Buckshot
05-31-2007, 03:07 AM
When Donna and I took our little trip up 395 to Bishop a few months back, the 'Check Engine' light came on in the Sport Trac. I thought she was going to have a siezure when I mentioned it was on. I explained it wasn't like an 'Oil', 'Heat' or 'Bat' light coming on. But those never seemed to concern her in the past, so it was a worthless analogy. I finally convinced her it was no big deal, and since smoke didn't immediately begin billowing out she soon ignored it. The registration was up this month on it and it had to be smogged. First time since we'd bought it in '02. A check engine light is an immediate smog failure.
I had bought a OBD II code reader sometime back, and it said "Insufficient EGR operation". Since the EGR valve was handy I took it off, at the time but it was fine. So it was getting along toward the end of the month (like the 28th) I thought I might better check further. Consulting my handy Haynes book, there are 2 items upstream of the actual EGR valve that tell it how and when it will operate. One had 2 vacumn lines and a solenoid deal, and the other has merely a small flat black box that had an electrical plug, plus 2 small tubes from the exhaust manifold going to it. This was called the Differential Pressure Factoring Device (EGR), or DPF-E (in case you wondered if it had a shorter name).
Getting my nifty Simpson 260-5P multimeter a greatfull U.S Navy had given me upon my discharge, I followed the recommendations in the book. The EGR control unit (solenoid thingie) checked out. So I did the 1st step in checking the DPF-E. The 2nd step was stupid, and I wasn't going to do it. They wanted you to backcheck the signal input wire from the main engine computer. Heck, it's all cabled up and wrapped it a thick wad, plus they run it under and around every single thing that's bolted to the engine. I used the code checker to erase the code so the Check Engine light would go out.
I'd tried that before :-), but the light came back on, drat! Same deal this time. I just KNEW it was a dealer item but being Memorial Day those gomers wouldn't be open. I went to Kragen and they said they didn't have one, but could get it in like 6 days. Well heck! If they could get one, maybe someone HAD one? I went to NAPA. If anyone had one they would. Closed! Next was AutoZone. "Oh yes, we stock that item, Hmmm, but we're out. Would you like me to check our other stores?" Sure why not. Probably the only store to have one would be in Bakersfield or something.
Turns out the store on 40th and Waterman in Berdoo had two of'em, the hogs. Well, that's half way to Bakersfield, almost. Every Mexican in So. California must have been in the store or re-building their engine in the parking lot that day. I felt a bit out of place and the urge to shout Viva La Raza a couple times was strong. I'll bet at night when the place closes it's a real adventure cleaning the parking lot! I swear I parked next to a guy doing a brake job.
The AC in the Taurus had died a slow lingering death since last year so while I was wandering around in the store I bought a can of R134a and a valve and tube deal to give it a shot at doing it myself. I got in line at the parts counter behind Julio, Zapata, Don Diego, and Emilio. Behind the counter was Efugencio, Jesus, Zorro, Manuel, and a being that resembled a human sized soccer ball and of indeterminate sex. THAT'S the one I got. I never thought to look at the name tag as I was so mezmerized in trying to figure out exactly what I was dealing with. Whatever, something just wasn't quite right. You might not, but I sometimes wonder things like, "Do they STOCK uniforms like that, or did AutoZone have to order it special"?
The counterbeing got the part for me and it as only $30 vs the $215 I'd probably paid at Ford. I figured I'd just put the new part on in the parking lot. Everyone else was so why not me? Heck if I hadn't been so rushed I probably would have bought a filter and some oil and changed it right there too.
I got home, hooked up the code reader and erased the code. I started the truck and zounds! No Check Engine Light. However, I HAD erased it so I left it running and turned my attention to the Taurus. Since you have to put the stuff in from the low pressure side, Ford hid the thing. The high pressure one is right out front and even has a tag that says, "Don't put it in here". I would have appreciated it if it had maybe given directions, or at least a clue to where the LP one was. Smart guy I am, I traced the fat refrigerant line line back toward the firewall. Under a piece of plastic screwed to the firewall was the gizmo. I successfully didn't blow myself up.
