Project Vulture

[DintDobbs]

Did a simple mod to circumvent a potential issue I've been having in the cold weather... The front wind shield washer doesn't always activate when it's cold outside. Not sure what the issue was, as the washer pump has power and the button on the steering column works - this issue has only ever occurred during or shortly before snowfall. The column button would activate the wind shield wipers, but not the washer pump some times; other times, the washer pump would operate normally, or have a randomly-timed delay before starting. When it activated, it could be heard; when it didn't activate, it couldn't be heard. A full or partial blockage was not considered as a potential part of the problem. I observed however that pressing the rear washer button always triggered the washer pump, even when the column button didn't.

So, I replaced the 26-year-old washer pump with a new one, and found significant gunk build-up on the filter. It's not impossible that there was a blockage inside the pump itself, but there was definitely nothing inside the hoses. However, when I installed the new pump, I directed both the front and rear outputs to the front wind shield using a Y-pipe, and capped off the unused rear washer hose (since my rear wiper has been disabled). Now I can activate the front washer using both buttons, uh, in case I break the turn signal lever off or some thing? I dunno.

 

[DintDobbs]

Well, fellas, I've got a new problem.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've had consistently unstable startups. It would crank and rev up strong, but often choke and stall immediately. Playing with the throttle during startup and keeping the RPM's around 1500 would prevent it from stalling immediately, and after a minute or two of running, it would idle steady, but if left in Neutral it would idle unsteadily and/or stall.

As of Saturday 03/08, it hasn't stayed running after startup without playing with the throttle (encountered this once or twice in Uwharrie 2023, and once in Uwharrie 2024, but those were isolated occurrences, not the norm). Saturday, it drove 20+ miles without issue after getting it running steady by playing with throttle, but stalled after coming to a full stop in reverse gear afterward. Drove half a block down the road to a restaurant and it stalled after coming to a full stop in reverse again. Drove 10-ish miles and didn't stall when shifting from D to P, then started up fine and drove 10-ish more miles to destination. Don't recall whether it stalled at full stop in reverse that last time.

This morning it stalled immediately after first startup, as has become the norm over the last few weeks, then holding at WOT it started and idled normally the second time. After shifting from D to N to D to N a couple of times (routine behavior for all but one of my vehicles, necessitated by my storage configuration) it stalled and would not start. Didn't have time to mess with it before work. Weather was around 47F and cloudy in the morning.

Came back to it 11 hours later, around 57F and raining, and it cranked right up and idled fine, but about 500 RPM's high. Drove to the parts store to pull DTC's, stalled when I put it in Reverse and would not start up even at WOT.

All Stored Codes:

P0171 (Lean Bank 1) Expected to appear over winter
P0174 (Lean Bank 2) Expected to appear over winter
P0455 (Large EVAP Leak) Started years ago around the time I replaced gas cap with non-standard unit (locking unit, has a hole in it)
P0443 (EVAP Purge Control Valve Circuit) New, haven't seen this one before.

I'm guessing that the P0443 and the recent issues are related, as I had checked the DTC's around the end of last year and it only had the P0455 stored at that time.

Running super lean and requiring WOT to start also adds up - if there's not enough fuel for all the air, crank no start makes sense - but I've gotten those two lean codes every winter for the last several years and it never caused issues before... except for the first winter I owned the vehicle, where faulty sensors detecting a false lean condition caused excessive fuel injection.

Parts stores invariably advise that replacing the intake manifold gaskets is a common solution for the lean codes. May be I might actually think about doing that, just to say I did.

Also planning to replace the fuel pump this year. It's 26 years old, the old gal is due for replacement. Should do the injectors and fuel lines too, but for those I'm kinda thinking if it ain't broke, don't fix it. We'll see.

 

[donalds]

Upper and lower intake gaskets will fix your lean codes
May want to think about buying a new lower intake
The original is probably pretty soft by now

 

[DintDobbs]

@donalds Thanks! Your input is regarded highly. I'll have to research brands, of course. Do you have any recommendations?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I used FelPro. Worked fine for me.

 

[DintDobbs]

@Fix4Dirt Your input is also regarded highly.

