CHK ENG Light @ 50K miles
#1
CHK ENG Light @ 50K miles
Hi
My '99 Ranger 2.5L w auto just turned 50K miles, and the check engine light came on.
I haven't yet rented a OBD II tester, so don't know what if any code is displayed.
I seem to recall some cars use to have a switch in the speedometer that indicated it was time for major routine service.
The owners manual didn't help ( or I missed the help ) and likewise my after market Clintons didn't help.
Suggestions anyone ??
Thanks
BillB
My '99 Ranger 2.5L w auto just turned 50K miles, and the check engine light came on.
I haven't yet rented a OBD II tester, so don't know what if any code is displayed.
I seem to recall some cars use to have a switch in the speedometer that indicated it was time for major routine service.
The owners manual didn't help ( or I missed the help ) and likewise my after market Clintons didn't help.
Suggestions anyone ??
Thanks
BillB
#2
RE: CHK ENG Light @ 50K miles
Your best bet it to retrieve the codes before doing anything else. As the moderator stated in other posts, some auto parts stores such as auto zone will scan your truck for codes at no charge in hopes of selling you parts. However I would get a second opinion on the code before spending money on parts. An example would be DTC P0401 which means insufficient egr flow. Auto Zone will try to sell you an egr valve to fix the concern when in reality it could be the DPFE sensor or a loose vacuum line to the valve or on higher mileage cars even clogged up egr ports in the intake. One code does not mean one part will cause it. There could be many parts in the system that could fail and set the same code. Post your code or email me and I will give you an educated guess. SMT
#3
RE: CHK ENG Light @ 50K miles
Hi,,
Don't know what happened to my reply to your post which I made yesterday ??? Oh well, here it is again.
I "rented" an OBD II reader from Checker. It shows a P1131 code. According to my Chilton manual this is a "HO2S" fault, and HO2S is Heated Oxygen Sensor. In poking at the code reader I once got a display that said "lean" and "sensor 1" but have not been able to repeat this screen.
Looks like the next step is to meter the heaters, and try to get wires into the sensor connector to see what the sensor signal looks like.
Am I on the right track ?? Any other Suggestions ??
Thanks
BillB
Don't know what happened to my reply to your post which I made yesterday ??? Oh well, here it is again.
I "rented" an OBD II reader from Checker. It shows a P1131 code. According to my Chilton manual this is a "HO2S" fault, and HO2S is Heated Oxygen Sensor. In poking at the code reader I once got a display that said "lean" and "sensor 1" but have not been able to repeat this screen.
Looks like the next step is to meter the heaters, and try to get wires into the sensor connector to see what the sensor signal looks like.
Am I on the right track ?? Any other Suggestions ??
Thanks
BillB
#4
RE: CHK ENG Light @ 50K miles
The P1131 means a lack of o2 sensor switching. The PCM monitors the o2 sensors rate of switch as it changes the short term fuel trim. In most cases P1131 is cured by replacing the o2 sensor. It will be the one closest to the engine not the catalyst monitor which is located behind the converters. If it were a true lean condition your DTC would be P0171. If I had the car here my next step would be to monitor BARO, short and long term fuel trims and the o2. If all looks ok I would replace the sensor. Hope this helps.
#5
RE: CHK ENG Light @ 50K miles
Hi,
I don't believe in magic... It seems "fixed" now.
I had pulled both O2 sensors before I got your note, the heaters had about 4.4 ohms, which is a bit less than the 6.8 the book mentions. But then my ohm scale is not all that 'calibrated'.
Both looked pretty clean, but I carefully scraped the exhaust gas 'slots' edges being careful not to touch the sensor element. Then I blew both out with shop air, but did not note any thing being expelled. Put things back together, reset the code with the OBD II tester.
Just returned from a 15 to 20 mile drive --- Check Engine light is still OFF and I again tested with the OBD II and there are NO codes - either problem or pending ....
The rental OBD II does not have a functional "monitor' mode so I could not 'watch' the feedback work as I drove.
Maybe, I should have reset the code and done the test drive before I did anything. We did have some lighting the day before the Check Engine light came on. Maybe, just unpluging and repluging the sensors did the trick.. Maybe it was the slight cleaning and blowing out ...
Thanks for the support..
Regards
BillB
I don't believe in magic... It seems "fixed" now.
I had pulled both O2 sensors before I got your note, the heaters had about 4.4 ohms, which is a bit less than the 6.8 the book mentions. But then my ohm scale is not all that 'calibrated'.
Both looked pretty clean, but I carefully scraped the exhaust gas 'slots' edges being careful not to touch the sensor element. Then I blew both out with shop air, but did not note any thing being expelled. Put things back together, reset the code with the OBD II tester.
Just returned from a 15 to 20 mile drive --- Check Engine light is still OFF and I again tested with the OBD II and there are NO codes - either problem or pending ....
The rental OBD II does not have a functional "monitor' mode so I could not 'watch' the feedback work as I drove.
Maybe, I should have reset the code and done the test drive before I did anything. We did have some lighting the day before the Check Engine light came on. Maybe, just unpluging and repluging the sensors did the trick.. Maybe it was the slight cleaning and blowing out ...
Thanks for the support..
Regards
BillB
#8
RE: CHK ENG Light @ 50K miles
Hi guys.
I finally bought myself in inexpensive code reader. I found a pretty good web page (www.diydiagnostics.com). I ordered one of the scanners and was able to get the trouble code, fix my truck, and shut off the engine light with it. It really worked well! Seems like a pretty good price at $54.99 plus about 4 bucks for shipping. The tool works great. It gives you more control over viewing/clearing codes than some others. Plus, it has a nice length cord so that you don't have to spend time with your head underneath your dashboard. It says it Works on 1996 and newer GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and some others. No computer required. It also comes with a handy code booklet to tell you what the codes mean. Thought you might find it helpful....I hate "renting" tools.
I finally bought myself in inexpensive code reader. I found a pretty good web page (www.diydiagnostics.com). I ordered one of the scanners and was able to get the trouble code, fix my truck, and shut off the engine light with it. It really worked well! Seems like a pretty good price at $54.99 plus about 4 bucks for shipping. The tool works great. It gives you more control over viewing/clearing codes than some others. Plus, it has a nice length cord so that you don't have to spend time with your head underneath your dashboard. It says it Works on 1996 and newer GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and some others. No computer required. It also comes with a handy code booklet to tell you what the codes mean. Thought you might find it helpful....I hate "renting" tools.
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