'94 Ford Aerostar 4.0L won't start

Hello all.

I'm having some problems with my Aerostar minivan and am hoping for
some guidance on what to check next.

This minivan ('94 Aerostar 4.0L) has been plagued by problems for the
last year or so and the most recent no-start (about a month ago) was
resolved by replacing the catalytic converter. It had failed and
clogged, causing a blocked exhaust and preventing the vehicle from
running.

About a week ago the van started showing the same symptoms as with the
catalytic converter failure. That is, rough idle, stalling at
redlights, hard start, and (eventually) won't start. As my wife was
driving it home one night last week it stalled on a side road and
hasn't run since.

I towed it home that night and have replaced the following:
1. Fuel filter (actually changed that a couple of days before it died
and it made no difference in the symptoms)
2. Air filter (I have removed it and won't be re-installing it until I
can get the vehicle to run while sitting in my driveway)
3. Spark plugs (all 6 and they all needed it - the old ones were toast)
4. Spark plug wires
5. PCV valve (old one looked ok, but I replaced it anyway)
6. Throttle position sensor

Still no luck. The first time I try to start it I can usually get the
engine to fire and run as long as I keep my foot on the throttle.
After that it won't start again until it sits for a while.

I'm convinced it's being flooded with gas but I'm not sure why that is
happening. I have noticed that fuel is coming out of the throttle
housing into the air intake and eventually down to the air filter after
a few attempts at starting it.

I'm fairly certain it has spark - when it's "dry" (sitting overnight)
it will fire if I have my foot on the gas pedal and it will try to run
for as long as I keep the pedal down. If I back off the pedal it dies
and won't start again until the next day.

I suspected the new catalytic converter or muffler (or both) had failed
and created a blockage so I've tried detaching the exhaust downpipe
from the manifold and that made no difference - still won't start.
I've also checked the exhaust pressure coming from the tailpipe while
trying to start it and that feels normal.

I've looked for vacuum leaks, cracked hoses, disconnected sensors, just
about everything I can think of. I'm running out of things to check so
can anyone offer some advice on what to do next?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Dave

take the ignition module out (it's under the 6 ganger coil pack), bring it
to an Autozone and have them run a test on it. I'll bet you that's your
culprit.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hello all.
>
> I'm having some problems with my Aerostar minivan and am hoping for
> some guidance on what to check next.
>
> This minivan ('94 Aerostar 4.0L) has been plagued by problems for the
> last year or so and the most recent no-start (about a month ago) was
> resolved by replacing the catalytic converter. It had failed and
> clogged, causing a blocked exhaust and preventing the vehicle from
> running.
>
> About a week ago the van started showing the same symptoms as with the
> catalytic converter failure. That is, rough idle, stalling at
> redlights, hard start, and (eventually) won't start. As my wife was
> driving it home one night last week it stalled on a side road and
> hasn't run since.
>
> I towed it home that night and have replaced the following:
> 1. Fuel filter (actually changed that a couple of days before it died
> and it made no difference in the symptoms)
> 2. Air filter (I have removed it and won't be re-installing it until I
> can get the vehicle to run while sitting in my driveway)
> 3. Spark plugs (all 6 and they all needed it - the old ones were toast)
> 4. Spark plug wires
> 5. PCV valve (old one looked ok, but I replaced it anyway)
> 6. Throttle position sensor
>
> Still no luck. The first time I try to start it I can usually get the
> engine to fire and run as long as I keep my foot on the throttle.
> After that it won't start again until it sits for a while.
>
> I'm convinced it's being flooded with gas but I'm not sure why that is
> happening. I have noticed that fuel is coming out of the throttle
> housing into the air intake and eventually down to the air filter after
> a few attempts at starting it.
>
> I'm fairly certain it has spark - when it's "dry" (sitting overnight)
> it will fire if I have my foot on the gas pedal and it will try to run
> for as long as I keep the pedal down. If I back off the pedal it dies
> and won't start again until the next day.
>
> I suspected the new catalytic converter or muffler (or both) had failed
> and created a blockage so I've tried detaching the exhaust downpipe
> from the manifold and that made no difference - still won't start.
> I've also checked the exhaust pressure coming from the tailpipe while
> trying to start it and that feels normal.
>
> I've looked for vacuum leaks, cracked hoses, disconnected sensors, just
> about everything I can think of. I'm running out of things to check so
> can anyone offer some advice on what to do next?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Dave
>

Thank you for the quick reply.

When you say "under the coil pack" do you mean I'll have to take the
coil pack out to take out the ignition module? Or are you referring to
a unit that's mounted on the fenderwall?

David

wrote:

> Thank you for the quick reply.
>
> When you say "under the coil pack" do you mean I'll have to take the
> coil pack out to take out the ignition module? Or are you referring to
> a unit that's mounted on the fenderwall?
>
> David
>
Coil pack ignition uses a separate coil (or shared coil for two) for
each spark plug. So there is NO mechanical distributor. If you have a
mechanical distributor and cap with all the plug wires going to it you
don't have a coil pack.

Bob

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----