I have been seeing a lot of posts regarding engines missing or lugging.

My 2000 XL, V6, 5 speed just turned 59,000 miles and now I have the dreaded miss.

I first replaced the fuel filter along with a bottle of injector cleaner, then plugs (single platinum) , and now wires. All genuine Ford parts. No improvement.
The air filter was replaced approx. 3,000 miles ago and from what I can see everything looks good inside the air passage.

The engine runs fine until I shift into 4th gear. With the rpm's around 1900 - 2000 the engine feels like it is lugging. The same in 5th. It has always been smooth before this, even in 5th gear at 50 MPH. I think it is a miss rather than lugging, but not positive. Could something in the drive train be causing this?

My idle is smooth, and when I get above 65 mph or so the lugging or miss is less noticible. Through all the gears up to fourth it is fine, just when I get into 4th or 5th does it show up.

My check engine light has never come on.

All I can think of that is left is the coil or one of the sensors. Anyone else gone through this had any success in solving?

 

It looks like you've done everything I would have done. But you should be getting a check engine light if you're misfireing-- have you driven 20 miles since it started acting up- because the computer usually needs about that long before it will give you a light. If you haven't then I would suggest you drive that far and try to get a light and then go to autozone and get them to diagnose it for free for you and go from there. If you've driven 20 miles then you need to reset your computer and then drive approx. 20 miles without stopping. turn off your truck... then do another 20 mile trip and you should definitely get a light by then because our ecu's are on a 2 trip cycle-- i know this because this is what i had to do to get a light and clear out my computer when i had my misfire. but anyway, autozone is really helpful about using their little diagnosis thing and then you can see what you need to fix

 

Thanks for the suggestion, I have driven several hundred miles since the problem started.

I will try the reset and drive.

I agree that it should give a CEL if it is a miss.

All the original old plugs looked good when removed and the wires appeared to be in good shape.

The miss or lugging seems to have improved a little since doing all the replacements but it is still there.

 

You are not alone with this problem that Ford Motor Company can't figure out. Just replaced all four of my O2 sensors trying to eleviate the problem but to no avail. Other items I've tried are new wires, plugs, fuel filter, air filter, synthetic Mobil 1 ATF in the five speed tranny, and talking to a Ford tech I know, who had no answers. Also talked to a Ford dealer who never heard of such a problem, and told my to put Chevron Techron fuel cleaner in which I did. I tried to change the coil, but the new coil misfired, and I could not figure out why. If I changed the coil again, I would disconnect the battery for an hour and let the computer reset and then change the coil, and see what happens. Good luck.

 

Tried the computer reset with no improvement.

While driving this morning I made the following observations:

When shifting to fourth at around 45 MPH it starts. It is worse in 5th.
If I let off the gas it dissappears. I can hear a slight clicking that sounds like the universal joint in the rear when I give it a little gas or let off. Not really sure if it has been doing this or not before the problem started. Paying more attention now to every little noise.

There is a slight vibration in the steering wheel but it is very slight. Not what you would expect from a wheel balance or alignment problem.

The miss or lug improves some the faster I go over 55 but it is still there. Under 45 or in any lower gear it is smooth. I can take it up to 45 or 50 in 3rd with just the slightest miss/lug/vibration.

I am now wondering if it could be a vibration problem that I am mistaking for a miss. With no check engine light it seems more likely. The fact that I am only seeing it under load at low rpm's in 4th or 5th is what is perplexing.

I am reading of many others that are having miss and/or vibration problems.

There has got to be a common problem among all of us experiencing this, but what is the solution?

I will go to the dealer as a last resort but would really like to see it solved in this forum.

 

Hey Guy's,the info that I have read up on this,lead's to several possible fixes from emmision's to possible vaccum leak to injector's.I have even read were someone had a hot wire grounding out near the fuelpump wiring causing the miss? My truck is a 97 4.2 auto,I started out with the truck idling up and down and hesitation on take off.Replaced IAC,no fix.Put it in shop, they removed EGR valve and cleaned it put it back on took care of idling up and down,but no help with the hesitation.Then two weeks later the miss started,replaced plugs,wires,fuel filter,air filter and coil,no fix.Throwing code po303 (miss on cylinder #3).The idling get's better then worse,usely tend's to do better on rainy day's.When it get's worse the miss is felt consistantly through out the driving range.It is felt when letting off the gas pulling up to and while stopped at a red light or stop sign.When it is at it's weakest miss,you have to sit at idle and wait on it to miss,then it is only a slight miss. 97fone50

 

mines been doing it since about 37k.. I have 42K on now.. I shift around the 2000-2300 rpm point to avoid it..

I've had tranny fluid changed, filters changed, had tranny checked.. It must be the engine somewhere but I am not getting any check lights etc.

the only thing I know is, I let the truck sit for about three weeks just before it started acting up.. I don't know if that had an effect or not..

I'm thinking about changing plugs and wires to aftermarket? anybody have any suggestions?

thanks

 

I finally found my problem.

After several weeks of driving with the miss?, lugging? I decided to pull the driveshaft to check the universal.

The joint on the driveshaft side at the rear end was bad. Appeared to be dry.

I installed a new u-joint and took it out for a test drive.

It runs like a new truck again. Not a hint of a vibration through the gears.

I think the u-joint was slipping at the lower rpm's just enough to cause a vibration. At higher speeds it was spinning enough to eliminate the slip.

If you are having miss or lugging problems and hear any hint of a rear end clicking noise check your universal joints.

Total cost of repair - $15.00 for new heavy duty joints at Auto Zone.

 

4x4 or 4x2?

just wondering

thanks

 

Mines a 4X2 5 speed.

I was suprised to see a universal go out at only 60,000 miles.

Could have missed getting greased in the manufacturing process I guess.

It really felt like a miss when it first started, the clicking in the rear end got worse with time. At that point I had about a 1/4"
of play in the driveshaft at the rear end.

 

hello,i had same problem with my 2000 ford f-150 4.2 v6 ,it turned out to be a dirty intake manifold and injectors combo,to far gone for add in injector cleaner.took it to ford dealer and they pulled off manifold and cleaned it, then cleaned the injectors ,problem solved.....hope this helps.
P.S also i didnt have any idiot lites come on....

 

Was the clicking sound like a relay on/off during gas and then braking? I have the problems but the clicking noise sound like it may in the front - has lugging / miss / vibration at times under light load.