A Tip for Stalling/Bucking (own a 2000 Windstar)

Hello to all. I just thought I would drop this info for you. I live in Canada and was camping - we had extremely hot and humid weather (35C). My Windstar gave me idle and exceleration problems in the morning. We where heading home in the afternoon and it started to 'buck' and then stalled several times at a busy intersection...DOH! Scary! My van has 151,000kms on it. I service it myself using only 100% synthetic oil, new plugs/wires, trans fluid, K&N air filter (highly recommended by the way) etc. I found 2 problems: 1st, the plastic bushings (4) for the 'Intake Manifold Runner Controller' (IMRC) where all broken. One of the control arms had fallen off and the one of its bushings missing. This was a relatively easy repair for me to do as I had to remove the controller and replace all 4 bushings (Ford part #F5RZ-9F955-AB). The real kick in the ass I got from Ford was these bushings cost $11.49cdn each!!! WTF!!! There only a tiny piece of freak'in plastic! I complained to the parts guys at my local Ford dealer who agreed that they where well inflated. I tried several other parts stores and fastener shops but no one had any match (thanks Ford for looking out for us). 2nd, the Mass air flow sensor was failing. This was the main problem. Now, lucky for me I know a great mechanic who read my fault codes for free and this is what it came up as 'Throttle Position Sensor Inconsistent with Mass Air Flow Sensor' fault code #P1121. A new sensor costs $250.00+cdn from Ford. I phoned around for a used one from a low mileage Windstar or Escape and paid only 30 bucks (apparently the engine had 70,000km on it at time of removal). I installed and now my van runs better than ever with those repairs. Some of the funny shifting at times and sluggish exceleration problems have gone too. My mileage is also up so I can only guess the sensor had started to go south many Km's ago and the engine was running lean.

Cheers!

1st, the plastic bushings (4) for the 'Intake Manifold Runner Controller' (IMRC) where all broken. One of the control arms had fallen off and the one of its bushings missing. This was a relatively easy repair for me to do as I had to remove the controller and replace all 4 bushings (Ford part #F5RZ-9F955-AB). The real kick in the ass I got from Ford was these bushings cost $11.49cdn each!!! WTF!!! There only a tiny piece of freak'in plastic! I complained to the parts guys at my local Ford dealer who agreed that they where well inflated. I tried several other parts stores and fastener shops but no one had any match (thanks Ford for looking out for us).

Just wanted to post this since I see so many people needing these clips. When I replaced my LIM, I broke one of them. I went to the "HELP" section of my local autozone and found a pack of assorted plastic clips that are used to hold those metal rods on the door locks inside the door. Aside from being a different color, they looked exactly like the clips on the IMRC, worked perfectly, and were much cheaper than the ones from Ford.

Thanks for posting. My 2000 Windstar exhibted some of the same problems.
No CEL or codes. After cleaning the Mass Air Flow Sensor, stalling and bucking became less frequent. Bought one from a Bone yard, cleaned it
before installing and that solved problem. This was after a shop claiming to
be #1 in diagnostics in the county I live in changed the fuel pump relay and
interia switch. I did clean the MAF with special MAF cleaner, thanks for info. When calling for
prices I found the part stores had a core charge for these things. I don't know how they would
remanufacture other than replacing the thermal resistors.

One thing to try with the MAF, is cleaning it.
You need some non-residue ELECTRONIC cleaner (not "electrical" or contact cleaner).
Auto part stores sell it as "Mass AirFlow sensor or MAF cleaner.
I posted a couple of pictures in the pictures that the link in my signature takes you to that show the MAF.

The big air filter "box" or bullet.....it comes apart in 2 parts.
One side has the air filter, the other side has a screen, and behind the screen is the MAF.

The MAF has a plastic bar that goes across the opening.
This plastic bar has 2 holes.....one facing the airflow, the other opening is at the OPPOSITE end of the plastic bar, facing away from the airflow.
The plastic bar is hollow, with 2 thermal resistors.....
Dirt can get in the hollow passage, and cause the sensors to read a incorrect value.

To clean, hold the MAF part of the air filter box so that you are looking DOWN into the screen at the hole in the plastic bar.
Tilt the unit so that the hole facing you is slightly higher than the opposite end of the bar.
Then, spray the MAF cleaner INTO the hole facing you.
The fluid will enter the hole, and flow through the hollow bar, and run out the hole on the other end (but that hole is facing away from you) and it will flush the dirt out of the MAF unit.

The Oiled type filters, like the K&N, require careful care when re-oiling.
Not enough oil.......lets too much dirt past and into the engine.
Too much oil WILL result in a oil film onto the MAF sensors, and cause you to have issues.
I would try cleaning the MAF as I listed first, then, if that does not work, replace.

If anyone needs some of those little bushings, O'Reilly item number 47099. Found on what I call their "misc. stuff" aisle.