We have a 2001 F-250, 5.4L, 8 cyl, 8800GVW in Massachusetts...not sure what else you need. Emissions inspection and re-inspection (with fuel additive) at our local garage failed. Brought truck to our Ford dealer, they couldn't get it to pass. They said there was a problem with the truck being entered into the state system under the wrong weight class, and other issues. They cleared the OBD, replaced the thermostat, and told us to drive the truck and bring it back. We did that, and it still wouldn't pass. We then returned the truck to the original garage, and they tried again, thinking that the cleared OBD system may work. It didn't. They entered truck under correct weight, but said that it didn't matter. They then gave us a handout on Ford's "Drive Cycle", told us to follow the directions (pretty hard when we don't have a computer to hook up to the truck), and come back for another inspection. Any suggestions on where to go from here?

 

Welcome to the site Don't forget to look at the top of the page for answers to most of your questions about ford trucks.

Whats too high or are both the levels too high...? The cats may be bad. It shouldn't be too hard to get right if you know what you are looking for.

 

Not sure what you're looking for as we are "non-motorheads", but the error report that the local garage gave us indicated that the Overall OBD system, the Oxygen sensors, and the Oxygen sensor heaters were "not ready". They've asked us if the check engine light has come on (it hasn't), if we've disconnected the battery at all (we have not), if we've driven it before the inspection (we have). As a non-motor-head, not sure where to go back to and what questions to ask.

 

I had to follow those drive cycle insturctions on the Exploer I own (1996 - 4.0L V-6) when one of the O2 sensors failed and it was a pain but I finally did get it to cycle correctly and pass. I would do exactly as the drive cycle instructions in the owner's manual say, then give it a nother day or two and bring it back for a re-inspect. One of my problems was that the inspection facility was not able to correctly identify the which O2 sensor was bad (won't bore you with the details on that).

Did they by chance tell you what failed on the emmissions test? In Texas they provide you with a report that makes it pretty easy to identify the problem - ex. I knew I had a bad O2 sensor, I just did not know which one)

 

Did they tell you this the first time or after the re-inspection?

 

The first inspection, the second re-test, and the "new" inspection today from the local garage all came back with the "not Ready" result. I actually never saw the results of the inspections done by the Ford dealer.

 

The drive cycle directions that they gave us are very specific, indicating that certain PID's (ECT, EVAPDC, FLI, TP) should be monitored and that ECT and IAT are certain tempuratures. As we have no way to measure these (don't even know what they are), should we just follow the rest of the directions as best as we can?

 

An experienced ford mechanic can troubleshoot the system easily. On his computer he can see whats working and what isn't and go from there. It takes a real brain as this is where 95% of mechanics don't have a clue. They can look at each individual component and see if its doing its thing.

 

I agree with 99f350sd, a good Ford dealer mechanic "should" be able to figure this one out. For now, take a look in your owner's manual, There should be a set of directions for a drive cycle to get everything reset. It may be that your O2 sensors ar shot but I am a little troubled that your are getting the "a not ready" for the O2 sensors, etc. from the inspector's equipment. You may want to look for another Ford dealer. Since you are in Mass. I would recommend that you take a look at some of the threads from the past couple of days, There was/were one or two folks complaining about bad dealer service departments (real horror stories) and it was more than one person with complaints. Semms like one was in NY but I seem to remeber the othere was in Mass. This should not be a difficult fix for the dealer.

You may want to try a reputable independent. I would recommend putting out a broadcast on a local forum furhter down the MAin Forums page. There a Forums for TX, VA, etc. I suspect there is one for MA/RI/NH/CT. Not sure where you are in MA. Many folks will put a call out for a good transmission shop, etc. You maight ask for a good emmisions troubleshooting shop. Reason I suggest this is that the dealer may be playing dumb in hopes that you will buy a new truck (You drive a 2001, it's 2005, may owe little to nothing on the existing truck if you've had it since new, time for a new truck, existing truck won't pass emmissoions so they can low ball you on your trade in, then fix the truck and profit on the sale of the new truck to you and your existing truck to someone else - you get the point). I would hate to think this is going on but salesmen do farm the service department for customers.

 

When you say "with fuel additive" - what do you mean ?

MANY fuel additives make the emissions WORSE for a few days if they are any good...
after all - where does the "bad stuff" it's cleaning out go if not out the exhaust ?
Look at Item 2 on this page: www.rxp.com/instruct.htm

Not that this stuff can fix a mechanical problem, but it will help with any other issues...
I heard about this stuff YEARS ago from Ed Wallace (Wheels on KLIF 570 AM)
Have had great results... both gas and diesel...
www.rxp.com/FAQs.htm
www.rxp.com/master.htm

hope this helps & good luck !

 

We bought something called "Guaranteed to Pass" at Benny's and followed the directions exactly. But what you said about the exhaust makes sense.

I will look at the links you posted for more information. Thanks for your help. Will keep checking back as I can for other info. (Father-in-law is in hospital and that's priority now.)

 

Well, I thank all of you for your input/suggestions. PROBLEM SOLVED.

We met a representative from the RMV at the local gas station. The error occurred at the initial inspection when the technician entered the wrong GVW. It tested the truck under the wrong parameters. The only way to correct the problem was to have the software company erase all the information entered for our truck, and start over again, being sure not to even scan in the old sticker on the windshield. OR, we could have gone to another inspection site, have them disconnect their modem from the state system, and complete the inspection offline-entering all truck info manually.

And, the rep said that the Ford dealership should have called him in the first time we went to them. A comedy of errors that escalated each time... I'm just very glad that all is well with the truck.

And we did wonder if they were trying to get us to buy a new one!?

Thanks again to all, and I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else. We were getting very frustrated trying to determine who was trying to take us for a ride . . .

Looking forward to visiting this site again, hopefully just to chat and peruse and not for another problem.

 

I feel your pain!! I had the same problem when I transfered title on my work truck into my own name last June. (Stupid California laws!). I have a 2001 F250 with the V-10, and while all the emmissions passed, the computer was putting out codes that wouldn't complete the test. So, I took it to Ford, where they kept it for a week, and put 100 miles on it trying to clear the codes. They never could figure out what was wrong, and also told me that mine was the very first truck that had this problem at their shop. (An honor I could have lived without). Eventually they let me take to the local State Referee, that operates out of the local junior college auto shop, where, again, it passed emmissions, but put out the same codes. Thankfully, the Ref. signed it off and gave me the certificate to transfer title. Maybe your state has the same kind of program??? Now, I'm selling my truck this month, and more than likely will have to go through the whole process again ! But, at least with my new ride - 2005 F350 diesel - I won't have to go through it again in the future .
Good Luck!!!!!
~~~~TrekChick

 

Check threads from last week for a fellow using the handle Viking24 (or something like that) from Indiana, He was looking for a 1999+, F-250/350, V-10, SC, 4x4 with 75K miles or less and was willing to travel. I looked around the Houston area for him and everything I found that fit his bill was already sold. He was having a similar problem everywhere he looked across the US. IF your fits the bill, I'm sure he wouldbe interested. He wanted a Southern truck to avoid rust problems. I should think that CA would fit that bill if your truck meets his needs otherwise.

 

Good luck with the new wheels...ENJOY!

I've never really concerned myself with the emissions part of the state inspection, but after this fiasco, it really makes me wonder. Especially when the mechanic AND the Registry guy told me there was a way to bypass it! I told them not to do me any favors.