What's wrong with my Windstar?

Question

I have a 1998 Windstar with 117,000 miles on it and a 3.8 V6. It's got a couple problems. It has a lower engine noise. And the belt isn't loud but it sounds like I'm pulling a cheese grater across the table. It runs fine when I'm driving. The oil light comes on and stays on the service engine soon light is on as well. The car has low oil pressure when it's idle but when I rev on it the oil light goes off. Like if I stop at a red light the oil light comes back on. I took it to autozone and I looked up the code to discover one of the IMRC'S were stuck open. Can you close one once it's stuck open or do you just have to buy a new one? Also my back door the lock won't unlock unless I climb back there and pull the latch up. It won't open from using the key or pushing the button. Lock silenoid maybe? I checked the oil it doesn't need any. Thanks.

Answer 1

..And there he is again "bobweb" (answer#2)-the complete and utter MORON that I keep running into who feels compelled to answer questions even though he has NO FREAKIN IDEA WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. "Drive it til it dies"... OMG what a moron.

Not that everyone else here is a genius either. You are heading fast towards an EXTREMELY serious problem (even if it is just minor now) and all you get is a bunch of 12 year old idiots helping you out. Until now at least.

FIRST AND FOREMOST--- ***STOP DRIVING THE VEHICLE***. The reason for this is if you do indeed have low oil pressure, and it's for a very simple reason (say clogged oil filter or pickup screen) then you WILL destroy your engine for what would have been a very inexpensive repair. In fact right now I'm replacing the engine on a car because an idiot like Bobweb kept driving the car with low oil pressure. Turns out the oil pickup screen was clogged- a $18 part and about 1 hour labor would have got another 100,000 miles on the car.
Morons. And they answer questions here. Christ.

Anyway if this were MY car what I'd do is drop the oil plug and look at the oil. My bet is it's going to look like tinkerbell lives there- you'll see a lot of what I call "flash" or many bits of aluminum similar to glitter in the oil. If this is the case you may be too late because you pulled the "Bobweb" for too long. Otherwise I'd then verify the pressure is indeed low by probing the oil pressure sensor. If I do have low oil pressure I'd try changing the filter and oil then see if pressure increases any. If it doesn't have effect or changes just a little I'd drop the oil pan and check if oil pickup tube screen is clogged and if it is replace it . At this point if nothing is going my way I'd just go ahead and pull off the windage tray and check the rod bearing clearances (note my strategy of moving from simpler to harder things in a logical sequence). If the bearing clearances aren't to spec, well, I guess you might as well drive it til it dies then because you need an engine rebuild.
The main point however is to absolutely not drive the vehicle to salvage the possibility you haven't destroyed the engine yet. Note this philosophy also applies to an overheating engine where again a simple inexpensive problem can turn into a destroyed engine by continuing to drive.
I hope you averted disaster by not taking advice from these idiots. Thanks in advance for your "best answer vote" and I now unfortunately must return you back the swarming sea of morons...

Answer 2

First of all it's a windstar :)
Lower engine noise could be a lot of things, like excessive bearing clearance. Which would explain the oil pressure light (but that also could be an oil pump) Lock solenoid most likely. The belt sounds like a bearing. Auto tensioner maybe?

Answer 3

Starting with the grater noise , my guess is a bearing or pulley about to fail. As far as the oil light goes it comes on when there is low oil pressure & since you said low oil pressure at idle I suspect weak oil pump. By revving engine oil pump speeds up thus increasing pressure. Good luck..

Answer 4

Just keep driving it until it dies. But check the fluid levels and plan for a new car. The name of the game is to keep it running without a lot of major engine or transmission work. Pull the plug when that happens.

Answer 5

Well number 1 is it's a windstar, number 2 is it has 117,000 miles on it, and number 3 is it's a Windstar.
Sorry

Answer 6

you can probably take it apart and clean it , if its broken replace it. but i think the best is to go to a junk yard and pick up the part and swap it over. and again its a ford (fix or repair daily). theres a online automotive forum that might help yah.

Answer 7

I'd have to agree with "unclebernie"
Give him 10 points.

Answer 8

You only have one diagnosis to all of your problems. IT IS A FORD !!!!!!

Answer 9

all those cars r messed up