2001 Ford Taurus Flex Fuel

[yonada]

Car is a 2001 Taurus 3.0 Flexible Fuel.  The alternator was bad.  I had it tested at two different places, so that was OK.

Was driving the car before I changed the alternator, (in fact on the way to pick it up - I had charged the battery out of the car) and things were fine for about 20 miles.  Then car started running rough.  Had car brought home, replaced alternator.  Still running rough.  Saw a large tube on the back of the engine going what I think is the intake manifold but I am not sure (it has two small vacuum lines out the bottom of it - OK, I THINK they are vacuum lines) and put it back.  It fits quite loosely, is it supposed to be that way or should it be nice and tight?  [DESCRIPTION:  It's a 90 degree piece about as wide as my thumb on the top, there is a plastic port on the back side of the engine it was right next to.  It has two small lines out of the bottom, they appear to be made of colored plastic]  A little better, but...

Still runs rough...I can hear a hissing sound, so I think there may still be a vacuum leak...and it died once on me while driving it.  No check engine light,  threw the scanner on it, gave me a code that said EGR insufficient or something to that effect, that is the only code showing.  Between 1000 RPM and 3000 RPM it runs great.  150,000 miles on it, my wife bought it by accident (the auctioneer THOUGHT she was bidding when she wasn't) so we just want to get it running well so we can uload it.  Looks great outside and inside, so once I solve this all should be good.

The engine diagram in the engine compartment doesn't help much.

Yonada

[Transman]

These things are big for vacuum leaks, check the pcv lines (the rubber gets mushy and gummy) both sides. Check battery for corrosion as well as ground connections. Once you have all your vacuum leaks disconnect the battery for at least an hour to brain-dead the pcm. These vehicles will shut off an injector if it sees a misfire and keep it off until the codes are cleared or the pcm has been drained. Another thing is the DPFE, about the size of a pager with 2 rubber vacuum type lines going to the exhaust. These are not regular vacuum lines and need to be purchased from the dealer but if the DPFE is aluminum and not black plastic then replace it. It can be tested with a vacuum pump and scanner and is about $50.00 from the dealer. This might help the EGR codes. Post back, Transman

[yonada]

Transman;

Can you give me a location on the DPFE unit?

There are 2 PCV valves?  Sorry to sound so out of it, but can you give me a clue as to their location?

The battery was unhooked for at least 4 hours when I replaced the alternator.  I had it out of the vehicle the day before and slow charged it at my work.  Posts and terminal cleaned and checked when I installed the alternator.  I guess I could try clearing the code with the scanner as well to see if that helps.

Thanks...

Yonada

[Transman]

No, there are not 2 pcv valves but there are 2 important pcv hoses. One is the one that actually holds the pcv valve and the other is from snorkel to valve cover and about the same diameter. You also need to make sure there are no cracks/leaks in the snorkel tube between the air box and the throttle body. I believe Mr fairbanks or one of the other posters can supply a picture of the DPFE for you. they seem to have mastered the art of posting good quality pictures here. Post back, Transman

[Jim Fairbanks]

I can do that Transman......

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[yonada]

Jim;

Thanks for the drawings.  These are for the Flex Fuel engine, I hope.

I was a bit ticked off at Kragen Auto Parts the other day.  I decided to buy a book on the car, I told the lady to be sure that it covered the flex fuel engine.  She looked it upon the computer and assured me that it did.

Sadly the book did NOT cover the Flex Fuel engine and even though she was adamant it was the correct book she also told me no refunds.

I will keep working on it, though.

Yonada

[Jim Fairbanks]

Yes...this is for the flex fuel engine....Jim

[yonada]

Had a chance to go to a Ford dealer today and check stuff out.  I still could not locate the DPFE, so I asked the guy to show me one.  Once I saw it, I was really surprised, Transman described it as the size of a pager but I would say it's even smaller than that - not much larger than a remote alarm key fob.  Once I saw what it looked like I was actually able to find the thing.

I also looked at and priced other items as well, the control valve, the EGR valve, anything that I think might be related to the probelm.  Yes, it's more things to check but if it isn't the DPFE it might be the EGR control valve or the EGR valve itself, although the parts guy says the DPFE units sell like hotcakes.

This is certainly more than I suspected but I intend to see it through to either get the car idling right, or I give up and sell it at a loss.

One final clue - it had been idling fine until I got about 30 miles from home.  From that point on it hasn't idled worth a damn since - and with the code (without the SES light) mentioning something about EGR it certainly has to be somewhere within those 5 or 6 parts.

I hope!

Yonada

[yonada]

Hi, all!

