Little help please...

[digsj7]

Here's what I got guys. It's a 95 ATX. The engine light comes on after I drive it about ten minutes. When I shut the car off, the engine light doesnt come back until I drive the car for another ten minutes. I went to SHOpheonixproject.com and followed the instructions to run a scan with the jumper wire (paperclip). Well, when I shut the car off, plug in the jumper, and go turn the key on..the engine light does not blink. So, I drove around for a while, the engine light came on, and I left the car running and tried plugging in the jumper wire and still no blink. Well, yesterday I was sitting in a drive thru (of all places) and the oil light was dimming on and off. The car started to idle kinda rough and the oil light kept getting brighter. After about ten seconds of that, the car died. I turned it over several times and it wanted to start...but wouldnt. I pushed it out of the drive thru, and turned it over about ten more times. Finally it started and I floored it ******* the rev limiter for a couple of seconds. Then it ran and idled ok. I drove it home and to work this morning (30 miles) and it seems to run ok again. When I am sitting somewhere for more than 30 seconds in Drive it starts to idle a little rough. If I have the car in N or P for 30 seconds, it idles ok. Every now and then the mass air has a humming sound to it (almost like a cold air intake). What would cause the oil light to dim in and out and then the car dies, and would the humming of the mass air cause any of this? Any advice would be MUCH appreciated!!

 

[rubydist]

The oil light flickering is almost certainly a sign that you need to put in new rod bearings post haste or find yourself w/ a spun rod bearing. This is not something to ignore and hope it goes away.

I recommend going to shotimes.com and following the instructions there. Make sure you jumper the "Signal Return" pin to the pin on the single gray connector. (It would make sense that you would jumper the "self test out" pin, but that is incorrect....) After you turn on the key, you may need to wait 10 seconds for the cel to actually start flashing. Before that happens, you should hear the cooling fans kick on and run for a few seconds.

I would recommend cleaning the mafs to see if it behaves better after that.

btw, the cel symptoms you describe are common for either o2 sensors going bad, or egr passages clogged - pull the codes rather than guessing though....

 

[Vnuk1]

Well, yesterday I was sitting in a drive thru (of all places) and the oil light was dimming on and off. The car started to idle kinda rough and the oil light kept getting brighter. After about ten seconds of that, the car died. I turned it over several times and it wanted to start...but wouldnt. I pushed it out of the drive thru, and turned it over about ten more times. Finally it started and I floored it ******* the rev limiter for a couple of seconds. Then it ran and idled ok.

 

[jmpSHO]

If your car is dropping below a certain RPM the oil light will come on, I believe if the car is about to stall and the RPMs drop below 500 the oil light will come on. It doesn't always mean you need to replace the rod bearings.

 

[digsj7]

The engine sounds great when it's running normal! The oil light does come on when the RPM's are around 500 or lower. When the RPM's are any higher than 500 the oil light never shines at all.

 

[95atxbuffalosho]

Is your engine running rich? You would be able to smell the exhaust and tell. i have a similar problem sometimes. if i put the car in drive, hit the accelerator hard for a second and let go, it almost stalls and the oil light flickers on. i already changed my o2's. some guy told me to clean the MAF. That might be worth a try. Just go out and buy the correct cleaner for it.

 

[digsj7]

I dont think my engine is running rich. I got the scan test to work last night...the codes I got were 158,172,176,178,211,and 634. Seems like an aweful lot for one test!! Oxygen sensors are a couple of those. I'll try and find some MAF cleaner and see if it helps. I blew it out with compressed air last night. I did notice I have a vacuum leak on the module on the middle rear of the intake. There are two hoses that connect to that module and one of them was split wide open. I would like to connect it back up, but I cant because the module is all burnt up (It was like that when I got the car). The plastic ****** that the hose connects to is melted off. I just plugged it off for now until I find out exactly what it is and where I can get one. I was told it has something to do with the secondaries.?.?

 

[rubydist]

158 = mafs circuit above max voltage
172 = 02 says system lean on rh bank
176 = 02 says system lean on lh bank
178 = 02 switching time is slow, lh bank
211 = pip circuit fault
634 = mlps out of range in park or neutral

Cleaning the mafs may help, or it may need replaced.

The 02 sensor codes tell you its time for new sensors - those are typical symptoms and codes for old/failed 02 sensors.

pip circuit failure is one to be concerned about - it is the crank position sensor, and if it fails it will leave you stranded on the road. Does the car ever die or miss unexpectedly, and then run okay again? I would replace the crank sensor just to be safe. While you are in there, it usually makes sense to change the timing belt and water pump as well, unless they have just been done recently.

The mlps is the electrical switch assembly that sits on top of the transmission, under the lever that connects to the shift cable. The mlps senses the position of the shifter and communicates that information to the pcm. In your case, the mlps may be mis-adjusted or it may need replaced. It does have an alignment mark for how it should be oriented w/ the trans in neutral. (Set park brake, shift to n, remove the lever that attaches to the shift cable and look at top of mlps. If needed loosen hold-down screws and reorient the mlps.)

The little round melted plastic thingy you refer to is the vacuum canister for the secondary actuators. The way you describe your car, the secondaries will be open all the time, which will reduce your torque up to around 3500 rpm. Getting that fixed should be another priority, but not as urgent as the ones that are causing codes.

 

[digsj7]

Its not the round plastic thingy....its the rectangle plastic thingy the screws on to the back of the intake. The way this is going.........Anyone wanna buy a 95 ATX!!!?

 

[jmpSHO]

Its not the round plastic thingy....its the rectangle plastic thingy the screws on to the back of the intake. The way this is going.........Anyone wanna buy a 95 ATX!!!?

I think you're talking about the DPFE sensor and if I rememeber correctly you have to replace those hoses that are specifically made for a DPFE sensor because they get a little hot. I went went to FORD and of course they were discontinued but I got some for a late model Explorer and they worked fine.

 

[lowc]

I think you're talking about the DPFE sensor and if I rememeber correctly you have to replace those hoses that are specifically made for a DPFE sensor because they get a little hot. I went went to FORD and of course they were discontinued but I got some for a late model Explorer and they worked fine.

yes explorer,crownvics most of them all use the same dpfe as far as ur maf unplug it and take it for a ride if its beter needs maf if not maf good thankfuly mine has no egr but ive replaced a few dpfe 's in my time

 

[digsj7]

The hoses need replaced and also the DPFE itself. Somebody had to of set something hot as **** on it because it melted the plastic where the hoses connect to and where the wiring harness plugs into.

 

[digsj7]

Well, I changed the oil pressure sending unit today ($5.19 part) and everything seems to be running fine! I took it for a 10 mile trip and stopped several times and car didnt die once. I think i'll save the rod bearings for another time! It sound like it doesnt happen too often, but here's a case where you dont have to change rod bearings if your red oil light is flickering!! Start with the cheap stuff!

 

[lowc]

glad to hear the good news