OK...normally I would wait for responses in other forums...but I am out of town and need some help...

OK...a few days ago I had a misfire issue. Come to find out on that one of the plug wires laid up on the manifold and melted the jacket....replaced all plug wires and van ran fine. I also had a code 440 and 1404. We replaced the vacuum hose that goes from the PCV valve into the unit beside the transmission dip stick and the SES light hasn't come on since.

TODAY...when van is under load it stutters like it wants to cut off. I can floor it and it just acts like it isn't getting fuel...spits and sputters. I got it to my inlaws and I can start the van...it idles perfectly. Put it in D, 3, 2 or 1 and it shuts off...I can put it in reverse and rev the motor up just fine...put it in any forward gear and the motor cuts off......I don't have access to a code reader where I am at and the SES and engine lights haven't lit up either....also as a note my fuel guage hasn't been working for over a year...I know the van has gas, but wanted to throw that in there in case it raised any flags...any suggestions...

 

I went out to the van this morning and started her up, put her in Drive and she didn't stall out...not sure what to do. This started last night when I went to pass someone going to my in-laws...stuttered when it went into OD or passing gear it seemed...I let off the accelerator and she stopped. On the way back to her mothers it seemed worse doing it in 1, 2, 3 and D, but still under load. Now, on the way to her mothers is hilly, so the load on the van is greater....I am just at a loss here.

 

sounds like it could be a blockage in the fuel system when was the last time you changed the fuel filter?

 

Update...I made it up to Advance Auto and had them scan the van...ZILCH..not a single code set. On the way home it acted up again....when I floor it...it spits and sputters...almost like a backfire. I put it in reverse when I got in the neighborhood and got it home in reverse...it still would cut off when I let off the gas...but it wouldn't immediately turn off like when its in D, 3, 2 or 1...I am thinking it has to be a fuel issue...if it were the transmission...it woulnd't backfire....it would just buck maybe....


I am going to do the fuel filter, air filter here in a few minutes.

 

OK...just changed the fuel filter...when I changed it I dumped the fuel out of the filter from the side that feeds in from the tank and it looks really dirty...like I said, the van isn't surging, but when it starts doing it if I press the pedal down it seems like it misfires...misses like it isn't getting fuel...at least thats my non-expert explenation....does this photo look bad enough to cause the issues?...also, when it is doing it if I take it out of gear to neutral it revs up and runs fine...put it back in D and stumbles.



Photo note...my hands were clean before the photo...all of that came out of the fuel filter

 

That is the carbon brushes from your fuel pump. This means it's about to go. DO NOT FILL UP AGAIN! Change the pump and that should help.

Regards,

Thomas

 

def sounds like fuel pump, change the pump and sender, prob change fuel filter again as well to be safe.....

 

I have to fully agree looks like your fuel pump is on its way out

 

along with my mechanic...

OK...a week ago I posted up about my 2000 Chevy Venture problem. This all started when I tried to pass someone and it acted like the engine missed on me. Barely got it back to my in-laws house. We got it home and my mechanic is just aggravated with it. He did replace the fuel pump with an AC Delco pump as he said the old pump wasn't holding pressure and sometimes wasn't pumping at all.

He said the van starts and idles PERFECT..no missing, not running rough, etc. Drive the van down the road and after it warms up...it starts acting like it misses. Pull over and put it in Reverse...it doesn't miss....doesn't matter if you are in 1, 2, 3 or OD. Slip in in neutral...runs FINE with no missing. He also said sometimes it will stop if you stomp on the gas...sometimes it will stop once you put it in reverse and go back forward. They have had one of the expensive Snap-On scanners hooked onto it...NO CODES WHATSOEVER...ran the van with it connected the whole time and when it would act up...NO CODES...I think I am going to drive him to drinking with this one....the biggest problem is that it is RANDOM..it won't follow a set pattern of doing it! NOW one code constantly came up that is gone now was the P01404 I believe which was something with the EGR...there was a loose vacuum hose coming from the PCV Valve, seen below circled in blue in second photo (this is a photo of the old one so it's not kinked like that), I replaced that and the code hasn't come back..not sure if it was because of the vacuum hose or something happened with the EGR...

Any suggestions...things we have done...

I pulled off the PCV Tube on accident, replaced with NEW Circled in red in second photo
NEW AC Delco plug wires
NEW Fuel Pump
NEW Fuel Filter, FRAM which is what was on there, this was replaced a day or so before the pump...the gas had black crap in it on the gas tank side....black stuff was NOT in the tank so it was coming from the pump.
All work prior to this was just regular maintenance, I had the head gasket replaced this time last year though, had the dancing needle, the leak wasn't bad enough to have junk in my oil.

 

Van running fine with EGR P01404 code
I messed around and must have jiggled the wires which caused the flashing SES light and burned wire
Replaced vacuum hose running from PCV Valve, shown above
Replaced Spark Plug Wires
drive to Raleigh
Stutter started once down there

That is the chain of events leading to this...