Need Help!

[Osceola16]

OK, heres the deal, I changed out the rear o2 senors today due to them being cut as stated in a previous thread. I also changed out the fuel filter. Cleaned the K&N. And nothing helped it. During all this I unhooked the battery to reset the SES light. On the way home it came one again. Its showing the sames codes it has been for three years, when the cats were removed. Catalyst Below Threshold (bank1) Catalyst below threshold (bank2) Its not throwing any othere codes! but its still running like shit. If you cruize, it doesnt do it as bad, buy any extra gas, and the hole damn trucks shakes from the motor busting up.

Also, I have checked for any loose wire, hoses, etc..

ANY IDEAS! PLEASE HELP! I need to get this bitch running right.

[Gt]

Can turn a lot of that off with a tune. No need for rear o2's, can disable them with a tune. Almost sounds as if the truck is going into limp mode.

[NotoriousGreaseMonkey]

Can turn a lot of that off with a tune. No need for rear o2's, can disable them with a tune. Almost sounds as if the truck is going into limp mode.
Who is scanning it for you? I am not a great diagnostic man but if you are in Tally I am willing to hook up my Genesis to it and see what happens.

[Osceola16]

Someone mentioned it may be a fuel pump going out......I was telling him that EVERY time I have changed my fuel filter, the old fuel that poors out of the filter looks like muddy pond water. I change it about every 15-20,000 miles. Could this be a problem? Not getting enough fuel and causing it to misfire?


Who is scanning it for you? I am not a great diagnostic man but if you are in Tally I am willing to hook up my Genesis to it and see what happens.I may be going to tally tomorrow. What shop you at?

[cary00silve]

your filter should never have anything resembling muddy pond water in it unless someone poured crap into your tank. You need to drop the tank and flush everything out of it real good.

[slmdLS1]

and then run some fuelsystem cleaner when you fill it back up, to clean the lines, injecters, etc...

[fishin-nole]

What's your fuel pressure? Should be around 30-35 at idle. I vote for the fuel pump in the tank. If you have the dual pumps in the tank (I'm guessing you do) the weak ass crimp clamp can blow the hose off the hi side pump or the plastic Y can crack and cause the same thing. Also DO NOT run on fumes or anything less than 3 gals in the tank or you run the risk of burning the pumps up. If it's the hose in the tank it's and easy fix. I done mine in four hours in the carport by myself with 15 gals in the tank. Drop it, pull the pumps, replace the fuel lines and clamps (use the stainless clamps) do both sides of the plastic Y.

[Osceola16]

From what has been said, its got to be the pump(s). I have ran that thing on the low fuel light more times than I can count. and ran it out of gas twice in the last 6 months. And yes I know, I am an idiot for doing this. I know that it does this when it gets low(pick up trash) but i did it anyway. Looks like I am paying for it now.:cry:

Nole: how would I tell if I had dual pumps? I called the parts house for a fuel pump and they gave me a price for one. Didnt say anything about 2. They just dont know, or could it be a 2 pump, anyway of knowing?

[Osceola16]

ok, Im headed to put a fuel pump on this bitch and see what that does. Gonna get come clear jars/jugs to pour the gas in and take pics of it, cuz im sure its dirty. Then I can be the poster-child for not running around on the low-fuel light.

[cary00silve]

Make sure you clean the tank out good. If there is crap in there and you don't get it all out it will burn up the pumps again.

[fishin-nole]

Here's a how to.
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246202
I was just looking in the service cd and I really can't tell, but I know the L has 2. you want to check the hi lo relay which is under the hood next to the fuse box there. It's on the eng side of the fuse box. Let me see if I can find a pic.
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285335&highlight=fuel+pump+relay

[Osceola16]

Well 5 hours and 200 dollars later, Im still at square one!!!:cry:

We dropped the tank instead of pulling the bed, If I had seen how easy it a little earlier, Id went that route. Doh!

It only has one pump. The tank was filthy!!! I wrote my name in the grime in the bottom of it. No pics though, cam had been loaned out. The filter on the pump was filthy! But after cleaning the tank, and lines and installing the new stuff, still got the same problem. Im at a loss. I have no clue what to do next.

I dont have money for all new coil packs, but i could change the plugs. I may try that next since its the cheapest. But again, the OBD scanner is only picking up the catlyst codes.

Any other suggestions of what to do? :-|

[cary00silve]

I would do a compression test before you blow any money on coil packs. If a coil pack is bad it will detect a misfire code. I'm not sure if low compression misfires will throw a code or not. You can get a compression tester for about $15 bucks at harbor freight if you don't have one. Check the compression on each cylinder and then reply here. There shouldn't be more than about 10% variation for all of the cylinders. If you have low pressure in a cylinder, squirt some motor oil in the cylinder and see if the compression increases. If it does it indicates a ring problem. If it doesn't then you have either bad head gasket, bent valve, or cracked piston, etc.

[NotoriousGreaseMonkey]

Start the truck and unplug each coil one at a time and see if the engine drops RPM. If it doesent drop RPM on one or more cylinders you need to check the coil on that cylinder.

Its easy even on a COP system. Put an old plug in the bottom of the coil pack and aim it at a ground point and see if it fires. should be a nice blue arc. If its yellow its not strong enough to fire the cylinder.

[Osceola16]

Start the truck and unplug each coil one at a time and see if the engine drops RPM. If it doesent drop RPM on one or more cylinders you need to check the coil on that cylinder.

Its easy even on a COP system. Put an old plug in the bottom of the coil pack and aim it at a ground point and see if it fires. should be a nice blue arc. If its yellow its not strong enough to fire the cylinder.
All 8 changed the RPMs, as well as the all 8 injectors.

I will try a compression test tomorrow, and try a fuel pressure test and see what that turns up.

I was also thinking, on my #4, I had to have a sleeve installed in the head due to a plug blowing out. Do you think if this wasnt sealed all the way, it could be causing this? When I start the truck I get an exhaust leak sound on the passenger side where the plug is located, ,But i checked the tightness of the plug ans it was torqued down. But i still get that noise...could that affect it?

[fishin-nole]

Try cleaning your maf, it may be contaminated with the oil when you cleaned your filter. use a Q-tip and some brake parts/carb cleaner. You need to check all the plugs, if it sounds like and exhaust leak, you are about to launch another plug.

[Osceola16]

Goona clean the MAF, and change the plugs tomorrow. Whats the best thing to use on the plugs to keep them from backing out as often as they do?

[SATAN]

the proper torque

[fishin-nole]

Here's another how to.
http://www.svtlightnings.com/svt/how-to/sparkplugs/plugs.htm

[Osceola16]

the proper torque
Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.


http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/01/ford_truck_engines.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/ford_spark_plugs.html
http://www.topix.net/forum/autos/ford-f-150/TR7HFU0VD0N2U9KPD
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8219-spark-plug-ejection.html

Just in case you think Im not setting the right torque.

[Osceola16]

Went ahead and changed plugs today. I got the old ones out. I checked the gapping on the old plugs the ranged from .046 to .074!!!!. I know I gapped the plugs before I put them in. Set them at .054. Factory Recommends
.052 - .056

What would cause the gapping to change?

Ok..gotta install the new ones, see if any change in performance happens.

[Osceola16]

Just got done changing the plugs and cleaning the MAF, changed the PCV, said a prayer and now ITS RUNNING LIKE A CHAMP!!!:beer:

So after about 300 bucks and about 10 hours its running correct again! THANK GOD!!!

[fishin-nole]

Good to hear. Hate you had to spend that much, I could use it.