My 4.0L SOHC has problems when the weather turns cold outside. The check engine lite has come on...codes reveal it says Right and Left Bank "lean." The thing will start, but you have to "nurse" the gas pedal to keep it running because it will go dead after stalling out. This ONLY happens when the outside weather temperature is cold, i.e., less than about 40 degrees...and gets worse when it's really cold. Never happens during the summer months. My mechanic has changed out the EGR valve and done some other things that helped it a bit...but I'm frustrated because it started doing the same thing again. Could this be an intake manifold leak? I was reading the Haynes repair manual and it says these engines have plastic upper and lower intake manifolds. Please give me the fix for this. I can do myself if I knew what the problem was. Thanks,
Cabbie

 

cabbie, your engine codes (P0171 and 74) are probably caused by a leaking lower intake manifold gasket. The PCM will register lean because of the extra air that is beening drawn into the intake. You can contact Ford and get kit to fix the problem, just tell them you need a kit for the ford explorer sohc 00m12 recall (program actually). The cost is $45 - $55 depending on where you live. If your explorer has less than 72,000 miles ford will complete the entire job free. I just finished this fix on mine, and it runs better than it ever had; took me about 4 hours but I was b/s'ing with the neighbor more than working on the engine. Also you can check your spark plugs and wires to make sure the wires aren't cracked and the engine hasn't fouled the plugs while trying to start in the cold.