1997 Ford Windstar Making Noise - General

Question: I have a 4 problems with a 3.8l 97 windstar v6 105, 000 mi. meticulously maintained 1) ONLY when cold, I get a whine. It sounds more windy than mechanical but mechanical isn't out of the question. My first thought was a vacuum leak, but I don't see any vacuum stuff in the area. but it comes from the area of the pulleys and I can't quite tell which. It only lasts for a very few minutes. As SOON as the temp guage moves, it disappears and doesn't come back unless parked in the cold for 8 or 10 hours. It happens whether driving or idling and goes up in pitch with throttle whether idling or moving. 2) Typical ford crap - My "door ajar" light comes on sporadically which in turn leaves all interior lights on. Only way to stop it is to disconnect the fuse for interior lights for several hours. Then it resets and I won't have the prob again for a month. (I've checked all the switches, Find nothing questionable, they all check out on a meter) 3) Is it just me or are the spark plugs totally inaccessible. I can only see the wires for 2 plugs, and I can't see the coil from any angle. 4) last night on the highway, my speedometer went haywire. Over 30mph it bounced all over the meter. I set the cruise on what I knew was 60 (a friend was in a car behind me) and cruise held sixty perfectly, but the meter bounce between 80 and 150

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Technican: 1. Does the sound change at all if you turn the wheel? There is a chance the alternator is spinning hard, especially if the battery is getting weak or something is causing a drain on the battery. Be sure to check the belt tensioner, it is a common failure. 2. The most likely cause is still a switch. Unless you are able to test all of the switches when the problem was present, you cannot rule out the switches. 3. Have you tried getting to the spark plugs from underneath, through the wheel well area, etc? 4. Has the check engine light turned on? The speed sensor may be sending erronous readings causing the bounce. How long did the problem last? Did it go away as soon as you dropped back below 30 mph?

Owner: 1) Turning the wheel has no effect at all. It's hard to nail down the prob because it goes away so fast. Can't be reproduced at will and never lasts more than 3 minutes (WAYS when cold). Not sure how to check the tensioner except that the tension seems correct. 2) Switch - I've been yanking switches since it started. Again, a sporadic problem with no apparent (or obvious)connection between the problem and any given switch. When it's happened, I've actually pulled the switches individually and worked them by hand and nothing changes. 3) Spark Plugs - this one is solved. I tried from underneath, but I can't reach them all, however, removing the window cowl gave me the play I needed, so I can do it now. 4) No engine light, however it's true that 30 is the magic number. When it hits 30, it takes a mad jump to 60 then bounces crazily between 60 and 120. Under 30 all is fine.

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1997 Ford Windstar Making Noise - General

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