What's wrong with my car?? Help?

jedi

New member
I have a 1992 Ford Aerostar van. It's an all wheel drive.

When I put it in reverse, it backs up just fine. But when I put it in drive, I have to stomp on the gas really hard to get it to go forward. It does this to me every so often. About 3-4 times a month.

It does that, won't go for ward. However, when it's warmed up it doesn't do that. It works just fine, no matter how long I drive it after it's good and warmed up.

Another thing-I hear metal scraping/clanging/rattling coming from what I thing is the drive shaft when I am driving, esp in hot weather or heavy traffic. Esp when I'm trying to speed up or slow down.

I know it needs an alignment-I don't have the $60 bucks to get it done right now. But I will as soon as I can.

The van also leaks. Power steering fluid and transmission fluid. I have to keep adding power steering fluid every few days and transmission fluid about once a week. I've taken it to several mechanics and they can't find where's it leaking. Water level in the radiator and the radiator is fine though.

And then there's smoke. When the van gets super hot, like I've been driving around doing errands for 3-4 hours, the van smokes. White smoke. It comes from the drivers side front tire-a little bit. Not much but just barely noticeable. But white smoke comes from the rear of the van like crazy. Like if a cop saw the white smoke I'd get a ticket.

About once a week when I go to start the van, I have to keep cranking the key and turning the engine over. When I start it, the van sounds like someone flooded the engine with gas and it takes 4-5 seconds before the engine kicks on. I've been told my starter is just fine. Sometimes I have to shut the van off, wait 3-4 seconds and then start the van again. The second time it fires right up. It only does this when it's been sitting all night and it's cold.

I've been told there's no tranmission leaks, my power steering pump is fine and every mechanic I've taken it to has told me there's no fluid leaks and my radiator is fine.

What the hell is wrong with my van? Any ideas? Is it fixable?
Oh, I've also been told my transmission if fine. *sigh*
 
It sounds like a vacuum leak. I am not sure if that transmission has any vac lines connected to it but it could. Check. If it does it is sucking transmission fluid into the intake manifold. That's why no one can find the leak. Hence the white smoke out the tail pipe its burning trans fluid in the intake manifold and out the tail pipe. Really check that for sure. That is also why it wont shift correctly. Its not a hard fix. That should fix it. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
 
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