Help Needed Asap!!!!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Raleigh, NC
Help Needed Asap!!!!
I'm supposed to trade my '95 in on Tuesday for the '04 F-250 PSD and tonight I was coming home from Raleigh in it and it started cutting out and skipping like crazy and the check engine light came on. I could smell raw gas at stoplights. It had no power and so I limped it home just got in about 10 mins. ago.
What should I be looking for? It had new plugs and wires put in last summer. The O2 sensor shouldn't cause this if it goes bad should it??
What should I be looking for? It had new plugs and wires put in last summer. The O2 sensor shouldn't cause this if it goes bad should it??
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 336
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From: Pittsburgh!
Well, here goes nuthin'.
If you're smelling raw gas, that's because it's not burning.
Pull the plugs one by one. If one is bad you know the problem is contained to that cylinder. If they are all bad it probably not your plugs or wires... look further upstream for the problem... weak ignition, way too much fuel, or bad signals from the computer... which could come from bad O2 sensors or any number of things... best bet is get it scanned in the morning.
I know you said the plugs/wires are just a year old, but sometimes you'll get a bad one, so don't be too quick to rule those out.
Good luck.
If you're smelling raw gas, that's because it's not burning.
Pull the plugs one by one. If one is bad you know the problem is contained to that cylinder. If they are all bad it probably not your plugs or wires... look further upstream for the problem... weak ignition, way too much fuel, or bad signals from the computer... which could come from bad O2 sensors or any number of things... best bet is get it scanned in the morning.
I know you said the plugs/wires are just a year old, but sometimes you'll get a bad one, so don't be too quick to rule those out.
Good luck.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Check the computer codes since you have a check engine light. It'll tell you what sensor is giving you the problem(s). You can learn how to check codes at fordfuelinjection.com or even a Haynes manual will tell you how. Autozone does it for free.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Not sure...
It's pretty easy. Look under the hood on the drivers side fender next to the hood spring. There is a 6 prong connector there in the wiring. Should be just kinda hanging there. With it, should be a single wire with a small plastic connector on it. That wire is the STI wire. Ground that wire, and turn the key on. You should hear some relays clicking and other noises, then watch the check engine light. It'll flicker, then start blinking. When it blinks, it's trying to give you the codes.
For example....say it was trying to tell you code 51.
It would blink 5 times, then a 4 second pause, then blink once. Then repeat.
You can see more details on fordfuelinjection.com.
Go do it now if you want, if you can come back with the codes in 1/2 hr or so I'll tell ya what to do. But I'll be going to bed after that...
It's pretty easy. Look under the hood on the drivers side fender next to the hood spring. There is a 6 prong connector there in the wiring. Should be just kinda hanging there. With it, should be a single wire with a small plastic connector on it. That wire is the STI wire. Ground that wire, and turn the key on. You should hear some relays clicking and other noises, then watch the check engine light. It'll flicker, then start blinking. When it blinks, it's trying to give you the codes.
For example....say it was trying to tell you code 51.
It would blink 5 times, then a 4 second pause, then blink once. Then repeat.
You can see more details on fordfuelinjection.com.
Go do it now if you want, if you can come back with the codes in 1/2 hr or so I'll tell ya what to do. But I'll be going to bed after that...
Thread Starter
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Raleigh, NC
I don't have enough light to go do it, it's in the yard. I will check it out first thing in the morning.
Hopefully I'll get it solved before Tuesday and I'll have the new truck Tuesday afternoon and this one will be out of my hair. It hasn't been right since I've had it back from the shop in October. It ran just well enough not to take it back and did fine for the most part other than some things that came up and went away by themselves, but nothing of this magnitude.
Hopefully I'll get it solved before Tuesday and I'll have the new truck Tuesday afternoon and this one will be out of my hair. It hasn't been right since I've had it back from the shop in October. It ran just well enough not to take it back and did fine for the most part other than some things that came up and went away by themselves, but nothing of this magnitude.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Most likely it's an easy fix. Ford developed a really good diagnostic system to their EFI and it helps a lot in diagnosing problems. Not trying to convince you or anything but you could do it with a flashlight and a jumper wire 
Check the codes and let us know what you find, and we'll help ya from there.
Check the codes and let us know what you find, and we'll help ya from there.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Concord, NC
Hey Maxwell, I'll be in Raleigh until tomorrow afternoon sometime, but if you haven't figured it out before I head back to Durham, I'll see if I can find you and help you out. That check engine light should tell you something.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Raleigh, NC
Originally Posted by EPNCSU2006
Hey Maxwell, I'll be in Raleigh until tomorrow afternoon sometime, but if you haven't figured it out before I head back to Durham, I'll see if I can find you and help you out. That check engine light should tell you something.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Raleigh, NC
Originally Posted by MustangGT221
Gees...come on Eric....I'm tryin' to help someone and you have to beat me by goin to help him personally! The nerve....
ha
ha
. I see his truck on a regular basis sitting over near the mechanical engineering buildings. My truck is either at my dorm or over at Weaver during school, at the Ag Engineering labs, where my major is located.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,555
Likes: 40
From: Concord, NC
I'd just put some of your suggestions to work, Justin .
We have a new race car shop out near the surplus building, so I haven't had the truck on campus much recently. I'm actually down here in Raleigh working on the race car today, in hopes of getting it ready for some testing down in Rockingham on Friday.
.We have a new race car shop out near the surplus building, so I haven't had the truck on campus much recently. I'm actually down here in Raleigh working on the race car today, in hopes of getting it ready for some testing down in Rockingham on Friday.