$300 van has a little issue

[Motorhead350]

This thing vibrates pretty bad under half throttle or greater. It doesn't matter if it's accelerating or keeping your foot down to haul your load. As soon as the throttle is let off the vibration goes away.

I am thinking it simply needs a tune up. Plugs, wires and possibly a distributer cap.

Does this seem right or is there always a "common cause" for this?

It's a 1993 Ford Econoline with a 300ci 4.9 Straight 6. 140,000 miles.

Thanks in advance!

[RoyLPita]

Motor mounts?

[Motorhead350]

I will check those! Thank you!

[Fastbob]

Change plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Probably have no service history on a $300 van (down by the river) so that is a good place to start. If you have some very nasty looking plugs, then I would do a compression test. Those old 300 Ford 6 cylinders were a pretty damned tough motor.

[8UWITH6]

Make sure its not a U joint or drivetrain issue. If it was a engine issue (misfire) it would shake all the time.

[J-MAN]

The van hates you.

[MyBlackBeasts]

If it has a split drive shaft check the center support & bearing.

[Marauderjack]

Dom......ya might wanna try a different one of these!!;)

Actually sounds like a misfire under load to me??:confused:

Good Luck...especially in your "Music Adventures"!!:beer:

[Fastbob]

Dom......ya might wanna try a different one of these!!;)

Actually sounds like a misfire under load to me??:confused:

Good Luck...especially in your "Music Adventures"!!:beer:<<<Exactly!>>>

[RF Overlord]

Dom, if you didn't give it a tune-up when you bought it, it's unlikely the PO did...most privately-owned commercial vehicles are not given routine maintenance (other than an occasional oil change) until something goes wrong.

Plugs, wires, cap & rotor, fuel filter at the minimum. Also check the air filter. Maybe look at the rubber vacuum lines and make sure none are cracked or hardened.

[Fastbob]

Want to have some fun, go ask a local parts store for a timing chain for that 300 6 cyl.

[Motorhead350]

When I had bad u joints on my K5, you would hear a click when shifting from reverse to drive. Also up to speed the vibration would never go away. This thing needs a tune up at the very least. It was sitting for 5 years before I got it back on the road. It was fine, but 8,000 miles later it has given me this issue.

Tune up and we will see what happens. I am suspecting u joints next. According to this board and a few other sources.

[RF Overlord]

Want to have some fun, go ask a local parts store for a timing chain for that 300 6 cyl.That's like asking for a lower radiator hose for a 1968 Beetle...

[Fastbob]

That's like asking for a lower radiator hose for a 1968 Beetle...Back in the mid 70's I had a local parts store look for 2 days trying to find a timing chain for a Ford 300 6 cyl. They were not happy with me when they found out it didn't exist. No computers back then so they looked by hand through lots of parts books and made quite a few phone calls.

[RF Overlord]

That's just wrong... ;)

[8UWITH6]

When I had bad u joints on my K5, you would hear a click when shifting from reverse to drive. Also up to speed the vibration would never go away. This thing needs a tune up at the very least. It was sitting for 5 years before I got it back on the road. It was fine, but 8,000 miles later it has given me this issue.

Tune up and we will see what happens. I am suspecting u joints next. According to this board and a few other sources.

Before throwing parts at it do some test. Fuel pressure reading is a good start. Might have someone hook up a scantool and look for recorded misfires. And crawl underneath it and wiggle your shaft and see if it has any movement. Im talking about the driveshaft guys.......... on the van........ nevermind.........

[Motorhead350]

I will see whats up. Today is the day.

[martyo]

Back in the mid 70's I had a local parts store look for 2 days trying to find a timing chain for a Ford 300 6 cyl. They were not happy with me when they found out it didn't exist. No computers back then so they looked by hand through lots of parts books and made quite a few phone calls.


That's just wrong... ;)

Last winter we had a rare ice storm here in Georgia that pretty much shut the town down.

My parts guy (a really, really good guy), posted on his FB page that they were open and would deliver as usual. Well he often delivers to my home shop so I told him I needed one 194 bulb (also known as a peanut bulb).

To show that he was as good as he says he is, he sen one of his drivers out with a whole box of the bulbs. The guy got to my hilly neighborhood and had to have a kid ride him the rest of my way on his ATV to my home shop just to leave the bulbs.

This is why he gets all of my parts business.

[Motorhead350]

Didn't get around to it today, too busy getting the Marauder prepped for winter... it needed a snow tire patched, that was fun. Maybe this week, we will see. It all depends on the weather.

[J-MAN]

There's really no hurry, spring is just around the corner.

[MERCULES]

Before throwing parts at it do some test. Fuel pressure reading is a good start. Might have someone hook up a scantool and look for recorded misfires. And crawl underneath it and wiggle your shaft and see if it has any movement. Im talking about the driveshaft guys.......... on the van........ nevermind.........

Yah no one wants to get caught inspecting their shaft, best to get someone else to do that.

[Motorhead350]

There's really no hurry, spring is just around the corner.

Not completely. I have major event I was asked to do in a few weeks. The Misfits are using our gear and then some. Thus, another favor to get up to a higher level. I see your point though.


Yah no one wants to get caught inspecting their shaft, best to get someone else to do that.

You are funny!

I got this done today! Plugs have all been changed and it looks like the one closest to the front bumper is an original! It's actually rusty. There was no video anywhere on-line on how to change plugs on the 4.9 for an Econoline, so I knocked it out today taking my time, removing what I had do with the dog house, air box and wires very carefully. It also dropped to 25 outside. Soon as I went for a test drive it was back to smooth sailing!

Do I want a cookie or something? Yes. Yes I do! Chips Ahoy in the red container would be great!

BTW another reason to fix this thing is to keep the Marauder off of the road. The van will be my winter beater.

[BigCars4Ever]

If it has a clutch fan check the fan blades. I've had the fan blades brake and it felt like the engine was going to shake apart at mid to high rpm.

[Motorhead350]

It was cold outside!!!

Here are the plugs. You can see the rusty/possibly the original on the bottom.

[1 Bad Merc]

Run a couple of bottles of SeaFoam through it. :)

[Motorhead350]

If it has a clutch fan check the fan blades. I've had the fan blades brake and it felt like the engine was going to shake apart at mid to high rpm.

I will check on that. The fan was fine last time I checked, but tomorrow when the sun comes put I will give it a look just in case. The van does run a little hot during the summer time for city driving, especially up hill with a full load, but never completely overheated.

[J-MAN]

Must be hard choosing a winter beater from your two vehicles. Hang in there!

[RF Overlord]

I think I see room for one more JEGS sticker, Dom...

[massacre]

I like the Jegs-o-Rama that looks awesome!

[Motorhead350]

Haha thanks. The stickers have been on all summer and none have melted. Shocking.

Today the vibration came back after the van warmed up. I am thinking clogged fuel filter. I never changed it. Maybe this weekend, if it doesn't look stuck on. If not, its going to a shop.