2009 Acceleration Issues

[Texpedition]

I am having issues with the acceleration in my 2009 Expy. With 200K+ miles on it (I'm the second owner) I don't know if the problem is a fuel filter and/or fuel pump, which are probably located on or in the gas tank, the fuel pump or plugs and coils. No codes pop up but the car acts like it is gasping for air when I'm trying to get up to speed, particularly getting on a freeway.

If it's the plugs and coils, are the nightmares I've read and heard about real? I can do some mechanical work but it's not my forte.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[bloodhound]

If it's the plugs and coils, are the nightmares I've read and heard about real? I can do some mechanical work but it's not my forte.

Your plugs are one piece, not the nightmare two piece. That was rectified in mid 2008.

 

[Texpedition]

Your plugs are one piece, not the nightmare two piece. That was rectified in mid 2008.

So, I pulled one of the coil packs to get a little more info for myself. I cannot see a plug but I could feel what appeared to be the tip of a plug down in the cavity. It seems odd that Ford would put a plug that far down and virtually unreachable but I have encountered some odd stuff on this Expy. Here's a pic of the coil pack:



Is this an integrated plug/coil? It just seems too easy from my perspective.

 

[Timo2824]

Pretty typical for an overhead cam engine to have the sparkplugs recessed. A sparkplug socket should have the rubber grommet in it to hold onto the plug during removal/installation.

 

[Fasttimes]

Replace plugs and coils. Get the socket plug, several extensions, be gentle with the breaking of the seal on the plugs and use dielectric grease. It's a pretty simple job. That plus clean the throttle body and you'll see a world of differnce.

 

[bloodhound]

So, I pulled one of the coil packs to get a little more info for myself. I cannot see a plug but I could feel what appeared to be the tip of a plug down in the cavity. It seems odd that Ford would put a plug that far down and virtually unreachable but I have encountered some odd stuff on this Expy. Here's a pic of the coil pack:

View attachment 78282

Is this an integrated plug/coil? It just seems too easy from my perspective.

Yes they are recessed. You should use the spark plug socket that looks like this.

 

[Dustin Gebhardt]

Have you checked for any codes? My ‘07 was super sluggish above 2700rpm and ForScan showed that I had an error with the intake manifold runner control motor. I replaced it and I’m back to full power. This code won’t set a CEL, so you will need a scanner to check for it.

 

[Texpedition]

Update on my acceleration issues; I replaced all of the plugs and cleaned and inspected the coil packs for cracks and deterioration. They all seemed in good condition so I reinstalled them. A test drive of the Expy told me that it was the plugs after all. It drives and accelerates just as it should. Removing and replacing the plugs was not anywhere as difficult as I expected. Much easier than my old blue '98 Expy.

As I was finishing the test drive, my check engine light came on. Took it to Auto Zone for a scan. Came back with an error code of P0150. That is a malfunctioning oxygen sensor, bank 2, sensor 1. I'll be back under the hood!

 

[purevw]

Came back with an error code of P0150. That is a malfunctioning oxygen sensor, bank 2, sensor 1. I'll be back under the hood!

Keep in mind that any code can be cause by several things other than the implied item. A loose connection to an O2 sensor or a rotten wire can also cause that code. My Expy randomly throws similar codes after driving on wet roads. Never spend money for parts unless you are reasonably sure the part is bad.

 

[bodabdan]

Before you change any parts out you should post which codes you're getting. An oxygen sensor code is commonly caused by something upstream of it not working right.
They can and do fail, and I like to change them out every 100k miles. However in my experience the oxygen sensor is finding the problem 90% of the time, the other 10% it is the problem.