check engine light
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Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Kearney, Nebr
check engine light
I recently put shorty headers on my 90' 302. I unable to get get the orginal pipes to match the collectors on the header. I believe this exhaust leak is causing my check engine light to come on. At idle, it is all over the place, but seems to have to the power at higher rpms. What are my options here? Not much room to work with. No one will touch my exhaust up here in Iowa due to having no caddies.
Farm69
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90' F150 302 tue duals 2.25" w/ 28" glasspacks coming at 45's
Farm69
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90' F150 302 tue duals 2.25" w/ 28" glasspacks coming at 45's
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Kearney, Nebr
I agree, but would the large exhaust leak between the headers and the o2 senser make it run like crap? It seems to be getting worse at idle, doing surges until i give it some fuel. The truck ran fine before this. I guess I dont want to buy a new o2 senser until i figure a way to get my pipes to match up to the headers correctly.
P.S. I'm from West Central Iowa Rebel Ford.
_______________________________
90' F150 xlt 4x4 302 4-speed w/ 4.10 rear
true duals 2.25" w/ 28" glasspacks coming out at 45's
P.S. I'm from West Central Iowa Rebel Ford.
_______________________________
90' F150 xlt 4x4 302 4-speed w/ 4.10 rear
true duals 2.25" w/ 28" glasspacks coming out at 45's
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Illinois
Heres some of my thoughts. You said your engine ran fine before the header swap, now it runs bad. What is your EEC trouble code? Does it give you the O2 code?
How is your exhaust connected to your headers? Clamped? Welded? Stuffed in the hole? Your O2 sensor may not be grounded properly, causing the signal to float. It uses a very small, low current signal, and a dirty ground can really screw stuff up. The exhaust may not be grounded through hangers, etc.
Did you reconnect your EGR when you put the headers on? I have heard this can cause idle problems, although dont have personal experiance.
If your EEC is in the limp mode, with the check engine light on, it will feel like a "limp noodle". Get your codes. Another note, as I have experianced, if you had your battery disconnected while working on your headers, it would have erased all the "run" information, and your engine may idle rough until the computer re-learns the information. It is also what the Haynes book says.
Hope this helps.
How is your exhaust connected to your headers? Clamped? Welded? Stuffed in the hole? Your O2 sensor may not be grounded properly, causing the signal to float. It uses a very small, low current signal, and a dirty ground can really screw stuff up. The exhaust may not be grounded through hangers, etc.
Did you reconnect your EGR when you put the headers on? I have heard this can cause idle problems, although dont have personal experiance.
If your EEC is in the limp mode, with the check engine light on, it will feel like a "limp noodle". Get your codes. Another note, as I have experianced, if you had your battery disconnected while working on your headers, it would have erased all the "run" information, and your engine may idle rough until the computer re-learns the information. It is also what the Haynes book says.
Hope this helps.
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From: Kearney, Nebr
The only thing that I removed when I swaped my headers was a tube on the passenger side of the engine. This tube, I believe was just a stabelizer that bolted to the intake, and I thought it would be no problem if I left the peice off. I'm not too sure when it comes to my egr, unless it was that tube. There was nothing else on my manifolds or the rest of my exhaust. My exhaust is clamped to my headers( which leaks right now). I dont have the ability to check codes... but almost certain it is my o2 senser. Thanks for the help guys.
____________________
90' F150 xlt 4x4 302 4-speed w/ 4.10 rear
true duals 2.25" w/ 28" glasspacks coming out at 45's
____________________
90' F150 xlt 4x4 302 4-speed w/ 4.10 rear
true duals 2.25" w/ 28" glasspacks coming out at 45's
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: alaska
get some copper high temp rtv , unbolt the header flanges ,liberally coat both surfaces , at least a 1/8", bolt them back togther , try to get the flanges paralell , let the rtv setup , start the truck to 'set the rtv' hard , should stop the leak . an air leak ahead of the o2 could cause the condition you describe , was that tube you left off a support or an air tube for the egr ? that would also cause the problems , good luck,bob
