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Ford truck - Engine light

Started by DonE911, September 12, 2005, 10:15:26 AM

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DonE911

Anyone know when that stupid "service engine soon" light is computer scheduled to come on??


The light came on in the truck on Saturday.  I have good oil pressure ( recently changed )  the temp is good, airfilter not really clean but pretty good.  Can't find any leaks of any kind.  Starting to think its just the scheduled "bring me to the dealer to loose some money" thing.

The light came on at 94055 miles.  Thought that was an odd number for the light to pop on and I'm sure I didn't miss the fact it was on for 55 miles.

Anyone know.... or have any idea what else I should check before I take it to someone with one of them computer plug in deals?

OneWithWood

Take it to your local Autozone or other parts supplier.  Many of them will hook it up to their diagnostic unit and read the code.  It is probably an emissions sensor sending out a code.  Easy fix.
One With Wood
LT40HDG25, Woodmizer DH4000 Kiln

Part_Timer

I don't know about the fords but I had to switch to a higher octain of gas in mine.  When I run the less expensive(all most typed cheap) Stuff in mine the light will come on and stay on till I switch back and run a tank through.  My manual also says that if your gas cap is not on tight it will come on.  Don't know what that has to do with the engine but it is in the book.  95 Dodge 123,000 miles
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

Weekend_Sawyer


I have seen a loose gascap on a 98 camaro cause the check engine light to come on.
Definatley need diags to tell you what it is.
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

Furby

Run a scan test, like OWW said autozone does it for free or you can buy a scanner.
My light has been on non stop since April, and most of the time since a year before that.
My scans shows two things from time to time, one I fixed but keeps popping up on a scan. ::)
The other is to deep to mess with. ::)
Most cases when the light is on you are running on a default setting on the puter.

sandmar

Just had this happen on my 2001 Ford F-150 Supercrew with 37,000+ miles on it.Took it to the dealer.......new coil and number 1 plug replaced and runs like new again. That's right they only replace one plug.....they are supposed to be good for 100,000 miles. Yep..I am only a country boy but if one of those 100,000 mile plugs went bad at 37000+,how do they know the rest won't so go out and you will have to come back for more service? Yes I did asl politely  ::) adn was told that was Ford policy not to change good parts....NO,I was not a happy camper  >:(

Sandmar

ScottAR

What model truck?  96 and newer and you get into Onboard Diagnostics II
or OBDII it could be as simple as a new gascap.   Could be a dead O2 sensor... 
Best have someone plug it in or we're just guessing... 
Scott
"There is much that I need to do, even more that I want to do, and even less that I can do."
[Magicman]

DanG

Ya might can pull the code yourself.  Many vehicles have on-board readouts.  You just switch it on and off in a certain sequence and it flashes the numbers to you by blinking the "service engine" light.  Get a  book or give me the model and I can look it up for ya. :)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

DonE911

Well.... Model#  its a 2000 F150 4X4 with 5.4

I checked the gas cap.. its on tight.  Now that you mention it, I noticed it right after topping off the tank at a gas station.  They didn't have regular unleaded so I had to get the mid grade stuff.  I got about 12 gallons and it got mixed with the cheap stuff...  maybe it thinks I'm feed'n to good ;D

The ABS sensors went out on it about a year ago.... never bothered to fix it.  Don't like abs anyhow.

DanG

I'll waddle over to the shop and get my code book.  It'll tell us if ya can pull the code yerself.  Back in a mo'.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

DanG

I'm back wit da book, but it ain't gonna help. :-\  I'm sure I bought it since 2000, but it apparently wasn't exactly "hot off the press."  The book is a '92 edition.  It says that for trucks from '83 to '92, you can read the codes with a voltmeter hooked up a certain way to the readout plug.  However, we don't know if this is true for yours, and the codes might be different now, too.  I'd go to Autozone and try to find a fresh book, if it was me.  This one is the Haynes Emissions Control book.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

DonE911

Thanks anyway DanG,

I gotta go to town some time this week, I'll see if the auto parts place can read it for me.

Jeff

Our chevy will do that. It I disconnect the battery for 5 minutes and reconnect, the light goes out.  It seems like its always associated with leaving the gas cap loose.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

DonE911

 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

Jeff wins the fix of the day!!!!!

I disconneted the batt.... took off the gas cap and blew it out good with compressed air....  put it back on ....  made a fresh cup of coffee ... reconnected the batt..... 

Light went away!!!

Not sure what the effect was with the coffee, but I didn't want to leave out this important step in this high tech repair.


DonE911

Jeff I was worried that the fix wouldn't work.   I didn't have any "extra" parts left over :D :D :D

Jeff

Cool. About time I could contribute something. :)
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Pete J

I've learned to live by the check engine light.

