Possibles causes for an intermittent P0411 code (?)

[GEN 3 SHO FAN]

I have a P0411 (the flow from the secondary air injection system is out-of-specification) coming in and out. I begun to think that it isn't the pump the cause because I hear it working...

I did many light maintenance works on it but I did less on "deeper" maintenance (but the cams are welded). I came to the idea that maybe some injectors are leaking giving a too rich ratio in the first seconds after start... The injectors are originals ones (152 000 miles). It could be also leaking oil in combustion chamber by the valves.

From what I know, these specs are measured by the O2 sensors, then anything changing air/fuel ratio could be the cause during the time the pump works (and the test runs), no ?

My girlfriend recently took to my attention that the SHO makes smoke. I made a verification and it's during 3 or 4 seconds after starting the engine.

The color of the smoke seems dark but I'm not sure, seems grey. From what I know :
blue = oil
white = coolant
grey or black = fuel (too much)

Or there is smoke because the pump isn't working properly...? :S

Any though on that will be appreciated, thanks.

 

[stephen newberg]

IIRC the point of the air injection pump is to more rapidly heat up the catalytic converters. Running fuel rich produces a cooler exhaust, not a hotter one, so yes, if the air pump is out of spec, you could be getting excess fuel in the exhaust.

Again, I have not looked this up, but on memory the 0411 is just an out of spec, not a fail. The pump fail number is different, I am pretty sure. and when you have an outright fail on the pump, it is common to also notice a decline in power output, which you are not reporting.

So, its my guess you have exactly what the car is telling you, an air pump whose output is not in spec. Determining why that is so might require removing the pump and disassembling it, or just replacing it outright.

smn

 

[GEN 3 SHO FAN]

Ok, interesting. Maybe I was searching too far...

Codes for a failed pump could be P1414 or 1413 whose could also be linked to a failed relay too IIRC.

Thanks,

 

[gamefanatic]

I'll link my recent posting about this. Mine went on and off for about 2 years (just after a smog). I finally fix mine replacing the solenoid. I got mine from a junk yard pull, but they are available. I believe mine was just weak and worked most times and had not completely failed.

P0411 Troubleshooting

 

[GEN 3 SHO FAN]

**, I didn't tought about this solenoid... And I didn't take a spare one over time and Rockauto don't have it. At this age, it could be also a broken hose maybe.

In the ford blue book (Taurus SHO supplement), this part is identified as "EGR Solenoid Vacuum Valve" and made an error with the part number...(!) Anyway, the good # is something like E6FE-9D474. With this # some equivalents can be found on Amazon. (wrong numbers, see newer post for part numbers)

 

[SHOZ123]

FWIW the O2s aren't working until they have warmed up. Takes at least 30 seconds; so they aren't looking at what the SAI is doing.

 

[GEN 3 SHO FAN]

I want to let know to others owners that I replaced the solenoid controlling the SAI valve and it seems to have resolved the problem !! Thanks gamefanatic ! I was projecting to replace the pump which is a lot harder to do...

I wasn't able to find the part on Rockauto, I finally found something very similar on Amazon with a different part number but with the exact same shape (15$ CA). Here are the part numbers :
E8AE-9H465-BA (old one, design is dating back to 1988 !)
9L14-9H465-BA (new one, new design made in 2009 ?)