Ford Explorer Engine Problems...

[fish specialist]

I have a 1994 Ford Explorer that I bought used in 2002 and has run great. However, for some reason after I drive about 100 highway miles the check engine light comes on and then keeps going on and off during the entire trip. The vehicle runs great before the light goes on but then runs terrible as if the fuel filter was clogged once the light comes on. I had the fuel filter and O2 sensors changed a while back but it did nothing. When I get to where I'm going and shut the vehicle off for a while, the vehicle runs fine again. My question is what could possibly be wrong and how much do you think it will be to fix it?? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[HOF#13]

Both my dad and I have had the check engine light come on, and the cause was a bad gas cap...caused a venting / pressure issue I believe. I never would have guessed. Might be worth a cheap try.

[JEV]

I'd have the codes pulled from the computer. That would give you a good place to start and would be cheaper then just starting to replace parts and hoping you replace the right ones....

JEV

[tyler97]

My 93 does the EXACT same thing. I suspect a head gasket is on the way out. I noticed I was always low on anti-freeze when it would run rough. It would only run rough when the engine was warm, and never when it was cold. It always runs better when I top off the anti-freeze. I have not pulled the plugs to see, but there are no leaks anywhere on the outside, and it does not smoke yet, so I suspect it is a small leak, but enough to cause the rough running. I feel for ya. $800-1000 for the head gaskets!

[fish specialist]

Thanks guys. It is a really odd thing and it has done it since I got it. The vehicle still ran however so I decided to never mess with it.

Jev,

To get the codes pulled, do I need to bring it in with the light on so the technicians can see it on the computer? If so, that is the hard part-I'd have to drive around until the light came on and then bring it in. Man, what a mess!

[PierBridge]

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To get the codes pulled, do I need to bring it in with the light on so the technicians can see it on the computer?

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No the DTC codes can be retrieved from memory and that is your first and most important step.

I hate to guess because it could be anything from the mass air flow sensor to a head gasket.

We need the DTC "Diagnostic Trouble Codes" codes that were left behind.

[bucketmouth64]

Go to www.fordtruckworld.com that forum could have additional information/answers for you. I've had the same problem and it ended up being the O2 sensor each time. Never the same one that was previously replaced.

[Fisher Dave]

There are a whole bunch of things this could possibly be.. have someone check the codes.

This could even be a slight vaccum leak causing your fuel injection pressure regulator to do funky things.. or that might be on its way out too. You go down the road and it runs fine until suddenly it starts running like dump.. is it flooding out, or starving for gas at this point? Who knows. As stated before, even a gas cap can do strange things to a vehicle. You might have a plugged up PCV valve not letting the extra pressure escape and causing you problems.

Have someone hook it up and read the codes. I think autozone will do it for free on most vehicles.

Welcome to Ford country .. buy a Chevy next time.

[Jeremy airjer W]

What engine do you have in it? That would be the most important piece of info. Typically when the Engine light goes on and off while driving It has something to do with an O2 sensor (ford calls them ego sensors) stuck rich or lean. This does not mean they should be replace!!! If lean I would search for a vacumm leak (really common on the v-6) if rich I would look for a leaky pressure regulator or a stuck regulator which would boost fuel pressure (used to this quite often, vehicles don't run well with 100+ psi of fuel pressure. The other option would be a Mass Air Flow sensor going bad or dirty. They can be removed and cleaned with carb spray but you will need a tamperproof torx bit or screwdriver. Occasional some will have phillips screws. We have had alot of success cleaning these.

The best Idea is to retrieve the trouble codes and post them. We could all speculate all day long but shooting in the dark won't fix anything. I think autozone still scans for free. If you ever make it to the woodbury area I would Scan it for you at no charge also.

[nthomps66]

Had the same thing on a Jimmy and it was the gas cap. That is the only time I have ever gotten good news from the garage!

[fish specialist]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I forgot to mention that once the light comes on the vehicle hesitates during acceleration. It takes about 2-3 seconds for the vehicle to respond while accelerating around someone during passing or accelerating on a green light. I guess I'll just get the codes checked and hope that it's something as simple as the gas cap.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Its not a gas cap (hate to burst your bubble)!

[lawdog]

Can't believe all you guys are missing such an obvious problem with this engine...

ITS A FORD!!!!!!!!!

[Ole1855]

Lawdog,

Does Ford stand for;

FoundOnRoadDead

[wastewaterguru]

Get the manual. It tells you how to test the O2 sensor, the throttle position sensor and the mass air flow sensor. I had a bad TPS in my '93 and it was VERY easy to replace on my own.

Spend the 25 buck on the manual and you won't be sorry. A garage will charge you at least a c-note just to point you in the right direction.

[Surface Tension]

wastewaterguru, right on.

[PierBridge]

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Lawdog,

Does Ford stand for;

FoundOnRoadDead

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No it stands "Total Dominance in Nascar Nextel Cup Racing".

