I changed the wires and plugs on my 2.3 with 78k nearly all highway miles and on the highway the check engine light came on. My gas mileage had gotten progressivly worse and now it is back to where it was. Once this light came on I did notice a small miss in it to. It was probably there before I changed out the plugs and wires, it's not to noticeable. I stopped by the local ford dealership who put the diagnostic machine on it and said it had thrown a code that had something to do with cam timing sensor and he went on to say the carb might be gummed up to. I think he said the code could be four different things. Then he said he was busy and bring it back and let him spend a few hours on it!!! I am sure that would be around 200 dollars since it cost me 60 dollars for them to put a fuel filter on it! Anyway, does anyone have any idea on what this might likely be? I am pretty ignorant with electronic and sensor issues and don't know where to start on this. I plan on getting an aerosol can and clean the carbeurator throat out this weekend. Seems like he said that looked OK though, but still tryed to sell me some kind of carb program for 78 dollars! HELP PLEASE

 

Welcome to FTE!

Take the truck to AutoZone and have them hook up a code-reader to it (usually done for free). If the CEL is on then there is one or more codes stored in the computer's memory. Make sure you get the code number, don't just let Autozone tell you what they think the problem is.

Post the code number(s) here and that'll get us going in the right direction.

P.S. You might think about picking up an OBD-II code-reader yourself at some point, the basic units have come down in price to around 80-100 bucks now, well worth the money IMO.

 

i dont think your engine is carbed, its fuel injected. unless it is not stock. i think that mechanic is taking you for a ride.

 

I took the truck to the local auto parts place and put their diagnostic machine on it and I got 2 codes with comments afterwards. The codes are this: #1 it says "P-301" and cylinder misfire detected in cylinder one.... The #2 code is:"P-0316" misfire detected on startup for first 1000. Whatever that means. Anyway does anyone know what this possibly is? I did replace the plugs and wires a couple of days before this started throwing the code. I can feel the miss, it is pretty hard to detect though as the truck is so quiet. Could it possiblly be a bad spark plug wire and if so, how do you check it? (I bought the more expensive set of wires) or maybe the plug is gapped wrong? Anyway, Can anyone help?

 

Sounds like a problem with the #3 cylinder, switch the plug and wire with another cylinder and see if the codes follow it, also inspect them while there out. Make sure you put dielectric grease in all the boots and antiseize on the plug threads.

 

If the problem started after you changed the plugs and wires then it's gotta be related to that. What kind of plugs did you put in there? Not Bosch, I hope.

Pull the spark plugs on cylinder #1 and see if maybe the gap or something else is wrong. You should re-check the routing of the plug wires, too.

 

I don't know for sure if it was Bosch, I don't think so. My friend did the work for me and I guess I will have him pull that #1 plug and check the gap. I don't know how to check a plug wire....I thought maybe it might be an oxygen sensor or something. The code did not start right after I changed the plugs and wires, it was a couple of days....