My local Auto Zone store has a guy read the codes with his hand held device. Just recently he diagnosed a front left oxygen sensor on my pickup. Only had to replace that one instead of all four by the trial and error method.
He then diagnosed a bad coil and one fuel injector seal on cylinder 1 of my wifes car.

I always thought they were idiot lights because I didn't know what "check engine" meant. Now I know that it means, your engine has sent a code that needs you to look at it. Most are easy fixes, it just tells you where to look.

Dan_Shade

the new OBDII stuff works pretty good.  if it comes back, it could well be an O2 sensor.  around here Autozone will pull the code for free. 

those lights are annoying, but you can get used to them after a while :)
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

ohsoloco

The light on my '96 F-150 came on the other week...it has about 70,000 miles on it.  Mine actually turned out to be a cylinder misfire.  That thing has been spittin' and sputterin' whenever I give it the throttle when the engine is cold and it's raining or damp outside.  Figgered it had something to do with that since it came on right after a coughing fit while chugging up a hill  :P  Parts for the tune up are in the basement...now if I can just find the time to do it  ::)

DonE911

We have been ignoring the ABS light for over a year now.....  don't even like the abs, so who cares.

Faron

DonE911, I bet that light comes back on in a day or so.  Evidently disconnecting the battery resets the computer, and the light stays off until the next time the senser sends out a distress signal.  O2 sensers often plug and cause the problem.
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

gary

I fix those annoying lights with a piece of black electrical tape . Cut a piece and put it over the light you will never know it is on.

mometal77

I agree idiot lights they are.  I wonder if those engineers have there own dictomiwary.  With some vehicles it is a stupid oxygen sensor.  I know with some vehicles like hondas you have to go to the dealer to just get a cap and rotor.  Or the bloody engine wont run right.  I say with a check engine light you get reamed here for 200 just to have them read it off.  Another idea to have is if you have a local tech/college nearby to go there what i do.  Even for anyquestions there is from electrical to autobody to machining hvac ect.
bob
Quote from: LogRite on September 12, 2005, 06:32:35 PM
I've learned to live by the check engine light.

My local Auto Zone store has a guy read the codes with his hand held device. Just recently he diagnosed a front left oxygen sensor on my pickup. Only had to replace that one instead of all four by the trial and error method.
He then diagnosed a bad coil and one fuel injector seal on cylinder 1 of my wifes car.

I always thought they were idiot lights because I didn't know what "check engine" meant. Now I know that it means, your engine has sent a code that needs you to look at it. Most are easy fixes, it just tells you where to look.
Too many Assholes... not enough bullets..."I might have become a millionaire, but I chose to become a tramp!

DonE911

Well....  the light came back on about 100 miles later >:(

So I go to auto zone and get the code. P1405.... says a sensor is plugged or off.

Well the third guy at the store had actually heard of the sensor and actually knew where it was. I hadn't been in this store, but its nice to know at least one employee knows something about cars.

the sensors got a couple 3/8" hoses that are dry rotted and one was rubbed thru.... air leak that I couldn't hear I guess....   

Anyway, its a super duper special hose for hi-temp use and .... you guessed it.. dealer only item  :o

Well I went back in the store and bought a 8 inch piece of hi temp oil hose and replace the super duper special stuff ;)

I bet I could have bought an entire roll of the oil line for the cost of that hose from the Ford dealership.  That doesn't include the labor they would charge to verify the code and change the hose.  I must admit it took a few minutes to change as you have to remove 2 bolts and loosen another ( all different size nuts too ) to gain access, then change the hose ( no clamps ) and tighten everything back down.  Thats probably a 2 hour labor charge, plus the fee to read the code and I'd have to listen to the service guy tell me how I need to fix the ABS sensors so the ABS system will work again....  cause you know that the population of the world could never stop in the rain without ABS. ;D

rebocardo

Dang,

FWIW: That check the codes with the meter or blinking lights really does not work on the newer OBDII 1996 and up vehicles.

OEMs could install a simple LCD in their vehicles so you could read codes yourself, but, that would mean you might not bring it to the dealership to be charged $25-$65 to read a code. Of course, we all know about costs and considering OEMs have used badly designed gas tanks in vehicles to save $0.20 a car, the chance of a $2 LED display to save YOU time and money is probably not top priority. Maybe a Federal law is in order  ;)

Yea, I know about those hoses, it sounds like it went to the EVAP control, I have done the same thing you have done to repair other people's cars once they learn the price of the OEM stuff. Make it fit with the Autozone stuff and just use more clamps  :D

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