2000 Ford Explorer Explorer Sport Running Fine, then acts l

Tiny
DAJEFFERSPAC
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 140,000 MILES
My Explorer isn't posessed, yet. The engine has been running great since we bought it, until, we were on the highway at about 70 mph, normal temps outside, when a huge gust of wind hit us and shook the car pretty violently, but held it together. The engine suddenly started to miss, and sputter. It kept running and I could keep it about 55 but any slower, and we would lose power to almost 20 mph. It sounded like it had lost one or more cylinders firing. After stopping, letting it sit for a few minutes, it fired right up but in gear and accelerating, it did it constantly and could only go about 20mph again. Stomping the accelerator was no help either, It would just act like it was dying. Resting overnight it quit doing it, and no more problems until today. Driving at 75 mph and running great and normal ambient temps, it did it again a year later. After letting it sit for 30 minutes, everything is fine now. My thoughts are something with the wiring harness that got moved by the gust of wind or at the end of the plug wire. Everything else is absolutely fine with it. No idle problems, etc with the engine. Any clue what is causing this? Help please!
Monday, July 12th, 2010 AT 8:29 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Hello and thanks for donating

Intermittent problems are always a pain to diagnose, but with this particular case you are saying it's so intermittent that it has only happened once a year so far? The second time it happened, was it also after a gust of wind? There is a possibililty that the wind gust got into the air filter which would in turn cause the mass airflow (MAF) sensor to temporarily malfunction. With the MAF out of commission temporarily, you would have the rough idling and even engine stalling.
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Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 AT 11:15 AM

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