Well we were on the Highway the other night and the check engine light started flashing and the truck was shaking like mad. Wouldn't go over 50MPH and I knew from previous experience a flashing CEL meant there was a misfire. I pulled my foot off the gas and coasted as much and as often as I could until we got home.
When we got home I hooked up the OBD2 and saw P0133 (Bank1,Sensor1), P0401 and P0303. I knew my EGR was disconnected because the truck was acting funny when I left it on - I knew it needed to be cleaned but did not have time because I've been laid up in bed recovering from surgery.
I knew the coilpack and wires were good, I had just replaced them 4 months before getting in my wreck - but to make sure all was well I ran the engine cold at night and watched the coilpack/wires and wiggled them looking for sparks - nothing and the connections still looked great.
So we started off taking off the passenger wheel and cutting away at the firewall - Plug 3 was the closest one to the back of the engine and accessible with a 4" Flex Socket Wrench & Spark Plug socket - no boot puller needed. After doing research I've come to the understanding that AutoLite were the best plugs and purchased one double platinum plug. Pulled the plug and sure enough it was covered in black tar substance and what appeared to be oil. Replaced the plug and cleared the codes - misfire was gone but the rest of the codes remained in tact after a 10 minute drive.
So tools required;
5/8" Spark Plug Socket (with little rubber piece)
Spark Plug gap tool
4" Flex Wrench
Tire Iron
Floor Jack
Pair of metal Snips to cut away the fire wall
Took about 25 minutes total.
We brought it home and looked at the emissions tubing that connected the EGR sensor/DPFE to the block and EGR valve. It was pretty brittle and the diaphragm in the EGR didn't give without a good amount of pressure. Nowhere near as much pressure as was coming from the vaccum line. Decided to pull the vacccum line and it broke all over the place. Very brittle, decided to just re-do all the line and went to Advance bought a line of emissions tubing 1/8" by 3' for 2.99. Also bought a can of Seafoam Carb Cleaner and took the EGR off and cleaned it out, required far less pressure for the diaphragm to respond. Reconnected all the boots - only tools required were some snips, pliars and a bit of unused motor oil. I applied the motor oil around the emissions tubing to get the deepest, snuggest fit. To get the old tubing out I squished the boot with the line still connected with a pair of pliers then twisted it and wiggled it out. It was so brittle just trying to pull it just made it break further apart. Cleared the codes and drove for an hour, no more P0141.
So tools required;
Metal Snips to cut emissions tubing.
13mm Socket
4" Flex Wrench (easier to get to the bolts)
SeaFoam Carb Cleaner
Black Emissions tubing from Advance (2.99)
Pliers
Some motor oil or vasoline - not a lot at all, just a little bit so you can reall cram the lines.
Took about 45 minutes when it was all said and done, most annoying part was removing the lines from the old boots and unbolting the EGR. Once it's out you need to apply some vaccum pressure to the top to suck the diaphragm open and then spray it with carb cleaner. Also used a small pipe cleaner esque tool to clean it and replaced the egr gasket, gasket is only like 1.49 at Advance.
Still getting P0133 - baffled really, I've had it for a long time but the engine was running a bit better than it was before the two previous repairs. Still a bit sluggish to accelerate but no more shake or knock.
I knew I was losing coolant but the oil wasn't frothy and there was no oil in the coolant. No white smoke or steam coming from the tailpipe, a bit of water but nothing more than normal condensation. Mechanic told me there was compression loss and a few leaks - hard to tell where and they felt the loss was in the heads because all of the hoses looked good. Radiator was filthy and we were adding coolant every ~2 weeks. I disconnected the hoses from the thermostat housing and the lower radiator hoses - they were filthy, the water was brown, rusty almost. Thermostat looked kind of the same. Got a garden hose and ran it through the radiator with the hoses disconnected until it ran clear - took about two minutes before the water wasn't brown at all anoymore, then started running it through the radiator hoses until it was kind of clear, started the engine up - heat on full blast and ran the garden hose slowly through the thermostat housing hose for ~20 minutes. After this, we reconnected all of the hoses and filled up the radiator to about 2.75 gallon (using only water, per flush instructions), the other quart I left unfilled to use a radiator flush - did a lot of reading and a lot of folks use the blue prestone super flush, so it was on sale at Advance for 4.99 I figured what the hell. Flush said to drive for 3 hours. So I did. I drove about 201 miles total.
