I am desperate for help!!! Carbon fouling!!!! | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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I am desperate for help!!! Carbon fouling!!!!

allenhudson91

Member
Joined
July 11, 2009
Messages
24
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City, State
Birmingham, Al
Year, Model & Trim Level
1993 4.0 XLT
I have a '93 Explorer 4.0 XLT. The plugs are all carbon fouling within 15 minutes of driving, somtimes less than that. I am in desperate need for help, I have been working on this for almost a year and I have no idea what it is. I am a full time student in college so I dont have much time to work on it. I have replaced the plugs/wires, Fuel Pressure Regulator, Coil Pack. I have no idea what is causing it. The plugs are carbon fouling, they are covered in a fluffy black residue. Please try and help me!!! I am getting discouraged.
 



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Try running seafoam through the engine a few times, then change the plugs again. The vacuum tree is the best place to add it through the intake system.
 






Any codes????

It may be time to replace the O2 sensors if they are still original. Also after pulling your codes and seafoam treatment reset the PCM by disconnecting the battery for 10 mins.

Good Luck!
 






Any codes????

It may be time to replace the O2 sensors if they are still original. Also after pulling your codes and seafoam treatment reset the PCM by disconnecting the battery for 10 mins.

Good Luck!

I replaced the O2 sensors a couple months ago and it still fouled. I think I will try seafoam tomorrow, I pray to God this fixes my problem. I dont know what else to try. Does anyone else know anything I can try if the sea foam doesnt work?
 






I replaced the O2 sensors a couple months ago and it still fouled. I think I will try seafoam tomorrow, I pray to God this fixes my problem. I dont know what else to try. Does anyone else know anything I can try if the sea foam doesnt work?
If its as bad as you say it is, you'll probably have to run it several times.
 






I am praying that this works, I would love to have my car back! I will post an update tomorrow after I run some seafoam through a couple times.
 






I am praying that this works, I would love to have my car back! I will post an update tomorrow after I run some seafoam through a couple times.
Probably be best to wait a couple days between treatments. throw some in the gas tank too
 






I doubt there could be enough carbon in there that it is fouling the plugs that bad.... it has to be MAKING new deposits like crazy, something a otherwise properly running engine won't do. I would first check for other issues that would be causing a rich condition... or oil burning. Seafoam after you fix the problem would probably be a good idea to clean out accumulated carbon...

Check for pre-02 exhaust leaks (EGR, y-pipe, manifold to downpipe connection, random rust holes, etc)

Check for bad PCV valve, other vacuum problems. Can't hurt to check the intake pipe for cracks and the MAF sensor as well.

How does the exhaust look/smell? Does it use oil? Check engine light on?
 






I was going to say EGR. But I am not a mechanic. My specialty is in Thoracic surgery!! LOL
 






Mechanic / Surgeon... Same thing; different patients!!:D

TedJ, i think is on the right course.

You are definately burning alot of something (fuel) and probably some things you shouldn't. Make sure its not oil or trans fluid.

Check the vacuum tree and see if the hoses are oil damaged or if they have trans fluid in them. If so then you most likely need to replace the modulator for the auto trans. The diaphram goes bad and the engine injests trans fluid.
 






Mechanic / Surgeon... Same thing; different patients!!:D

TedJ, i think is on the right course.

You are definately burning alot of something (fuel) and probably some things you shouldn't. Make sure its not oil or trans fluid.

Check the vacuum tree and see if the hoses are oil damaged or if they have trans fluid in them. If so then you most likely need to replace the modulator for the auto trans. The diaphram goes bad and the engine injests trans fluid.

I have already had problems with my transmission and replaced the modulator valve about a year and a half ago. It is carbon fouling, that is fuel. When you burn trans and oil they usually leave the spark with wet black residue. when it is carbon (fuel) fouling, it leaves a dry fluffy black residue.

I wasnt able to seafoam it today, hopefully tomorrow.
 






I doubt there could be enough carbon in there that it is fouling the plugs that bad.... it has to be MAKING new deposits like crazy, something a otherwise properly running engine won't do. I would first check for other issues that would be causing a rich condition... or oil burning. Seafoam after you fix the problem would probably be a good idea to clean out accumulated carbon...

Check for pre-02 exhaust leaks (EGR, y-pipe, manifold to downpipe connection, random rust holes, etc)

Check for bad PCV valve, other vacuum problems. Can't hurt to check the intake pipe for cracks and the MAF sensor as well.

How does the exhaust look/smell? Does it use oil? Check engine light on?

It's not oil at all, I am 100% positive it is fuel. All of the other fluids stay the exact same level, it doesnt burn oil or anything. The exhaust is completely black inside with the same dry fluffy carbon that is on the plugs. I believe there is a leak on the passenger side on the header, but it is fouling on both sides on the engine.
 






Do you have a multimeter?

From what I have read I am wondering if your ECT and/or ACT sensor is reading properly?Since you replaced the fpr you should not be getting excess fuel that way... But if either sensor is reading out of range, the PCM could read the values as being lean and the PCM would enrichen the mixture by holding the injectors open longer...Also verify thatthey are connected and the wire at the connector is not broken...

And if you have old or non working o2 sensors they may not be able to correct for the excess fuel...And a vacuum would cause the engine to run lean as it allows unmetered air into the system so you can rule that out...

There is a resistance chart by temperature for these sensors.. If either one reads outside of the range for the temperature, I would start replacing them as they should be inexpensive and available at any auto parts store...

This is a link for testing the ECT sensor... http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/index.php?p=28
This is a link for testing the ACT sensor... http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/index.php?p=29
 






From what I have read I am wondering if your ECT and/or ACT sensor is reading properly?Since you replaced the fpr you should not be getting excess fuel that way... But if either sensor is reading out of range, the PCM could read the values as being lean and the PCM would enrichen the mixture by holding the injectors open longer...Also verify thatthey are connected and the wire at the connector is not broken...

And if you have old or non working o2 sensors they may not be able to correct for the excess fuel...And a vacuum would cause the engine to run lean as it allows unmetered air into the system so you can rule that out...

There is a resistance chart by temperature for these sensors.. If either one reads outside of the range for the temperature, I would start replacing them as they should be inexpensive and available at any auto parts store...

This is a link for testing the ECT sensor... http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/index.php?p=28
This is a link for testing the ACT sensor... http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/index.php?p=29

I am really thinking that it could be that ECT sensor. I am about to go test it in a few minutes.
 






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