black smoke

[Tim Kleppe]

"03" sport trac, 98k miles. driving around town everything is fine. Stop and turn off truck for about 15 minutes to look at car in used car lot. When I start back up the truck is blowing black smoke out of the exhaust and idling rough. I have about 15 miles to drive to get me back in the driveway. The further I go the worse it gets, to a point it wants to cut out when I excellerate. A mile from the house the truck quits and I am able to cost into a parkinglot. I turn off the key, restart the truck and my idle speed goes to 3,000 rpm while in park and stays there for about 20 seconds then drops to normal. Put the truck in drive and take off like there was never anything wrong. Drive around some more after parking in the driveway and looking under the hood. This morning the truck is still running great??@#$%#@^%&#*:wacko: What could cause this.

 

[Bill Ellis]

Although the engine computers are very reliable, sometimes they do imitate the Windows Blue Screen of Death. When that happens, nothing works right. Only solution is a reboot performed by turning ignition off, wait a few seconds, and turn it on. It will probably never happen to you again.

 

[Scott Tanner]

your IAC solenoid is probably dirty, also...

 

[Todd Z]

We call that the ST gremlin... Comes once or twice in the life time you own the truck..

IF it ever happens again, DO NOT drive it... YOU can wash the rings with gas and ruin your oil..

Shut it off and re start.... It should go away..

Todd Z

 

[Richard L]

Todd Z is correct. It's a common gremlin that only pops up only once or twice in the whole life of the vehicle, but occasionally someone will have it happen a couple of times in a month???



Personally, I think it's possible to start the engine before the computer has been fully booted and it's not thinking right.



To avoid this problem, I turn on the key and pause for about 2 seconds before I engage the starter.



It only happended once on my 2001 Sport Trac and I started to pause a few seconds before hitting the starter. I also do that with my 2003 Sport Trac and I have never had the problem....I can't prove that it's the cause and the cure, but until it does it again, I will never know. So for now it's just a theory. :unsure::unsure:



...Rich

 

[Chet 02]

Hmmm..happened when you stopped at a carlot? Your Trac is just mad thinking you might trade it in....:lol::wacko:



Liike everybody said, you will probably never see it again. I wouldn't worry about it at all. mine did it once about 1 year ago and never again.