E-350 5.8L dies on idle
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Joined: Oct 2025
Posts: 1
E-350 5.8L dies on idle
1989 E-350 Club Wagon XLT 5.8L
Been struggling with this van for 2 weeks now. Bought it, drove it for an hour before i started losing power. Then it wouldnt start, so i changed the fuel filter. It started but won’t idle, you have to hold the throttle. Here’s most everything I’ve done to it so far:
verified exhaust wasn’t clogged
new spark plugs and wires
Sea foam in fuel, oil and air intake
smoke test to fix all vacuum leaks (i think)
new fuel pressure regulator
new battery, terminals, cables
new starter solenoid
engine block and starter grounds are good
Cleaned iac valve (not dirty) electrically tested
new pcv valve
changed oil
Bypass smog pump, air bypass valve and egr delete
3 different MAP sensors (they always get 2.5V instead of 5V, the van will idle for 30 seconds if you disconnect the map sensor, a lot longer if its warm.)
Then I replaced the throttle position sensor, cap and rotor. After doing that, it only cranks and no start. I tried old cap and rotor, didn’t fix, installed new ignition coil, didnt fix. I installed the cap and rotor incorrectly the first time (rotor wasnt fully seated) and i think that may have ****ed it up. Please help
Been struggling with this van for 2 weeks now. Bought it, drove it for an hour before i started losing power. Then it wouldnt start, so i changed the fuel filter. It started but won’t idle, you have to hold the throttle. Here’s most everything I’ve done to it so far:
verified exhaust wasn’t clogged
new spark plugs and wires
Sea foam in fuel, oil and air intake
smoke test to fix all vacuum leaks (i think)
new fuel pressure regulator
new battery, terminals, cables
new starter solenoid
engine block and starter grounds are good
Cleaned iac valve (not dirty) electrically tested
new pcv valve
changed oil
Bypass smog pump, air bypass valve and egr delete
3 different MAP sensors (they always get 2.5V instead of 5V, the van will idle for 30 seconds if you disconnect the map sensor, a lot longer if its warm.)
Then I replaced the throttle position sensor, cap and rotor. After doing that, it only cranks and no start. I tried old cap and rotor, didn’t fix, installed new ignition coil, didnt fix. I installed the cap and rotor incorrectly the first time (rotor wasnt fully seated) and i think that may have ****ed it up. Please help
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 16,584
At this point we don't know just where the problem lies, sooooo, lets eliminate some possibilities.
To do this correctly, you will need to remove the #1 spark plug.
What we want to do is line up the TDC mark on the crank pulley with the pointer on the timing chain cover. When you feel pressure coming out of the spark plug hole it is coming up on the compression stroke and that is when we go slowly and line up the timing mark TDC. If you pass it , no going back, go around again.
When you have the mark lined up the dist rotor should be pointing to the #1 spark plug wire tower on the dist cap (first cyl on pass side of engine) Need to know, YES or NO .
That timing mark can line up at the wrong position, IT MUST BE ON THE COMPRESSION STROKE.
To do this correctly, you will need to remove the #1 spark plug.
What we want to do is line up the TDC mark on the crank pulley with the pointer on the timing chain cover. When you feel pressure coming out of the spark plug hole it is coming up on the compression stroke and that is when we go slowly and line up the timing mark TDC. If you pass it , no going back, go around again.
When you have the mark lined up the dist rotor should be pointing to the #1 spark plug wire tower on the dist cap (first cyl on pass side of engine) Need to know, YES or NO .
That timing mark can line up at the wrong position, IT MUST BE ON THE COMPRESSION STROKE.
Last edited by hanky; Oct 11, 2025 at 07:41 AM.
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