Could bad DPFE + Bad rear catalytic cause engine to die? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Could bad DPFE + Bad rear catalytic cause engine to die?

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Hi all

Bought a 96 Explorer. Has a check engine light. Dealer and others have checked code and said it is a bad DPFE sensor. Dealer also said bad rear catalytic converter. They said they called Ford and Ford said it is possible that combined DPFE + Bad Catalytic converter could cause engine to die because rear catalytic not burning off excessive something.

Is this possible? Car usually dies when coasting with foot off pedal, but if I pull over and put in park it will fire right back up and typically not do it again all day.. or maybe once more all day. Never more than twice in a day

Weird!

Anyway, all help and advice on how to handle appreciated. Dealer telling me $1,800 to replace DPFE and rear catalytic

HELP!

Thank you
 



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Sounds like the dealer is looking for some easy $$$$$. If one of the cats are bad any shop including exhaust shops can replace the cats at a fraction of the cost.

Take it somewhere else and get a second opinion.
 












Is the check engine light on?

Did the vehicle sit for a while? And tell the dealer no thanks.
 












I have called AutoZone and three other parts places and no one has a "DPFE sensor" in their system. No one veen knows what they are. Is there another name for them??
 






I have called AutoZone and three other parts places and no one has a "DPFE sensor" in their system. No one veen knows what they are. Is there another name for them??


EGR Pressure Feedback Sensor

The DPFE could be as simple as a leaking vacuum hose. There are two hoses on the DPFE. The DPFE is part of the EGR system. If the EGR is not operating properly it could cause the cat code.
 






Hi all

Bought a 96 Explorer. Has a check engine light. Dealer and others have checked code and said it is a bad DPFE sensor. Dealer also said bad rear catalytic converter. They said they called Ford and Ford said it is possible that combined DPFE + Bad Catalytic converter could cause engine to die because rear catalytic not burning off excessive something.

Is this possible? Car usually dies when coasting with foot off pedal, but if I pull over and put in park it will fire right back up and typically not do it again all day.. or maybe once more all day. Never more than twice in a day

Weird!

Anyway, all help and advice on how to handle appreciated. Dealer telling me $1,800 to replace DPFE and rear catalytic

HELP!

Thank you

A very clogged cat may cause the engine to stall but I'm not convinced... A bad cat will just pollute the air.

Bad idle air control valves cause this issue too. Pull it off the intake and clean it up or replace it. It looks like a metal cylinder with a wire and two bolts.

DPFE is $50 bucks...

What are the exact codes you are getting.
 






i would say check the egr system for either leaks or clogged passageways. A clogged cat would cause some severe drivability problems that you would notice almost like a truck jake brake or a loss of power. Ford always wants alot of money for their cats, thats why they put 4 to 6 cats on every car they make :rolleyes:
 


















Where is the DPFE sensor located?

On the driver side of the engine. Look for a rectangular box with two rubber hoses and an electrical harness with 3 wires.

The P0402 code is excessive EGR flow.

Could be two things:
*The DPFE is bad, and it has to be replaced. This is very likely if its original.

*You have excessive EGR flow and the DPFE is reporting it correctly. Excessive EGR flow(stuck open EGR valve for example) could cause a lean condition with extra air and possibly cause a stall.
 






Thanks much. Where should I get a DPFE sensor (dealer wants $130 for it) and how do I know if it's the sensor or a leak in the hoses?
 






What should I do? I am not mechanical. Should I start by having the DPFE replaced? Is that a first step you would take?
 






I got the DPFE sensor at Autozone for $45. One of the guys there showed me where it is. Easy replacement. I will replace tomorrow and report back. He said he doubted that is causing the engine to stall. He said I should pull off IAC and clean with brake fluid too
 






The stalling could very well be a sticky EGR valve. As far as a code p0420, it could be a bad cat, but it also could be an issue with the catalyst efficiency monitor (rear O2). Assuming that the techs at that dealership are held to the same standard that I am held at the dealership where I work (Chrysler), I would say that they probably did test the catalyst problem correctly and that your cat is failing. Other than emissions concerns, a failing cat won't cause any driveability issues in most cases.
 






Ok so I was on the way to Autozone last night and the CHECK ENGINE light went out. LOL! I swear there is a ghost in this car.

So anyway I unhooked batt and replaced DPFE sensor this morning. Easy job took all of 5 min. I then drove it around for a while and could not get the CHECK ENGINE light to come back on. So far so good, but I won't be convinced for a couple more days. I also couldn't get it to die (although neither could the dealer tech who drove it home from work 70 miles round trip--before I replaced the DPFE switch--it's a very intermittent problem)

I guess I will replace the EGR next if it keeps dying. Does everyone think that is the best course of action?

Thanks everyone.

I really appreciate your time and insights
 






Ok so I was on the way to Autozone last night and the CHECK ENGINE light went out. LOL! I swear there is a ghost in this car.

So anyway I unhooked batt and replaced DPFE sensor this morning. Easy job took all of 5 min. I then drove it around for a while and could not get the CHECK ENGINE light to come back on. So far so good, but I won't be convinced for a couple more days. I also couldn't get it to die (although neither could the dealer tech who drove it home from work 70 miles round trip--before I replaced the DPFE switch--it's a very intermittent problem)

I guess I will replace the EGR next if it keeps dying. Does everyone think that is the best course of action?

Thanks everyone.

I really appreciate your time and insights

DPFE may have solved it, sometimes it reports crazy info to the computer causing stalls! They are a high failure rate item.

Its unlikely (not impossible) the EGR valve is stuck open, usually you get crappy idle.

The EGR would be the next course of action.

if the cat converter code comes back for your 96 V6 there is a software flash that *may* fix it. It makes the monitor less sensitive. The dealer can look that up. Sometimes the cat code comes up with bad sensors, because the mixture becomes too lean and triggers it (Or some other reason). I had it come up and go away in the past.
 









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Update: knock on wood, but after I swapped out the DPFE switch I have no more check engine light, and in three days she hasn't died once!! So far so good. Will update next week again.

Thanks!
 






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