First of all, a big thanks to all of you for the assist, which, as with the other problems I have posted, has been WONDERFUL in saving me days worth of time putzing around.  As always, the clues led me to the correct general area, and all I had to do after that was just patiently work my way through.

Transman, you were right!  Dead on accurate, suggesting that I check all the vacuum lines before anything else.  Here is what happened:

I started on the left side, worked my way around and under to the right hand side of the engine.  Checked EVERY vacuum line, actually took most of them off one by one and checked them.  I finished up the search, still NOTHING.  Everything seemed OK, at that point I was frustrated and ticked off.  I went inside and wrote a new ad to sell the car for whatever we could get out of it, saved it on the computer, and then went to work.  When I came home that night, I opened the hood, and for some reason I decided to check the PVC valve.  So I gently started to remove it, and the large elbow that connects the tube from the PVC valve to the intake manifold (ok, I think it's the intake manifold, but I digress) basically just came apart, separating around the edge of the larger side of the elbow.

So I went to Ford yesterday, the counterman thought he had one, but it was for the wrong engine.  Another dealership had one, so we arranged for it to be delivered to the dealership closest to me.  In spite of a screwup (it didn't arrive until this morning) I picked it up, then my wife and I went to the mall.  After having lunch we came home, I went outside, put the new elbow on, and figured I would start checking the various three parts in the EGR system.

Started the car to take it out to the street.  Car initially ran at 1200 RPM, 10 seconds later it settled down to about 800 RPM or so.  Smooth and quiet.  Drove it a couple of miles.  No stumbling, didn't try to stall out when I was stopped.  It seems to have solved the problem.  The little $15 dollar item seems to have been the problem.

In retrospect it makes sense.  The elbow was probably worn out, and when I was driving it to San Diego, it just finally let go.  And it wasn't somthing that was visible, so it was a bit of a stumper.  I'm going to consider it reparied pending driving it a bit, but I think the problem is solved and I am thankful for that.

Thanks again, everyone, for all the help!

I'll let you know in a week or so if everything stays working normally.

Yonada

[yonada]

Hi, all!

Well, the car is running well, in fact just fine, but has developed another issue.  Basically it's throwing two codes now:

P1132 Lack Of HO2S11 Switches - Sensor indicates rich.
P1152 Lack Of HO2S21 Switches - Sensor indicates rich.

The first time I saw the code I took the scanner, read and then cleared the codes.  It did not appear until my wife and I had gone maybe 10 - 20 minutes from home each time.

My step-daughter says she tried to move the car while the elbow I replaced was off - it didn't start, she said.  She said she tried three times, it started and then stopped almost immediately each time.  The third time she said it ran for a few seconds but sounded funny so she shut it off right away.  Did she maybe fry a sensor or something?

As I said, otherwise the car is running fine now, and I no longer hear a vacuum leak as I did before.

Yonada

[Transman]

Hmm, Good catch on the pcv leak, I have seen seasoned mechanics miss this one. Grats on a job well done!
I am assuming these codes set while the pcv vale was unhooked from the engine? If that is the case then it should have codes "lean", that being said your next step is to determine if you are still having the problem. Have you cleared the codes to see if the codes return? If they do then you need to check first the fuel pressure and the regulator (common problem). The regulator may be sending more fuel pressure than the injectors can deal with and a fuel pressure test will help there. The o2 sensors do have a limited life and may need replacing but it very unusual for 2 to die at the same time although common practice is replace them all at the same time. Post back, Transman
P.S. There are 2 style DPFE sensors and I "assumed" your car had the early style. The later style is exactly as you said "about the size of a remote fob". These still go bad often and are still easy to replace but obviously not your problem.

[yonada]

Hi, all!

Transman,  thanks for the thought.  I'll see what I can find out on that item.  I don't have the equipment to check that but will see if I can borrow it, and then will have to locate the data in a book if I can find that info in one.

Was prowling around the web and found the codes mentioned as possibly being a dirty/contaminated MAF sensor.  Someone posted a picture of a chemical available to clean them on a post of mine for a different car.  What do any of you out there think on this?

Once again, thanks for the help.

Yonada

[Jim Fairbanks]

This is good stuff..........Jim.............

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[yonada]

Jim;

Thanks for the repost of the photo.  I appreciate it.

I picked up a can this afternoon on my way home, I'll do the deed tomorrow.  I could do it tonight, but I see no need to try and do it at night.

Yonada

[yonada]

Hi, all!

I cleaned the MAF sensor this morning using the recommended chemical.  It didn't look dirty but that doesn't mean much, although there was some dirt in the runoff from the spray.  Used the scanner to clear the codes from the system.

Waitied a good log while for it to dry, and reassembled the whole thing.  Time to run the car around a while and see if this solved the problem.

Yonada