While out driving I bought the thermostat, thermostat gasket, radiator flush there then headed to Wally World and bought 3 Gallons of Prestone 50/50. Ordered Blue Devil for 35.99 from Amazon.com - it's a "fix in a can" but has great reviews, figured what the hell. Vehicle just needs to make it to tax season.
After the engine cooled, we flushed it again, this time doing the water trick again, disconnect the hoses, losen the radiator valve. Run water through the radiator, it was clear when we started but wanted to remove chemical build up. Started the truck, heater on blast and did it again to the upper hose that connects to the thermostat housing. Did this for about 15 minutes again. Once this was done, we removed the thermostat and thermostat gasket and replaced them. Put the upper and lower hoses back in tact and filled up with 2.5 gallons of water and started the engine up. Slowly poured half the bottle of Blue Devil into the radiator through the radiator cap hole and then replaced the radiator cap - It's important you pour this **** slowly. Let the vehicle idle for 55 minutes. In this time there were a few periods where it emitted white smoke from the tail pipe but not thick, just noticeable - it happened for about 30 seconds three times. After the third time it didn't happen anymore. We let the engine cool again then once again, for a third time, flushed the radiator, this time we knew it was just clean water and sealant so we just drained the water, houses and sprayed some water in the thermostat housing line. Reconnected the lines and filled up with 2.5 gallons of 50/50 Prestone and again with the radiator cap off poured the remainder of the Blue Devil in. Replaced the cap and let it idle for about 30 minutes before turning the truck off.
Cleared the codes again and drove for about an hour - truck isn't registered anymore so I can only drive over the mountain to my sister in law's house. Drove back and forth several times, still no codes. Noticeable increase in power, acceleration, fires right up, engine is much quiet, no ping, no knock. No codes. I donno how long this fix will work, but it did work for now and I hope it makes it to tax season.
Tools required;
4" Flex Wrench (Especially for thermostat)
Pliers
Water Hose
Prestone Super Radiator Flush
Antifreeze
Blue Devil Head Gasket Sealant
10mm socket
8mm socket
Flat Head Screwdriver
Overall it took about an hour and some change not counting the idling. Drove it some more today, no codes and still running impeccable - better than when we first bought it.
I know these fixes won't work for anyone, but for anyone with similar codes (they google together quite a bit from what I noticed) or a loss of compression in the head - might as well try it. This engine seems to be infamous for these issues.
Thanks for reading! Any questions, let me know.
When we got home I hooked up the OBD2 and saw P0133 (Bank1,Sensor1), P0401 and P0303. I knew my EGR was disconnected because the truck was acting funny when I left it on - I knew it needed to be cleaned but did not have time because I've been laid up in bed recovering from surgery.
I knew the coilpack and wires were good, I had just replaced them 4 months before getting in my wreck - but to make sure all was well I ran the engine cold at night and watched the coilpack/wires and wiggled them looking for sparks - nothing and the connections still looked great.
So we started off taking off the passenger wheel and cutting away at the firewall - Plug 3 was the closest one to the back of the engine and accessible with a 4" Flex Socket Wrench & Spark Plug socket - no boot puller needed. After doing research I've come to the understanding that AutoLite were the best plugs and purchased one double platinum plug. Pulled the plug and sure enough it was covered in black tar substance and what appeared to be oil. Replaced the plug and cleared the codes - misfire was gone but the rest of the codes remained in tact after a 10 minute drive.
So tools required;
5/8" Spark Plug Socket (with little rubber piece)
Spark Plug gap tool
4" Flex Wrench
Tire Iron
Floor Jack
Pair of metal Snips to cut away the fire wall
Took about 25 minutes total.
We brought it home and looked at the emissions tubing that connected the EGR sensor/DPFE to the block and EGR valve. It was pretty brittle and the diaphragm in the EGR didn't give without a good amount of pressure. Nowhere near as much pressure as was coming from the vaccum line. Decided to pull the vacccum line and it broke all over the place. Very brittle, decided to just re-do all the line and went to Advance bought a line of emissions tubing 1/8" by 3' for 2.99. Also bought a can of Seafoam Carb Cleaner and took the EGR off and cleaned it out, required far less pressure for the diaphragm to respond. Reconnected all the boots - only tools required were some snips, pliars and a bit of unused motor oil. I applied the motor oil around the emissions tubing to get the deepest, snuggest fit. To get the old tubing out I squished the boot with the line still connected with a pair of pliers then twisted it and wiggled it out. It was so brittle just trying to pull it just made it break further apart. Cleared the codes and drove for an hour, no more P0141.
