CE Light stays on? Bad 02 sensor?

[92inPA]

Oh Boy!! ;-) Guess I know what I might be doing Saturday!!!

That Brunswick Automotive web site looks interesting. Bet they charge top $$, and they should if they are doing a first class job.

 

[95SHOgirl]

The 176 refers to the front o2 sensor. You should be able to take care of that with the car on ramps and a wrench. There is a special socket for the sensor that you can get from most parts stores. I happen to know that Autozones have the Bosch sensors in stock. The part number is 15729, IIRC.

Fixing that code is easy and may get rid of other codes.

The 214, CID code is not so bad either. It is most likely a leaky cam seal fouling the sensor. The purpose of the CID sensor is to determine the location of the cam lobes when starting the engine. With a bad sensor, the motor will crank over a few times before firing off. You can certainly drive a while with a bad sensor. To remove it, the power steering resivior must be unbolted and moved out of the way (2 bolts, IIRC). Same goes with the intake crossover (4 hose clamps, 2 bolts). The sensor itself is a pain to get to, but is only held by two screws.

If you'd like to come down to West Chester, I'd be glad to check out the car and take care of the o2 sensor for you.

This weekend is good for me, except for Sunday afternoon of course.

Thanks PAracer,

I actually go to school at West Chester University of Pa. I wish I could take care of these problems this weekend, however, I won't have the money this weekend. Any repairs will have to wait until mid March until I get my loan check back.

In the meantime, I have to drive the car the way it is since my car is my only transportation up to West Chester University of Pa. By the way, Thursdays are my late days at school. I'm normally around campus until 7pm.

Another question I do have that I've noticed and just been praying about is the transmission. I think it is slipping. Now the ad on Ebay said the transmission was just replaced less than 1000 miles. However, when I'm at a light and the light changes to green, I step on the gas and the car takes off, the tach goes to about 3000rpm's then it will shift very hard, like someone hit me from behind. I'm going to check my fluid levels in the morning to make sure I have trans fluid. However, this guy told me that this car ran perfect when he was driving it. No problems he told me. No transmission problems and no engine problems. He told me he drove the car for at least 200 miles with no problems. How could this be if I noticed the CEL as soon as I turned the corner. I should have turned around and questioned him on it. But I didn't. I drove it home excited to have my first SHO. I also noticed the transmission problem, but I didn't say anything.

Just yesterday, I called him and questioned him again. He told me that the work is probably minor and that I should take it to someone who knows about working on SHO cars. I'm beginning to think I just got burned.

Other than this, the car runs great. No other problems that I have noticed just as of yet.

Any idea's?

I meant to add that when I'm on the highway it does not do this hard shift thing. Other times, it will shift so smoothly you hardly notice if. If I step on the gas as if I'm racing, the car takes off and the tach goes up then I'll feel a hard shift that frightens me and I left of the gas. God I pray that it's not the transmission needing to be replaced. I'm praying that it's a sensor needing to be replaced.

 

[PAracer]

If it has been rebuilt, maybe it is still being broken in. Unfortunately, some people just aren't honest. I would suggest that when you check the fluid level that you should also smell it. Bad/old fluid would have a burnt smell. If the fluid is old, then you can assume that it may not have been rebuilt. For insurance, you could change the fluid and add a bottle of Lucas Transmission fix. I gave that stuff a shot last summer, and I think it may have been a little help.

If you need a shop near school, you might try DML Automotive (attached to the BP station next to the Holiday Inn). I bought my ATX from one of the mechanics there. If you go there, tell them that you know the guys up the street with the SHOs. They have some experience with the cars. Unfortunatley, there aren'y too many good parts stores around town. Tabor is pretty good just off Bolmar street. Fred Beans Ford has been great for parts too. Neither place has SHO stuff in stock, but most common things can be available within a day.

 

[95SHOgirl]

If it has been rebuilt, maybe it is still being broken in. Unfortunately, some people just aren't honest. I would suggest that when you check the fluid level that you should also smell it. Bad/old fluid would have a burnt smell. If the fluid is old, then you can assume that it may not have been rebuilt. For insurance, you could change the fluid and add a bottle of Lucas Transmission fix. I gave that stuff a shot last summer, and I think it may have been a little help.