So now the Taurus is cooling like an Indiana winter and the check engine light still hadn't come back on. I felt so accomplished. The Sport Trac passed it's smog this afternoon with flying colors and as I type this the registration payment is out in the mailbox. I hope they go by the postmark date like the IRS :-)
.................Buckshot
I had bought a OBD II code reader sometime back, and it said "Insufficient EGR operation". Since the EGR valve was handy I took it off, at the time but it was fine. So it was getting along toward the end of the month (like the 28th) I thought I might better check further. Consulting my handy Haynes book, there are 2 items upstream of the actual EGR valve that tell it how and when it will operate. One had 2 vacumn lines and a solenoid deal, and the other has merely a small flat black box that had an electrical plug, plus 2 small tubes from the exhaust manifold going to it. This was called the Differential Pressure Factoring Device (EGR), or DPF-E (in case you wondered if it had a shorter name).
Getting my nifty Simpson 260-5P multimeter a greatfull U.S Navy had given me upon my discharge, I followed the recommendations in the book. The EGR control unit (solenoid thingie) checked out. So I did the 1st step in checking the DPF-E. The 2nd step was stupid, and I wasn't going to do it. They wanted you to backcheck the signal input wire from the main engine computer. Heck, it's all cabled up and wrapped it a thick wad, plus they run it under and around every single thing that's bolted to the engine. I used the code checker to erase the code so the Check Engine light would go out.
I'd tried that before :-), but the light came back on, drat! Same deal this time. I just KNEW it was a dealer item but being Memorial Day those gomers wouldn't be open. I went to Kragen and they said they didn't have one, but could get it in like 6 days. Well heck! If they could get one, maybe someone HAD one? I went to NAPA. If anyone had one they would. Closed! Next was AutoZone. "Oh yes, we stock that item, Hmmm, but we're out. Would you like me to check our other stores?" Sure why not. Probably the only store to have one would be in Bakersfield or something.
Turns out the store on 40th and Waterman in Berdoo had two of'em, the hogs. Well, that's half way to Bakersfield, almost. Every Mexican in So. California must have been in the store or re-building their engine in the parking lot that day. I felt a bit out of place and the urge to shout Viva La Raza a couple times was strong. I'll bet at night when the place closes it's a real adventure cleaning the parking lot! I swear I parked next to a guy doing a brake job.
The AC in the Taurus had died a slow lingering death since last year so while I was wandering around in the store I bought a can of R134a and a valve and tube deal to give it a shot at doing it myself. I got in line at the parts counter behind Julio, Zapata, Don Diego, and Emilio. Behind the counter was Efugencio, Jesus, Zorro, Manuel, and a being that resembled a human sized soccer ball and of indeterminate sex. THAT'S the one I got. I never thought to look at the name tag as I was so mezmerized in trying to figure out exactly what I was dealing with. Whatever, something just wasn't quite right. You might not, but I sometimes wonder things like, "Do they STOCK uniforms like that, or did AutoZone have to order it special"?
The counterbeing got the part for me and it as only $30 vs the $215 I'd probably paid at Ford. I figured I'd just put the new part on in the parking lot. Everyone else was so why not me? Heck if I hadn't been so rushed I probably would have bought a filter and some oil and changed it right there too.
I got home, hooked up the code reader and erased the code. I started the truck and zounds! No Check Engine Light. However, I HAD erased it so I left it running and turned my attention to the Taurus. Since you have to put the stuff in from the low pressure side, Ford hid the thing. The high pressure one is right out front and even has a tag that says, "Don't put it in here". I would have appreciated it if it had maybe given directions, or at least a clue to where the LP one was. Smart guy I am, I traced the fat refrigerant line line back toward the firewall. Under a piece of plastic screwed to the firewall was the gizmo. I successfully didn't blow myself up.
So now the Taurus is cooling like an Indiana winter and the check engine light still hadn't come back on. I felt so accomplished. The Sport Trac passed it's smog this afternoon with flying colors and as I type this the registration payment is out in the mailbox. I hope they go by the postmark date like the IRS :-)
.................Buckshot