Check Engine Light?

Tiny
DRUMER99X
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1997 FORD F-150
Engine Cooling problem
1997 Ford F150 V8 All Wheel Drive Manual

just changed my coolant and ran the truck, after an 15 mins the check engine light came on. Help!
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAVE H
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,384 POSTS
Have the cars PCM read for fault code. Most good autopart stores do this for free. Get back to us with codes for better diagnosis?
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DRUMER99X
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Took it to auto zone their diagnosis was random cylinder misfire, so must have just been coincidence.
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAVE H
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,384 POSTS
Check engine light can come on for the least little hiccup sometimes. Alway's best to have it read. Some solutions are easier than others.

Happy motoring

Dave H
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MADDMIKED
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1997 FORD F-150
I was driving last week and my truck overheated. It went into the mode where it turns off four of the cyllinders. I turned the truck off, restarted and everything was fine. I started having fluctuations in the temperature so I replaced the thermostat and the problem went away. Shortly after the checkengine light came on. Today I found as I was driving the temp gage never moved and the heater neverturned on. The fact was there was no water in the radiator. I filled it up and drove to work. Ran terrible and a couple times the check light started flashing. I know I need to diagnose the computer, but I was wondering what might cause this. Will the O2 sensor cause the engine to burn water? I havent seen any leaks. Thanks for any help.
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PEPPERMRJ
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,158 POSTS
No to the O2. Look at your oil. Is it like a chocolate milk shake? Do you have water coming out the tailpipe? Both r signs of a blown head gasket or cracked head. Could also be a leak you haven't found yet.

Good hunting and let us know. :)
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
IVAN BANDOO
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1997 FORD F-150
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 155,000 MILES
My check engine light came on and I took it to

auto Zone where they told me that I had a Code 88 which is: Catalyst efficiency low-bank 2. What does this mean and how do I fix it?
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RACEFAN966
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,029 POSTS
Ok first I need the P? Code number as this will be more exact to the problem and there is no code 88 on a 96 or newer vehicle. I think it should be a P0430 code. Also what engine is in it and what is the 8th digit of the vin. Get back to me with that and we will do some tests to see if it is the O2 on that side or what. Thanks
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
IVAN BANDOO
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
The Vin # on the F-150 is 1FTDX1761VNA16439
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RACEFAN966
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,029 POSTS
I need the proper code number it will be P. Get this to me so I can look over the code chart to see what tests should be done. Check with your local parts stores to see if one still does a free scan and have it scanned so we can have that code too. Thanks and get back to me.
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:37 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MILITARYKAY9
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1997 FORD F-150
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 85,000 MILES
While driving down the road the check engine light on my 1997 ford f150 came on. The engine is still running the same as usual. What would cause this problem?
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Take it to autozone its a free service to scan the computer for code/s and comeback with it-The light turn On because there's a problem within the engine management system.
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JTM80
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1997 FORD F-150
Truck has had three sets of plug wires and plugs (best wires the ford place had and the best platinum plugs), new fuel filter and one new coil pack installed in the past year. Each time the service engine light would go off and stay off a few days before coming back on. After the light comes on the truck starts to miss at idle and while in overdrive and the truck is under a load such as pulling a hill at cruising speed. If truck is run for a couple of weeks the miss gets worse(runs like it is hitting on four cylinders instead of eight) and mechanics report that the plug wires and plugs are bad and need to be replaced. This has happened three times so this leads me to believe that the plug and wires are not the problem. Computer says that the code indicated the plug wires and plugs but a lot of money and time seems to disprove the diagnostics. Seems like the truck is firing way to hot or something and burning up the plug wires! Any ideas?
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PEPPERMRJ
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,158 POSTS
The actual codes will help the search for an answer. Many chain autoparts houses will do this for free. A code scanner will soon be the first tool in the old tool box so might be a good investment.

Post back with codes. :)
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JTM80
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Have not been able to get the exact codes but mechanic says that the codes point to the plug wires or plugs but something is messing up the plug wires each time they are changed.
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JTM80
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
After putting on new plug wires this weekend the service engine light was turned off and the truck ran great for a day and half then the service engine light came back on. Took it back to the shop and the machine said that the truck had a bad catalytic converter on bank one. Does this make sense? The truck ran good for a few miles then it starts missing and this is becasue of the catalytic converter? Could this cause the plug wires the have trouble on the three sets that I pt on it in the past few months? HELP PLEASE!
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PEPPERMRJ
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,158 POSTS
Don't know about causing the plug wires to fail but as backpressure builds performance deteriorates.
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
98RANGERXLT
  • MECHANIC
  • 301 POSTS
  • 1997 FORD F-150
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 128,000 MILES
My dad has a 1997 fi50 with the 4.6l vin code w.
August of 08 the check engine light came on code was p0402 egr exessive flow so we put on new egr, egr solinoid, and Dpfe sensor light stayed out until about a week ago light came on checked same code p0402 thought dpfe was bad took back to autozone got new one (has 2 year warrantty) put on cleared code, stayed off about 15 mins. Came on checked code now it says p0401 egr insufficient flow cant figure it out any help would be great. Thank you.
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
A common EGR problem with many Fords is a bad DPFE (differential pressure) sensor. The DPFE sensor is part of the EGR system and senses EGR flow when the EGR valve is open. It provides a feedback signal to the engine computer so it can vary EGR flow to meet changing engine loads. The DPFE sensor is usually mounted on the engine and is connected to the pipe that runs from the exhaust manifold to the EGR valve with two rubber hoses. When the sensor goes bad, the Check Engine light comes on and typically sets any or all of the following fault codes: P0171 & P0174 (lean codes), and/or P0401 (insufficient EGR flow). Nine out of ten times, the fault is not a bad EGR valve or a vacuum leak, but a bad DPFE sensor.
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)
Tiny
98RANGERXLT
  • MECHANIC
  • 301 POSTS
Its a brand new sensor could it be bad already.
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 AT 6:38 PM (Merged)

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