My 2002 F150 will sputter, shudder, lurch, skip, jump (whatever you want to call it) when I am accelerating in any gear. Mostly at low RPMs. This does not happen at all when I am cruising or idle. I have replaced the fuel filter, air filter, spark plugs and have attempted to clean the EGR valve. It is spitting out a "insufficient flow" code from the CEL (Check Engine Light). The reason I say I "attempted" to clean the valve is because I really didn't know what I was doing, I've never removed one of those valves, but I think I got in there and cleaned it good. It didn't really look real dirty in the first place. Well, now I have purchased a Motorcraft EGR valve and am ready to put it in. Here's my question, my truck mostly sputters when the weather is warm and/or the truck is warmed up. If it's below 60 degrees it doesn't sputter as much and sometimes not at all until the truck warms up. Is that weird? Just looking for some more ideas on getting rid of this sputtering.

2002 F150
4.2L V6
Manual Transmission
80K miles

 

Usually the EGR doesn't go bad, its the exhaust pressure sensor, OR, its the ports the EGR dumps its gases into, in the throttle body.

 

Where is that exhaust pressure sensor?
How do I clean those ports? Where is the throttle body?

 

Their is a metal tube going to you EGR valve. Follow it down till you see 2 rubber hoses. Follow those hoses up to the pressure sensor. I have also seen those hoses go bad.

 

Yes, thats a good point too, check those rubber hoses for checking and/or deterioration. The ports I am reffering to are behind the EGR valve itself, if you unbolt it from the intake elbow (behind the what the butterfly valve is bolted to) the ports run in there and are usually clogged like arteries with carbon/crud.

 

You need to clean the EGR passages and the throttle body. You may need a new EGR Pressure Feedback Sensor (DPFE).

At 80k, mine not only needed new plugs, it needed wires and a coil pack to get rid of a miss, but I had no CEL. You have a CEL and that needs to be cleared first by fixing the cause.

 

I would check the Direct Coil's. I own an 02 4x4, 8 cyl. I just got done replacing the 3rd one in it. The dealership told me that they (DC's) were not the best in the world when the trucks were build. It will make your truck do crazy things. Mine would be fine until I got it moving down the road. As it turned out, the coil was just starting to go out. It took each of them about 1-2 months before they died. Then the code came on quickly, and that was it. Just an idea. Good Luck.

 

The V-6 does not use direct coils.

 

Sounds like he has a PO402 - kentwindham - You need to post which ins. flow code you have. If the poppet valve is hanging - that would cause a drivability concern.

He might have 2 individual problems as well.

But yea, clean the TB/Plenum as already stated.

Will this problem occure while the trucks stationary and accelerating in park ? When working the mechanicals by hand in the engine compartment?

Well, I'm not sure which code you have, heres the most common -

 

My vote is your coil pack is bad. My 4.2 did the same exact thing you're describing at 90K miles.

 

Hey MAY be due for some a coil change, but they wouldn't cause a:

It is spitting out a "insufficient flow" code from the CEL (Check Engine Light).

 

Ok, so I went to remove my EGR valve and the 2 bolts holding it on are frozen tight and may break if I try to apply more pressure to loosen them up. Any ideas on how to break these loose?

BTW, I have a '97 F150 4.6 165k miles. I also get the 401 code.

Thanks....