechanic check for codes. highdesertranger

 

[eDJ_]

When was the last time the fuel filter was changed on this vehicle.  Water collected in the bottom of the filter could slosh up on the filter media and plug it temporarily under various conditions mentioned.  

I've had it happen on my 90 E 350.  351 V8.  They use good size filters and a little water sloshing around in them can create these freakish conditions.

In mine it's under the drivers seat just ahead of the high pressure fuel pump.  Your's is similar.

Try to remove your filter without losing too much of the fuel from it.

Then when you get it out blow back through it from the Engine side into a glass jar.   Then you may see
how much water was in it. 

I would look here FIRST. 

Backfiring is a lean fuel condition.  Particularly with carbureted engines.  Quite often fuel pump related. (but bad coils can do it and even cracked distributor caps)

 

[KatBalouE350]

yep that is your check engine light and it is working.  have your mechanic check for codes.  highdesertranger

^Okay, will do.  I was wandering if the van would be okay to drive 165 miles back to the area I stay? I have a mechanic friend there also. I need to get back to my doctors there pretty shortly. I could take a bus if not.

 

[KatBalouE350]

When was the last time the fuel filter was changed on this vehicle.  Water collected in the bottom of the filter could slosh up on the filter media and plug it temporarily under various conditions mentioned.  

I've had it happen on my 90 E 350.  351 V8.  They use good size filters and a little water sloshing around in them can create these freakish conditions.

In mine it's under the drivers seat just ahead of the high pressure fuel pump.  Your's is similar.

Try to remove your filter without losing too much of the fuel from it.

Then when you get it out blow back through it from the Engine side into a glass jar.   Then you may see
how much water was in it. 

I would look here FIRST. 

Backfiring is a lean fuel condition.  Particularly with carbureted engines.  Quite often fuel pump related. (but bad coils can do it and even cracked distributor caps)

Edj
Yes the fuel filter was changed and at first I thought it resolved the issue. BUT, shortly afterwards I took it up a mountainside through puddles and slude. I want to say it was a day or two later and after it had rained. B

ecause the issue the van is having seems sporadic I discounted the filter change as a resolution. 

I will try changing the fuel filter again!
Thank you!

 

[eDJ_]

Often there is still water and sludge left in the Tank.   On models like mine there is a filter housing half way down the frame too.  It's heavy black plastic and has a canister filter in it.   It is between the tank and the metal filter under the drivers seat.

Like so:

On mine,  there wasn't a filter in it when I purchased it.  The Parts Stores didn't list one on my E 350/90 model.  But for Ford Bronco's etc it did.  I figured it for a water and sediment bowl.  You have to be very careful when you unscrew the bottom of it as it will be full of fuel.  Then the same when you replace it to get it tight and make sure it seals, otherwise it will drip fuel constantly.    A lot of people don't even realize these are on their vehicle. 

So, consider a tank having water/sludge in it,  this black housing, then the metal filter.  The problem may not be in a recently replaced metal filter.  You could check it each day and not find water or sludge...but it could still be in this unit above or the fuel tank.

When I first got this van of mine,  it drove me crazy.   I finally pulled the tank and had it cleaned out and lined,
got this black plastic housing apart and cleaned all the sludge out of it,  replaced both the metal filter and even the high pressure fuel pump.  It ran great for awhile and started "not starting".

Turned out to be that grossly under engineered lift pump in the fuel tank.  So I purchased an external low pressure fuel pump. and mounted it to the frame just ahead of the fuel tank.  I  brought the hot and ground wires from the plug that attached to the factory lift pump to power the aux pump.  No problems since.

Like this one:

Tip:

this pump comes with a metal band to attach it to the frame.  Get some thick rubber 1/8" at least to wrap around the pump housing.  It will isolate the sound of the pump.  Otherwise the pump will make a lot of annoying racket back there. 

The little pump Ford uses (if memory serves me right) isn't much larger than a 12 gauge shotgun shell.  They are expensive and always a problem.

So good luck tracing down your problem.   My issue was fuel related as the Van sit around more than it was used.  Condensation in the Fuel Tank (then the fuel tank isn't kept full)  leads to an accumulation of water in the tank along with rust particles.  That's part of why I had my tank "Lined" with a plastic coating that would
work with alcohol added fuels.

 

[KatBalouE350]

Often there is still water and sludge left in the Tank.   On models like mine there is a filter housing half way down the frame too.  It's heavy black plastic and has a canister filter in it.   It is between the tank and the metal filter under the drivers seat.

Like so:

On mine,  there wasn't a filter in it when I purchased it.  The Parts Stores didn't list one on my E 350/90 model.  But for Ford Bronco's etc it did.  I figured it for a water and sediment bowl.  You have to be very careful when you unscrew the bottom of it as it will be full of fuel.  Then the same when you replace it to get it tight and make sure it seals, otherwise it will drip fuel constantly.    A lot of people don't even realize these are on their vehicle. 

So, consider a tank having water/sludge in it,  this black housing, then the metal filter.  The problem may not be in a recently replaced metal filter.  You could check it each day and not find water or sludge...but it could still be in this unit above or the fuel tank.

When I first got this van of mine,  it drove me crazy.   I finally pulled the tank and had it cleaned out and lined,
got this black plastic housing apart and cleaned all the sludge out of it,  replaced both the metal filter and even the high pressure fuel pump.  It ran great for awhile and started "not starting".

Turned out to be that grossly under engineered lift pump in the fuel tank.  So I purchased an external low pressure fuel pump. and mounted it to the frame just ahead of the fuel tank.  I  brought the hot and ground wires from the plug that attached to the factory lift pump to power the aux pump.  No problems since.

Like this one:

Tip:

this pump comes with a metal band to attach it to the frame.  Get some thick rubber 1/8" at least to wrap around the pump housing.  It will isolate the sound of the pump.  Otherwise the pump will make a lot of annoying racket back there. 

The little pump Ford uses (if memory serves me right) isn't much larger than a 12 gauge shotgun shell.  They are expensive and always a problem.

So good luck tracing down your problem.   My issue was fuel related as the Van sit around more than it was used.  Condensation in the Fuel Tank (then the fuel tank isn't kept full)  leads to an accumulation of water in the tank along with rust particles.  That's part of why I had my tank "Lined" with a plastic coating that would
work with alcohol added fuels.

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions. My mechanic friend here in the city can't help before I have to go back to medical appts.

 I am going to take the chance and baby the van back up the mountain which is about a three hour drive. When I get there another mechanic friend promised to help. 

I will pick up and post again once my friend tells me more.

Thank you again!!!