Shakes and runs like a spinning washer when cold...

[ignorantmonkey]

This has been happening for about a month now. Truck is turned on and while there prior to run suddenly shakes and it feels like I am into a washer on the spin cycle. If I start to drive it, the ride suddenly starts very rough, shakes and has almost no power to run. Only after this episode ends is when it resumes normal driving. I changed he spark plugs a week ago, and improved the regular diving conditions. But this seems to stay. Specially now that is winter, and in the mornings when the engine is cold. Only after runs normal the problem seems not to exist. But, say if I go to the movies, when I come back to go home afterwards it does same thing. What could be the problem? This is a 2002 XLT 4.8 with 160K miles.

 

[Sclass-hole]

Did it do this before the plug change?

 

[ignorantmonkey]

YES... Actually this is going on for some 30-40 days....I changed plugs a week ago...

 

[Sclass-hole]

I would go through the normal checklist of known problems causing similar symptoms.

Check PCV and elbow
Check to make sure coils are working properly
Check and clean MAF

 

[ignorantmonkey]

I am having problems finding out what MAF and PCV means... Im somehow novice mechanically speaking...

 

[walnuts4x4]

I would take a look at this link

http://expeditionforum.com/showthread.php?t=4926