Just picked up a 4.0l Aerostar with 5r44e

[parashootist]

Keep digging. You'll get there.

I'm thinking I may try to find a DIY to smoke the intake to check for more vacuum leaks. I'm pretty convinced that's my biggest issue.

 

[SenorNoob]

Somebody posted the other day nice cheap way to do that. Harbor freight fluid pump and a cigar. Cost less than $10.

 

[parashootist]

Somebody posted the other day nice cheap way to do that. Harbor freight fluid pump and a cigar. Cost less than $10.

Thanks! I watched a video of a soldering iron in a jar of baby oil with a bicycle pump hooked up to it, looked like it worked well.

 

[parashootist]

Found a drawer in the van with a bunch of receipts. Looks like the plugs and wires were replaced by a shop in 2021 about 9k miles ago. Also appears to be the last time the oil was changed. Makes sense why it looked so gross. I don't think the owner changed it himself since it still had a Valvoline branded oil filter like the receipt. Just 6k miles over their next recommended oil change .

I haven't smoke tested it yet but I did find more awful looking hoses at the evap canister. Probably explains the P1443 code.

I put a cap on the nipple that the evap hose connects to and it seemed to run a little better. So I'll replace all the vacuum lines for the evap.

I don't think that will totally resolve the issue though.

I got eyes on the fuel filter and it looks very old. I think the filter I ordered will be appreciated. The spark plugs were probably a waste, thankfully I got a good deal on them.