'94 Explorer Ltd. - bogging/hard starting/just runs like crap!

[LoveMyExplorer]

I have a '94 Explorer Limited with a little over 205K on her. She's been running lousy for about a month now. She takes 2 or 3 cranks to start and then will "chug" for a few seconds before coming up to idle. There is definite hesitation on takeoff. I have to either "feather" the gas pedal or romp it or she'll stall. She loses power and surges off and on. Climbing hills is a nightmare....loss of power partway up. The first time it happened I drove 10 miles with the hazards on at 12 mph just to get home. No joke, home was all uphill. I've had a couple of local places look at it and they've said MAF sensor, EGR valve, possible clogged cat.

I used the "paper clip code read" that I found here and it's awesome!

Original codes:

First level:
335 - (O) EGR feedback signal is/was out of range - EVR or PFE

Second level:
157 - Mass Air Flows Sensor Circuit Below Minimum Voltage
158 - Mass Air Flow Sensor Circuit Above Maximum Voltage
172 - HO2S System Indicates Lean
176 - System Indicates Lean (Bank No. 2)
181 - Fuel System At Lean Adaptive Limit (Others)
186 - Injector Pulse Width Higher Than Expected (With BARO Sensor)
Injector Pulse Width Higher Or Mass Air Flow Lower Than Expected (Less BARO Sensor)
189 - Fuel System At Rich Adaptive Limit
327 - EGR Circuit Below Minimum Voltage

Wow...discouraging. Then I thought back....when the MAF was first suspected I got some MAF cleaner and worked it over and put it back. No appreciable difference. Then a DFPE sensor from the boneyard. No appreciable difference (ARGH!)

I was reading through the threads here and noticed that they all say to DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO RESET THE PCM. Oops. Must have missed that. Anyway...went out and disconnected the battery and cleared the codes.

Took her for a ride and got the following:

First level:
335 - (O) EGR feedback signal is/was out of range - EVR or PFE

Second level:
186 - Injector Pulse Width Higher Than Expected (With BARO Sensor)
Injector Pulse Width Higher Or Mass Air Flow Lower Than Expected (Less BARO Sensor) <---that's mine

Disconnected the battery again. Took out the boneyard DFPE and put the old one back in. Snapped off one of the bolts, of course <sigh>. Let her sit for 20 minutes or so and hooked the battery back up. Jumped the codes again and got:

First level:
Nothing!! YAY!!!! Maybe it wasn't the right one after all? <shrugs>.
Second level:
To be determined. I haven't taken her out yet. That's tomorrow morning at 3:30am when I go to work. All downhill, thankfully.

So far I'm thinking MAF sensor. I did clean it but maybe it's beyond help? Any thoughts or ideas about if I'm heading in the right direction?

Thanks!!

Elaine

 

[LoveMyExplorer]

sort of update...

My son wanted to go to Subway so we took my truck for a ride to see if we got the CEL. Yep, we did. Too dark tonight to monkey under the hood so I'll pull the codes tomorrow and see what happened.