So tools required;
Metal Snips to cut emissions tubing.
13mm Socket
4" Flex Wrench (easier to get to the bolts)
SeaFoam Carb Cleaner
Black Emissions tubing from Advance (2.99)
Pliers
Some motor oil or vasoline - not a lot at all, just a little bit so you can reall cram the lines.
Took about 45 minutes when it was all said and done, most annoying part was removing the lines from the old boots and unbolting the EGR. Once it's out you need to apply some vaccum pressure to the top to suck the diaphragm open and then spray it with carb cleaner. Also used a small pipe cleaner esque tool to clean it and replaced the egr gasket, gasket is only like 1.49 at Advance.
Still getting P0133 - baffled really, I've had it for a long time but the engine was running a bit better than it was before the two previous repairs. Still a bit sluggish to accelerate but no more shake or knock.
I knew I was losing coolant but the oil wasn't frothy and there was no oil in the coolant. No white smoke or steam coming from the tailpipe, a bit of water but nothing more than normal condensation. Mechanic told me there was compression loss and a few leaks - hard to tell where and they felt the loss was in the heads because all of the hoses looked good. Radiator was filthy and we were adding coolant every ~2 weeks. I disconnected the hoses from the thermostat housing and the lower radiator hoses - they were filthy, the water was brown, rusty almost. Thermostat looked kind of the same. Got a garden hose and ran it through the radiator with the hoses disconnected until it ran clear - took about two minutes before the water wasn't brown at all anoymore, then started running it through the radiator hoses until it was kind of clear, started the engine up - heat on full blast and ran the garden hose slowly through the thermostat housing hose for ~20 minutes. After this, we reconnected all of the hoses and filled up the radiator to about 2.75 gallon (using only water, per flush instructions), the other quart I left unfilled to use a radiator flush - did a lot of reading and a lot of folks use the blue prestone super flush, so it was on sale at Advance for 4.99 I figured what the hell. Flush said to drive for 3 hours. So I did. I drove about 201 miles total.
While out driving I bought the thermostat, thermostat gasket, radiator flush there then headed to Wally World and bought 3 Gallons of Prestone 50/50. Ordered Blue Devil for 35.99 from Amazon.com - it's a "fix in a can" but has great reviews, figured what the hell. Vehicle just needs to make it to tax season.
After the engine cooled, we flushed it again, this time doing the water trick again, disconnect the hoses, losen the radiator valve. Run water through the radiator, it was clear when we started but wanted to remove chemical build up. Started the truck, heater on blast and did it again to the upper hose that connects to the thermostat housing. Did this for about 15 minutes again. Once this was done, we removed the thermostat and thermostat gasket and replaced them. Put the upper and lower hoses back in tact and filled up with 2.5 gallons of water and started the engine up. Slowly poured half the bottle of Blue Devil into the radiator through the radiator cap hole and then replaced the radiator cap - It's important you pour this **** slowly. Let the vehicle idle for 55 minutes. In this time there were a few periods where it emitted white smoke from the tail pipe but not thick, just noticeable - it happened for about 30 seconds three times. After the third time it didn't happen anymore. We let the engine cool again then once again, for a third time, flushed the radiator, this time we knew it was just clean water and sealant so we just drained the water, houses and sprayed some water in the thermostat housing line. Reconnected the lines and filled up with 2.5 gallons of 50/50 Prestone and again with the radiator cap off poured the remainder of the Blue Devil in. Replaced the cap and let it idle for about 30 minutes before turning the truck off.
Cleared the codes again and drove for about an hour - truck isn't registered anymore so I can only drive over the mountain to my sister in law's house. Drove back and forth several times, still no codes. Noticeable increase in power, acceleration, fires right up, engine is much quiet, no ping, no knock. No codes. I donno how long this fix will work, but it did work for now and I hope it makes it to tax season.
Tools required;
4" Flex Wrench (Especially for thermostat)
Pliers
Water Hose
Prestone Super Radiator Flush
Antifreeze
Blue Devil Head Gasket Sealant
10mm socket
8mm socket
Flat Head Screwdriver
Overall it took about an hour and some change not counting the idling. Drove it some more today, no codes and still running impeccable - better than when we first bought it.
I know these fixes won't work for anyone, but for anyone with similar codes (they google together quite a bit from what I noticed) or a loss of compression in the head - might as well try it. This engine seems to be infamous for these issues.
Thanks for reading! Any questions, let me know.