If you need a shop near school, you might try DML Automotive (attached to the BP station next to the Holiday Inn). I bought my ATX from one of the mechanics there. If you go there, tell them that you know the guys up the street with the SHOs. They have some experience with the cars. Unfortunatley, there aren'y too many good parts stores around town. Tabor is pretty good just off Bolmar street. Fred Beans Ford has been great for parts too. Neither place has SHO stuff in stock, but most common things can be available within a day.

Cool, we'll have to chat sometime. If you like, I can send you my phone number in Private so we can talk on the phone. I'll check the fluids and do the smell check once I get out of class tomorrow. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are my early day's. I'm at school around 7:30am til 1pm. So by the time I get home from school, it's still early. Hopefully it doesn't rain or snow tomorrow.

 

[fkirk1]

I'd appreciate your tips on cleaning the EGR passage.

 

[fkirk1]

I ran the codes on my '94 3.2 ATX with 102K miles today and got stored codes of 124 and 172. I appears that the 172 is na O2 sensor but I'm sure exactly which one this is. Exactly where is it located. (The CE light normally only comes on when I drive it pretty aggressively and then goes back off.)

 

[SHOdownTN]

I'd appreciate your tips on cleaning the EGR passage.

It's easier with the intake off but can be done on the car with a peice of coat hanger and carb cleaner.
Un-hook the air tube from the intake and remove the top of the airbox, take about an 8 inch peice of coat hanger and bend a hook on one end at a 90 degree angle and about 1/2 inch long, open up the throttle and look inside. there will be 2 sets of nostrils, 2 on top and 2 on bottum in side the intake where it forks. You will be cleaning the bottum 2 and you can tell that they need cleaning because they will be black and stopped up.
I first sprayed them down with carb cleaner and let them soak a few minutes, open the throttle again and take the handy little tool you made and pick and chisel the black crud loose on each. I went from one to the other and soaked them between picking to clean out the loose stuff and hope to loosen up more.
All in all it took me about 30 minutes to get them cleaned well but the 332 codes and CE light went out and stayed out.
It also wouldn't hurt if you ever have to take your intake off to clean the plumbing where the EGR valve attaches all the way to the intake. There is a procedure on how to clean it all on here if you do a search and it includes photo's.
You can do like me if you change your own oil and clean the nostrils at every oil change. Be sure to lay a rag under the throttle body because it can get messy.

Sorry for takeing so much space but this cleaning procedure needs to be stuck up somewhere under a topic of code 332 or something.

 

[rangerj]

fkirk1,

The 124 code is an indication that the throttle position sensor voltage is higher than expected. The TPS voltage goes from about .3 volts to 5 volts max at wide open throttle. The TPS can be tested and the tests are discussed numerous times in the past threads. It has been my experience that when a TPS starts coding for high voltage it needs to be replaced. It is easy to replace and not very expensive.

Your O-2 sensor code 172 indicates that there is a lack of switches and that the sensor or sensors are staying on the lean side. They should "switch" from rich to lean continuously and rapidly when they are working right. The question is are the O-2 sensors working right and the engine IS running lean, or are the sensors going bad?

Check for a vacuum leak. If you do not have a vacuum leak then the sensors should be replaced. If they are original, or have at least 50,000 miles on them, they should be replaced. The recommended change interval is 60K.

The EGR valve is attached to the intake manifold by a couple of bolts. The EGR tube attaches to the EGR valve, and the exaust manifold with a couple of nuts or bolts at each connection. Remove the valve and the tube. You will need to replace the gaskets.

Make sure the tube is clear of carbon build up. Then check the hole in the exaust and the intake. If the holes are plugged up they need to be cleaned out. You can use carburator/fuel injector cleaner like Gum Out or Berrymans to help soften the carbon and other deposit build up. Sometimes it has to be scraped out.

Before taking the EGR apart watch the EGR poppet valve stem for movement when you tip the throttle and release it. Note: the EGR is not "ON" when the car is cold, nor when at idle (closed throttle), nor at wide open throttle. So to see it work you need to open the throttle a little and let it close, when the car is at normal operating temperature. Then the EGR will be activated and you can see the poppet valve STEM move up and down. Then you know the EGR valve is working, but will not know if the exaust gas is being allowed to circulate. A rough idle can indicate an EGR valve that is not closing due to carbon build up on the valve. Hope this helps.
rangerj