Little Help Needed
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New User
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Little Help Needed
Howdy Fella's,
I'm the NEW GUY in here and I have a 1997 F-150 Flare-side. Here's my problem, with hope you guys can lead me in the right diretion.
About 2 months ago my truck's "Check Engine" light came on. I have taken it to Advanced Auto and had them put it on their Dio. machine. It came back saying O2 sensor (Bank 1 Sensor 1) and EGR valve. Since then, during my spare time I have taken the O2 sensors out and cleaned them, advice from the Advanced Auto guy. I have just finished with the 4th today, yet on a test drive the "Check Engine" light has retured and the rough idle problem is still there. Should I change or clean the EGR valve?
The truck runs great under normal driving, but idles rough.
Thanks for any advice.
I'm the NEW GUY in here and I have a 1997 F-150 Flare-side. Here's my problem, with hope you guys can lead me in the right diretion.
About 2 months ago my truck's "Check Engine" light came on. I have taken it to Advanced Auto and had them put it on their Dio. machine. It came back saying O2 sensor (Bank 1 Sensor 1) and EGR valve. Since then, during my spare time I have taken the O2 sensors out and cleaned them, advice from the Advanced Auto guy. I have just finished with the 4th today, yet on a test drive the "Check Engine" light has retured and the rough idle problem is still there. Should I change or clean the EGR valve?
The truck runs great under normal driving, but idles rough.
Thanks for any advice.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2005
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The EGR on the 5.4l's rarely have a problem, but on the 4.6l's it is pretty common. Cleaning the O2 sensors won't cut it, replacing them is what you should do considering the truck is spitting codes for it, shouldn't be to hard finding some at a local parts shop.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2005
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Given that you're throwing a code for the bank 1, sensor 1 (front) the idle issue could be related to the O2 sensor but it could also be related to the AIC sensor. I haven't heard anything about cleaning O2 sensors before, if it were me I'd just replace it. They don't cost to much and it's relatively easy to do. If this dosen't solve the problem you may want to try cleaning the AIC. I've done it successfully on my wifes SAAB 9000 but never on my F150, but it shouldn't be any different. Unfortunately if the AIC is actually bad they are a little pricey to replace. Hope it's the O2, good luck.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2005
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Sorry, Automatic Idle Control valve. It's really a valve not a sensor. It's located on the intake manifold. Not sure on your motor but on mine, if I remember correctly, it's right after the throttle butterfly.
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Posting Guru
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Take off the whole throttle body assembly (just four 8mm bolts), it'll be a lot easier to get at the IAC(Idle air control).
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
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From: BC, Canada
Steven do you know the actual codes that were retrieved and not just the descriptions for them?
Quite often O2 codes are a symptom and not a cause. A likely cause of O2 codes and rough idling is a vacuum leak, particularly the PCV hose elbow at the back of the intake manifold.
Quite often O2 codes are a symptom and not a cause. A likely cause of O2 codes and rough idling is a vacuum leak, particularly the PCV hose elbow at the back of the intake manifold.
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New User
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Racerguy, this is the way the diagnostics reads:
Advanced Auto Parts
vehicle scanned
1997 F- series
L=5.4L
Auto trans
Set DTCs (codes)
DTC P0133
O2 sensor
CKT Slow Response
(Bank 1 Sensor 1)
DTC P0401
EGR Flow
Insufficient
DTC P1131
Instuff, Switching
Control Valve
Sensor/lean
DTC P1000
OBD Systems
Readiness test
not Complete
I hope that helps.
Appreciate the help fella's.
Advanced Auto Parts
vehicle scanned
1997 F- series
L=5.4L
Auto trans
Set DTCs (codes)
DTC P0133
O2 sensor
CKT Slow Response
(Bank 1 Sensor 1)
DTC P0401
EGR Flow
Insufficient
DTC P1131
Instuff, Switching
Control Valve
Sensor/lean
DTC P1000
OBD Systems
Readiness test
not Complete
I hope that helps.
Appreciate the help fella's.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
The common causes of a P0401 are a bad DPFE sensor and/or plugged EGR ports in the intake manifold. A search in the forum here will point you in the right direction for both of those problems.
You may have a bad O2 sensor but I would carefully check for vacuum leaks first.
Usually cleaning the sensors won't help.
You may have a bad O2 sensor but I would carefully check for vacuum leaks first.
Usually cleaning the sensors won't help.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Maple Grove, PA
the DPFE sensor is located to the right side of the motor on the fire wall.....it has a hose that goes up to the egr valve......like racerguy said...usually that.....can test EGR by putting suction on the egr valve but i'd just get the DPFE.....and as for the bank 1 sensor 1......thats passenger side fist sensor before cat......controls fuel.....cleaning it won't fix it....just bite the bullet and buy it.....their like 50 bucks and the DPFE might be like 30 or something like that then you should be back in business...both easy fixes
good luck
good luck
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