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E-350 PCM wont show engine sensor ouput

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  #1  
Old 07-13-2014, 12:00 PM
ka9j's Avatar
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Default E-350 PCM wont show engine sensor ouput

A dome light got left on in my 2001 E-350 w/ 6.8L V-10 engine, and the battery went completely dead. I hadn't driven it for a month or so, so I have no idea how long it was dead. I charged the battery (and found the dome light on), and the engine would crank, but not fire at all. I connected my Actron CP9180 scanner, and it would communicate some with my PCM, but would not find or show the enginge sensor output. I connected the Actron to my 2006 Freestar and my son's 1997 Taurus, and it worked great. I started checking things, and found that the E-350 had no fuel pressure, and the fuel pump was locked up and drawing a lot of current (20 Amps). I replaced the fuel pump, and the van started and ran fine....I thought. It still wouldn't indicate the engine sensors output. I tried resetting it with the Actron, but no help.

Last week, my son had to move some tools to a friend's auto repair shop, so while we were there, he tried his friend's Matco scanner. It also would not indicate the engine sensors, but it did tell me that I had a P1000 error code (emission test not complete), but I couldn't get it to tell me exactly what test was not finished. My Actron also showed the P1000 error, but it indicated that the oxygen sensor test was not complete. I've only driven it about 300 miles since I changed the fuel pump, but last week I did travel about 50 miles on the highway. I think the O2 sensors test should have been competed long ago. Watching the gas gauge, I think it's using even more gas than usual.

Anybody have any idea why my PCM won't show the engine sensor output? Do I have to reboot the PCM somehow? Any help would be appreciated.

Frank D.
 
  #2  
Old 07-13-2014, 01:51 PM
hanky's Avatar
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Something you can try.
Disconnect the battery cables from the battery and hold them together, making contact, for about 15-20 minutes to allow the capacitors to discharge and clear any memory. Then reconnect them and let it idle for a few minutes then take it for a drive several miles at different speeds. There are several things that need to be allowed to take place while driving(monitors to run) then see what code(s) you get if any.
 
  #3  
Old 07-14-2014, 07:27 AM
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Last night I disconnected the negative battery cable and pulled the headlight switch 'ON'. This morning I reconnected it, and checked it with my Actron scanner.....still no sensor (PID) info. When I tell my scanner to 'view data', it attempts to validate the PIDs, and then comes up with a blank screen. I've got to take a 50 mile trip within the next few days, so I'll let you know if the O2 sensors pass. I haven't started it yet, but when I checked for errors, it said 'found none' for both the state ODD II check and also the regular check.
 
  #4  
Old 08-13-2014, 08:44 AM
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Default Van update

FWIW, here's what's new with the E-350.

The P1000 error never came back the second time, but the O2 heater and sensor tests never completed. I did some more research online, and found a few people that had the identical problem with Ford Super Duty trucks. What they'd found out is that when the GVW is over 8800#, the vehicles don't need to comply with the complete OBD2 tests and they don't use the same PCM modules. Ford uses simpler computers. These people also had the same uncompleted tests showing on theirs, and they passed the emission tests. My van is rated @ 9300# and although they do plug into the OBD port, they still sniff the exhaust at idle. Then I decided that since the PCM wasn't testing the O2 sensors and I was getting poor gas mileage, that I needed to test the 02 sensors with my DVM. Both sensors were bad (they only had about .15V output and it was steady). I ordered a pair of Bosch sensors from Rock Auto and installed them. I put about 200 miles on the van over the weekend, and by Sunday it was getting about 17 MPG as estimated from the gas gauge movement. This was on mostly state highways with a speed of 55-60 MPH. There was a small amount of interstate 68-70 MPH driving. Before changing the O2 sensors I'd estimate that it was getting about 10 MPG or less.


The right 02 sensor was a bit of a pain to change. You change it from the doghouse opening, but it points straight up from the exhaust pipe. You can get the 02 sensor socket to go on, but there isn't room for a ratchet. You can't get a wrench on the socket hex straight enough to work. I ended up using a 7/8" crows foot wrench, but the sensor was real tight and took quite a bit of torque to loosen. After it was done, I looked online and saw they have what appears to be a box wrench/crow foot that goes completely around the sensor hex and that'd be a lot better than the open end crows foot. The left sensor had room for the socket and ratchet and was accessed from below and wasn't very tight. I have no idea why the 02 sensors went bad--I'm not going through any anti-freeze and my van only has 70K miles on it. Other than spark plugs and one ignition coil about 7 years ago, no work has been done. I did use anti-seeze on the plugs, but I always do that and haven't had problems before. The gas mileage hasn't been normal for a couple of years, but I don't drive it much so it wasn't important to check into.

It won't have an emission test until next summer, but I'm glad it's fixed now.

Thanks for all your help!!
 
  #5  
Old 10-10-2014, 07:39 AM
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Hi! i am also handled this problem. It's so simple. Try the following. just discharge your batteries and disconnect them. Reconnect it after 30 mins. Suppose it's not working then contact the experts.
 
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