FelPro isn't available from my go-to source, but I'm sure I can find it elsewhere. Any thoughts or experience with Denso? I have heard good things, but not from any one I know personally.

 

[donalds]

Felpro gaskets
Dorman 615-176 lower intake
I have used both

 

[Fix4Dirt]

@Fix4Dirt Your input is also regarded highly.

FelPro isn't available from my go-to source, but I'm sure I can find it elsewhere. Any thoughts or experience with Denso? I have heard good things, but not from any one I know personally.

Ive never run Denso gaskets, but Ive run denso fuel pump and a few other things, never had issues with them? But not sure about just gaskets themselves.

 

[DintDobbs]

@Fix4Dirt Yes, it occurred to me that we were talking about two different things. You and Don were referring to FelPro for gaskets, and I'll take that advice. FelPro gaskets are in fact available, found them on RockAuto.

I was referring to Denso for the fuel pump and injectors. Don recommends replacing the lower intake manifold, and if I have to take the old one out in order to replace the gaskest, I'll be almost to the injectors any way, right? Just a few more bolts to take off as I understand it.

I did find Motorcraft injectors, kinda leaning toward those. They're pricey, but what's once in 25 years? They'll probably outlast the truck, then I guess I'll swap them over to the Limited.

 

[DemonMudder]

@Fix4Dirt Yes, it occurred to me that we were talking about two different things. You and Don were referring to FelPro for gaskets, and I'll take that advice. FelPro gaskets are in fact available, found them on RockAuto.

I was referring to Denso for the fuel pump and injectors. Don recommends replacing the lower intake manifold, and if I have to take the old one out in order to replace the gaskest, I'll be almost to the injectors any way, right? Just a few more bolts to take off as I understand it.

I did find Motorcraft injectors, kinda leaning toward those. They're pricey, but what's once in 25 years? They'll probably outlast the truck, then I guess I'll swap them over to the Limited.

I agree, if you're going that far, may as well do the injectors too if ya can spare the cash. Nothing wrong with the good ol' motorcraft ones for sure! Definitely gonna agree on fel-pro for gaskets, and denso I've used before too, believe thats the fuel pump in my c1500, it's done fantastic and lasted at least a year now, it's a solid choice!

 

[DintDobbs]

@DemonMudder If I'm not mistaken Denso is the OEM for Toyota's fuel pumps. That fact alone gives me good feelings.

So, (edited) parts list time:

Intake manifold gaskets, upper and lower: Fel-Pro MS90890 kit
Lower intake manifold: Dorman 615-176 (if available, no luck so far)
Fuel Pump: Denso 9500171
Fuel injectors (x6): Motorcraft CM4903
Charcoal Canister (x2): WVE 4B1301
Vapor Canister Vent Valve: Standard Motor Products CVS24
Vapor Canister Purge Valve & Solenoid: Motorcraft CX1624

 

[DannyW]

@DemonMudder If I'm not mistaken Denso is the OEM for Toyota's fuel pumps. That fact alone gives me good feelings.

So, parts list time:

Intake manifold gaskets, upper and lower: Fel-Pro MS90890 kit
Lower intake manifold: Dorman 615-176 (if available, no luck so far)
Fuel Pump: Denso 9500171
Fuel injectors: Motorcraft CM4903
Purge Valve & Solenoid: Motorcraft CX1624

If you get the "upper kit" it will have the o-rings for the injectors, IAC, intake, valve covers and Cam pos sensor as well.
Last time I had the top end apart I used the Victor Reinz set. Very nice kit.

 

[donalds]

Factory injectors are Bosch
When you buy the ford ones they are Bosch in a ford box
The price is very similar for the two

 

[DintDobbs]

@DannyW @donalds Observed and appreciated!

 

[DintDobbs]

Having finally found the time to play with things, I took a multimeter to the EGR solenoid (directed by the P0443) and tested both the vehicle wiring and the solenoid itself.

On the vehicle side of things, I had 14 volts on Fuse 13 at the fuse/relay box under the hood, and 14 volts at the solenoid connector.