[lawdog]

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Lawdog,

Does Ford stand for;

FoundOnRoadDead

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No it stands "Total Dominance in Nascar Nextel Cup Racing".

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Interesting since Chevrolet is the reigning manufacturer's champion and the Monte Carlo is the all time winningest name in NASCAR...

FixOrRepairDaily...

[PierBridge]

Interesting since Chevrolet is the reigning manufacturer's champion and the Monte Carlo is the all time winningest name in NASCAR...

FixOrRepairDaily...

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oh so your Satellite dish has been out of alignment and you have missed the entire Nascar season.

I'll get you up to speed....Fords and Roush Racing are dominating and more then likely will have the Nascar Nextel Cup Championship for the third straight year....

[Fisher Dave]

I thought it was F'd Over Rebuilt Dodge?

guess I was wrong

[Macgyver55]

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I'll get you up to speed....Fords and Roush Racing are dominating.....

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Last time I checked (like 5 minutes ago) Ford has only won one more race this year than Chevy. If you would consider that "domination", how would you describe last years season where Chevy won 22 races over Fords 11?

I think what Lawdog meant was total wins in Nascar where the Monte Carlo name plate is responsible for the greatest number of Chevies wins.

Chevrolet currently hold 417 wins to date over Fords 271. Let see now, at 32 races a year.....well lets just say if Ford wins EVERY race for the next 4 and 1/2 years they will at least catch up to Chevy. Stats like that seem to fit the definition of "domination" a little closer at least in my understanding of the term.

Shouldn't this be in the Nascar thread?

[Jeremy airjer W]

My favorite is the guy who brings his car in for an extended crank (for example). Look in the back seat and sure enough there's a shop manuel back there. Open the hood and find a new fuel filter, wires, plugs, cap, rotor, air filter, pcv, valve, Idle air control valve, coils, module and possible several other items. I hook up a fuel gauge and find fuel pressure dropping, 5 minutes later I determine if its a fuel pump, Pressure regulator, or Injector leaking.

There are two morals to this story, 1. A shop manuel that you paid 15.00 for to save you money just cost you several hundred dollars in repair that may not have had to been done. 2. A shop manuel can't provide you with experience, and niether can MOST, NOT ALL, guys behind a parts counter.

Don't get me wrong I have nothing against do it yourselfers, but if your going to do it yourself do it right and if your not sure how to do it then stop before you screw something up. I just don't like having to clean up some of the messes of the guys who just don't have a clue. This would include but is not limited to missing nuts, bolts, wire nuts on electrical connections, both primary shoes on one side, both secondary shoes on the other, loose spark plugs, wrong spark plugs, wrong wires, excessive RTV in places it shouldn't be, rewired circuits including cooling fan headlights wipers turn signals fuel pumps and anything else you can imagine, and don't forget the guy who decides to replace something strips or breaks every nut and bolt you could imagine then has it towed in and says he needs his whatever replaced and never mentions that he tried to do it himself or that he stripped/broke every nut or bolt and then whines about it when we call him back to tell him that his bill is going to be higher because we have to fix his screwups.

That felt good, Thanks!

[Surface Tension]

I could say the same thing for the Dealer that replaced just about everything on the M-I-L's Subaru trying to nail down a Check Engine light. Car ran great with no symptoms. After 4 trips to the dealer and a bill that accumulated to $1500 someone finally diagnosed the problem to a bad gas cap.

I admire the guy that takes the initiative to work on his own stuff, even if he does screws it up worse, gotta learn some how.

[PierBridge]

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Last time I checked (like 5 minutes ago) Ford has only won one more race this year than Chevy. If you would consider that "domination", how would you describe last years season where Chevy won 22 races over Fords 11?

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Well I don't live in past, I heard Babe Ruth was real good also.

Oh and last time I checked 5 minutes ago Chevy had 24 cars and Ford had 9 running in Nascar Nextel cup racing...so that means 15 more Chevy's every race, times 16 races 240 more chances and they have less wins....LOL.... Stats like that seem to fit the definition of "domination" a little closer at least in my understanding of the term.

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Shouldn't this be in the Nascar thread?

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Yes but because you guy's hijacked this thread it's not and I am forced to defend Fords DOMINATION IN NASCAR NEXTEL CUP THIS SEASON along with the last 2 CUP Championships.

[Macgyver55]

I hijacked the thread? Naah, the first post with any mention of NASCAR was back when some guy said:

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"No it stands "Total Dominance in Nascar Nextel Cup Racing"

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and that was who?

So Pier, if you really don't live in the past, why would you even care who won the last 2 cups or even who won last week? It's all meaningless history right, and every week is a new season?

fish specialist, as far as your Explorer goes, retrieving the trouble codes first will get us a lot closer to the problem quicker. There are just too many things it could be to guess. Its way cheaper to fix what you know is wrong than replacing parts that might be bad along the way.

Sorry for adding to the Nascar hijack too, I won't mention Nascar here anymore.