danfritz
New Member
- Joined
- May 7, 2009
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Warsaw, IN
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '98 XLT Sport 4WD 4.0L
New member, first post. I have a '98 Explorer Sport, 2 door, 4.0 liter engine, 4WD, manual transmission, 192,000 miles.
Nice chat group- very helpful with some error codes that I recently had. I can fill everyone in on what I learned w/ the error codes listed above.
P0171/P0174- left and right banks too lean:
1. Found that the hoses for my MAF were split. In the course of changing them I found that the backside and bottom of the MAF plastic body were melted. You couldn't see it when the MAF was mounted to the engine, but it was very obvious once you removed it.
2. Checked fuel pressure- $54 gage from Advance Auto. Spec is 30-45 psi; my pressure was 30 psi.
3. Changed the fuel filter and the pressure went to 32 psi. That helped a little but still got the error codes.
4. Changed the upstread O2 sensors. It's worth the time to up the car on ramps or jackstands so that you have room to work. Don't try to take the sensors off cold; you'll probably ruin the threads in the exhaust pipe. Use a torch to heat the exhaust pipe (have a bucket of water nearby). I still chewed the threads up, but was able to chase them with an M18 x 1.5 metric tap.
P0302-Misfire on cylinder #2
1. Someone on the chat group recommended swapping the #2 spark plug with the plug from a different cylinder. If the problem stays in cylinder #2, then it's probably fuel. If it moves w/ the spark plug, then it's probably the plug. I swapped #1 and #2 with the engine hot (right after I drove home from work). I found that the #2 plug was fairly cool to the touch, but that I could only hold the #1 for a couple of seconds as it was hot. Figured that meant I had a bad plug. Replaced it with a new plug and everything is fine.
Decided to change the ignition coil and plugs wires as they were 11 years old. I learned a few things, but don't want to write a book here. If anyone is interested, let me know.
Nice chat group- very helpful with some error codes that I recently had. I can fill everyone in on what I learned w/ the error codes listed above.
P0171/P0174- left and right banks too lean:
1. Found that the hoses for my MAF were split. In the course of changing them I found that the backside and bottom of the MAF plastic body were melted. You couldn't see it when the MAF was mounted to the engine, but it was very obvious once you removed it.
2. Checked fuel pressure- $54 gage from Advance Auto. Spec is 30-45 psi; my pressure was 30 psi.
3. Changed the fuel filter and the pressure went to 32 psi. That helped a little but still got the error codes.
4. Changed the upstread O2 sensors. It's worth the time to up the car on ramps or jackstands so that you have room to work. Don't try to take the sensors off cold; you'll probably ruin the threads in the exhaust pipe. Use a torch to heat the exhaust pipe (have a bucket of water nearby). I still chewed the threads up, but was able to chase them with an M18 x 1.5 metric tap.
P0302-Misfire on cylinder #2
1. Someone on the chat group recommended swapping the #2 spark plug with the plug from a different cylinder. If the problem stays in cylinder #2, then it's probably fuel. If it moves w/ the spark plug, then it's probably the plug. I swapped #1 and #2 with the engine hot (right after I drove home from work). I found that the #2 plug was fairly cool to the touch, but that I could only hold the #1 for a couple of seconds as it was hot. Figured that meant I had a bad plug. Replaced it with a new plug and everything is fine.
Decided to change the ignition coil and plugs wires as they were 11 years old. I learned a few things, but don't want to write a book here. If anyone is interested, let me know.
