Hydro Carbon Issue
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,564
Likes: 11
From: Wayyy NoCal, USA
There are a whole lot of possible causes.... the high HC is a result of a rich mixture or incomplete combustion (it's a symptom, not a cause).
Can be anything from a dirty MAF sensor to a defective PCM to a damaged engine. Along the path are all other engine sensors (including 02), PCV valve, vacuum leak, IAC problems, fuel injectors, COP'S, plugs, fuel pump, cat, etc etc etc
I can try to help you narrow it down, but would need a whole lot more info....
- High at idle, or at cruise RPM, or both?
- happen at start up, or when warm, or both?
- How many miles
- how well maintained
- what mods on truck
- any codes stored in PCM
Can be anything from a dirty MAF sensor to a defective PCM to a damaged engine. Along the path are all other engine sensors (including 02), PCV valve, vacuum leak, IAC problems, fuel injectors, COP'S, plugs, fuel pump, cat, etc etc etc
I can try to help you narrow it down, but would need a whole lot more info....
- High at idle, or at cruise RPM, or both?
- happen at start up, or when warm, or both?
- How many miles
- how well maintained
- what mods on truck
- any codes stored in PCM
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
165000 miles. it idles normal but spudders a bit at idle and cruise. oil change regular but hasnt had a tune up in a long time. no mods and no codes. trk was running fine up untill a week ago. muffler was shot so i had it replaced from cat back. thought that was the cause of the spuddering but it still does. took it to inspection the other day and thats when the high HC was discoverd
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,564
Likes: 11
From: Wayyy NoCal, USA
Well, at 10 years and 165K, there are a lot of possibilities.
If you want to keep the truck, there are a lot of preventive maintenance items you should be doing anyway to keep it reliable. I'd give it at least a 50% chance one of them may do the trick.
If you haven't done the following in the last 100K, start there:
- New Motorcraft plugs
- new Motorcraft COPS
- new motorcraft O2 sensors
If you don't plan to keep truck, I would suggest taking it to experienced and good mechanic and fix just what is amiss. In the long run, that will be cheaper than throwing parts at it.
If you want to keep the truck, there are a lot of preventive maintenance items you should be doing anyway to keep it reliable. I'd give it at least a 50% chance one of them may do the trick.
If you haven't done the following in the last 100K, start there:
- New Motorcraft plugs
- new Motorcraft COPS
- new motorcraft O2 sensors
If you don't plan to keep truck, I would suggest taking it to experienced and good mechanic and fix just what is amiss. In the long run, that will be cheaper than throwing parts at it.
