Introduction and a Stupid Question

[AZ3008]

Hey boys and girls! I'm Wolf, and I'm the proud - and slightly frustrated - new owner of a 2000 Explorer XLT. Separate and apart from the broken tailgate latch, spare tire carrier, door ajar light, and a driver's side door that won't unlock except from the inside latch, the check engine light is also on. I've gone through enough of the threads to have a good idea of what to look for, but in trying to find the PCV valve I found something odd. Driver's side valve cover area, up front, near the dipstick, is a plastic... what appears to be a sensor of some sort. There's wires running into it, and two vacuum hoses coming up from underneath. Pics to follow but at the moment I am on the cell phone. Anybody know what that doohickey is? One of the vacuum (?) lines (front one) is just hanging, as the plastic appears burned or rotted away.

 

[swshawaii]

EGR Pressure Feedback (DPFE) Sensor (OHV, SOHC, and 5.0L use the same DPFE sensor)

4.0L OHV
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...sion,egr+pressure+feedback+(dpfe)+sensor,5088

4.0L SOHC
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...sion,egr+pressure+feedback+(dpfe)+sensor,5088

5.0L
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...sion,egr+pressure+feedback+(dpfe)+sensor,5088

 

[AZ3008]

And that would be the puppy! I appreciate it - and I didn't even have to fight with photobucket about posting a picture! :-D Now I need to replace that part, and see if I've got any other broken/cracked parts and/or hoses, replace the MAF sensor (already cleaned the bejeebers out of it but that didn't do any good), find and replace the PCV valve, and then go from there. <insert rant about CA's smog testing here, especially in rural counties>

I'll admit that there are some things I like more about the 2000 (sitting up a little higher, for starters. and the driving lights, REALLY love those driving lights!), but I can't help but think that my '92 is a LOT easier to work on!

 

[AZ3008]

Okay folks, update time. I am STILL fighting with CA emissions, and the Check Engine light. Next on the agenda is (just for giggles) replacing the fuel cap, but on my last trip to the Ford dealer in Susanville, they said they couldn't smog it because "...the engine hadn't gone through it's self-test...", and then given a spiel about finding a back road, running up to about 65mph or so, then letting it coast down to about 10mph... Wash, rinse, repeat until the engine goes through the self-test.

Well, after replacing the knock sensor, the fuel vent hose, and a bunch of chewed-up EGR hoses, the mechanic told me that he had to reset the brain-box, so I need to have it go through the whole self-test again.

Is there an easier (and less expensive, now that CA has thrown another 12 cents/gal tax on gas) way to get it to complete the self-test? Can you 'force' it to go through the whole procedure and get it over with, so I can try running it through the emissions test and get my darn plates??

This 2000 Explorer is REALLY starting to tick me off... I'm ready to drive it back to OK and give it back to Dad, telling him that it's a lemon. Or, sell the stupid thing for scrap.

 

[1998Exp]

No, sorry, there is no shortcut. The system has to go through a few drive cycles in order to "complete the monitors". It normally takes a couple days of mixed city and highway driving. If you want to speed things up you can go through the exact cycle that's required - something akin to what the dealer told you to do (you can find a more accurate description by searching this forum). The OBD2 system is designed that way, so just resetting the engine computer and clearing any trouble codes without actually repairing underlying problems won't be enough to pass emissions. Your mechanic (or you, if you have a simple scanner) can verify that the monitors have completed and the vehicle is ready for the test.

 

[AZ3008]

Well bummer... I was hoping for a shortcut because for us, everything except going to the Post Office is highway driving! The disadvantage of living 50 miles from anywhere, I guess.

Okay, thanks! Looks like I know what I'm going to be doing for the next couple of days!

 

[Turdle]

One thing you really need, and this is coming from another who has miles to travel to get anything.
You need to know what the actual trouble codes are. You need some sort of a scan tool, whether it is a scangauge II or an elmscan device with the proper software. The investment is small compared to shotgun part purchasing, and gas to drive to a shop with the scan tool. Not to mention all the wasted time.