Tested the solenoid for continuity, had a resistance of 33.0 Ohms.

The 2000 Limited (which has no issues) shows similar voltage and resistance, so I concluded that the issue must not be electrical.

So I went to look at the charcoal canister... and saw that it was not connected at all! Welp, there's yer problem.

According to a quick parts look-up, this is the charcoal canister VENT valve. On the left side of this pic of the charcoal canister vent valve, you can see the dirty fitting which should have been plugged into the canister, but wasn't. On the right, the clean fitting was covered by a hose leading to this little guy...

Appropriately, the hose connected to the canister vent valve ran to the "To Canister" arrow... but, once again, I have a dirty fitting with no hose connected to it on the other side. I looked for this box underneath the Limited to see what it's supposed to be connected to, but couldn't find it at all. What's inside there? Is there supposed to be a hose on the other side? If so, what's it supposed to be connected to?

Edit: On closer inspection, the small box appears to be located on top of the charcoal canister tray. Unfortunately, the bolts on the Limited were somehow driven through from the top, so removing them will be more of a pain than I'm willing to expend just to satisfy curiosity.

 

[DintDobbs]

Found a bit of time to day to take the entire assembly down, including the mystery box. When I took the hose off the "To Canister" fitting, a bunch of reddish brown particles dumped out of the opening. Nothing dumped out of the end which had nothing connected.

I didn't get pics of the particles, but it's like a deteriorated sponge. Anybody have any clue what's inside that box, or whether there's supposed to be a hose connected to the open port?

Also, on the other charcoal canister, the one which did not have the vent valve, there was a fitting for two hoses which run along the left frame rail. These run to the front of the frame to the purge valve itself, which is located above the fender liner on the driver's side, below the battery tray, just behind the horn.

There was an absolutely marvelous amount of dirt packed in there, and so it comes as no surprise that it failed. What is surprising is how long it actually lasted under my usage conditions. With the fender liners removed, it's pretty much just exposed to the environment and to every thing that gets kicked up from the front tires. I'll have to fabricate some kind of shield to keep dirt and debris out of it from here forward.

Now, I'm playing the waiting game for parts. Still working on the unidentified box connected to the canister vent valve.

 

[DintDobbs]

Took the mystery box to a nearby Ford dealer and requested a parts diagram of the charcoal canister and every thing that's connected to it, and the open port is exactly that... just an open port. The canister vent valve vents the vapors into this box, and the open port vents the vapors into the atmosphere. According to an other dealer's service center, this box contains only a filter, which lines up with the disintegrated-sponge-like particles that I dumped out. The box is sealed shut with some sort of RTV or glue, and I don't care enough about it to open it up. Might nab one off a junk yard Explorer to open up and see what's in there, could probably fabricate a replacement filter if I deem it necessary.

That being said, if all goes to plan, the Vulture should be back in action before the end of April, and plenty ready for summer road (and off-road) trips!

 

[DintDobbs]

Welp... all of the money has been spent. Now, to play the parts waiting game.

RockAuto said the charcoal canisters shipped immediately and were supposed to arrive Wednesday 04/02, but USPS tracker says they arrived on time at their first stop and should deliver 04/04. Curious how RockAuto makes its estimates; usually it's way off into the future and the parts arrive days before the ETA, but this time their ETA was ridiculously early for no apparent reason.

 

[DintDobbs]

All of the parts have been delivered. Now, to wait for a day off...

 

[DintDobbs]

Thank God for longer daylight hours. I found time after work to install the new charcoal canisters, vent valve, and purge valve, as well as craft this nifty little shield to protect the new purge valve (and all the connections on it) from all such as is kicked up by tires.

Ignore the uncanny resemblance to a 32-ounce measuring cup. I was fortunate to find one made of a thick, tough, bendy plastic. It's the perfect size and material, and being transparent lets me see the connectors easily.

The fuel pump, intake manifold gaskets, and fuel injectors will have to wait until a future date. It will be my first time with all three of these tasks.

The fuel pump looks like it will be pretty easy; dropping the tank should be a simple matter of unscrewing a few bolts and hose clamps.

As for the others, time will tell what convolutions await.