Check engine light...........
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New User
Joined: Apr 2002
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Check engine light...........
I have a 1998 for F150 and the check engine light came on today. It have a little hesitation when this happened thats how I noticed the light. It has 56K miles on it and I have never had a bit of trouble with it. I read the owners manual and it said that light is mainly for emission trouble. I have filled it up with fresh gas and added some gas treatment to it in case I got some bad fuel. Is this a bad PCV valve or something I can fix myself or will I have to take it to the dealership? Thanks it advance for any advice.
T
T
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 75
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Check engine light...........
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 27-Apr-02 AT 05:05 PM (EST)]The check engine light is for any error code that might come up. It can be anything on your computer. You should buy a code reader, find a code reader, borrow a code reader...go to a mechanic with a code reader etc...and have the code read before going at it blindly.
Good Luck
YD (Autozone will read codes for free)
bet it is a 300 series code
Good Luck
YD (Autozone will read codes for free)
bet it is a 300 series code
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 11,496
Likes: 6
From: Kansas
Check engine light...........
As Yellardawg said it could be anything. However, if you are in a bind and cannot make it to a code reader. Disconnect your battery for 20 minutes and then restart it. If it's a real problem i.e a sensor has failed, it will come back on shortly. If it's a sensor slowly starting to read things a bit off it may take several thousand miles before the light comes back on.
I took mine to AutoZone today. Both banks are running lean but that was it - it showed nothing had failed. The tech said it was probably one of the O2 sensors dying a slow death in it's ability to read emissions. So he said to wait untill it shot craps for good.
Sure beat paying somebody a $100. Costs was zip. And my light is still off after driving 40 miles.
I took mine to AutoZone today. Both banks are running lean but that was it - it showed nothing had failed. The tech said it was probably one of the O2 sensors dying a slow death in it's ability to read emissions. So he said to wait untill it shot craps for good.
Sure beat paying somebody a $100. Costs was zip. And my light is still off after driving 40 miles.
New User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5
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From: Valdosta U.S.
Check engine light...........
Hey man, same thing happened to me with similar milage on a 98 F-150. All that was wrong was the O2 sensor but I imagine it could be something else but I would bet on that. Anyway hope this can help.
New User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1
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Check engine light...........
Hey all, I have a 1998 F-150 extended cab, 4.6 litre V8. My Check Engine light started blinking yesterday shortly after my engine started running rough. after a few minutes it stayed on. Where can I go to get it checked out without paying a fortune? Is there anything I can do as a Novice to fix this?
Would disconnecting my battery help, or because it is running rough, should I just take it in?
Where can I get a Code Reader at a reasonable price....along with the instructions on how to use it?
Would disconnecting my battery help, or because it is running rough, should I just take it in?
Where can I get a Code Reader at a reasonable price....along with the instructions on how to use it?
New User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4
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Check engine light...........
FYI - I have a 98 f150 4x4 with a 5.4 and I ran into the same problem error. After reading the manual I learned that all it was that the gas cap wasn't on tight enough. Sure enough the light went away when I tighten the cap. Sometimes it's "good" to read the manual!!:P
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 30
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Check engine light...........
You probably had a mis-fire. I believe Autozone will read the code for free which will confirm the mis-fire and tell you what cylinder. If you want to buy a code reader, most parts houses sell them for about $150.00. As far as a solution, it is probably a bad wire, plug or coil. You can trouble shoot it yourself once you know the cylinder missing by swapping wires or plugs or coils. I recently had the problem and changed the wires and plugs and still had the problem so I changed the coils and still had the problem. Turns out one of the new wires was bad. Replaced that and all is well. I had over 100K miles so it probably was good that I replaced it all. Incidentily, I went from getting 15 mpg to 17 mpg. F150 4x4 4.6 Ext. Cab.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 201
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From: Schaumburg, IL
Check engine light...........
The blinking check engine light means the computer has sensed a misfire. If the misfire clears up the light goes off. After x number of cycles, if it still senses the misfire it puts the CE light on & sets a code. This happened with my E150. Turned out to be a bad coil (my 5.4 doesn't have spark plug wires. Each cylinder has it's own coil.) A code reader will tell you which cylinder is causing the problem. Betcha it's the coil. When my mechanic called to order the part they said they had 5 in stock "cuz they go out all the time."
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New User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 8
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From: Jackson United States
Check engine light...........
I had this exact problem but it went on for months, I would pull up to a light and the truck would start to miss, the CEL would flash then come on. The dealer said it was a missfire and finally changed all of the plugs and wires. They paid for the Wires. My truck has 85k 4.6 w/5spd
Check your negative battery cable terminal for corrosion. My chk engine light came on for that reason. Cleaned it and light disapeared.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 106
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Check engine light...........
I had the same thing. My check engine light came on and I took it to Auto Zone. The first one I went to came back with a O2 Sensor problem. But that was before Autozone had all of their codes computerized. Over the weekend I went back to see if I could get more detail on which bank and such it is and there were 2 codes. THe guy at the first forgot to scroll through and see if there were more than one. I had a "System too lean" and that caused the "o2 sensor is slow to respond" A full bottle of Fuel Injector cleaner on a quarter tank of gas did the trick. (I may have made a potent mix 
) Drove it for a while and no light. If it comes back on I will check it out again and possibly take the sensors out and clean them off with electrical comnponent cleaner. (As read on another post)
FYI. I have a 99 f150 xl with 78k miles.
) Drove it for a while and no light. If it comes back on I will check it out again and possibly take the sensors out and clean them off with electrical comnponent cleaner. (As read on another post) FYI. I have a 99 f150 xl with 78k miles.
New User
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 13
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Check engine light...........
Guys, I am having the same problem right now on my 1998 Ford F150.
It was misfiring, the light would blink then stay on and whenever I'd give it gas, like going up a hill, I would feel hesitation. I took it to AutoZone and the code was 304 - Cylinder 4 Misfire. The guy there told me to start with replacing spark plugs, which I figured was a good idea. Then if that didn't help, replace the wires, etc.(by the way, I am a novice, know nothing about this ..)
Anyway, I got the spark plugs and gapped them, then started the easy task of replacing them...wrong! How in the heck do you get those spark plug wires off?? I pulled my *** off and got no where. I was able to get #1 off, then I went to #4 and tried for an hour, even went and bought a spark plug wire puller and still couldn't get it.
Before I started, I did disconnect the battery and cleaned the terminals, when I finally gave up last night, I put everything back together and started my truck and the light has not come back on, nor has it hesitated...for now.
I want to do this myself, and replace those plugs, does someone have tips on how to get those wires off?
Thanks,
Eric
It was misfiring, the light would blink then stay on and whenever I'd give it gas, like going up a hill, I would feel hesitation. I took it to AutoZone and the code was 304 - Cylinder 4 Misfire. The guy there told me to start with replacing spark plugs, which I figured was a good idea. Then if that didn't help, replace the wires, etc.(by the way, I am a novice, know nothing about this ..)
Anyway, I got the spark plugs and gapped them, then started the easy task of replacing them...wrong! How in the heck do you get those spark plug wires off?? I pulled my *** off and got no where. I was able to get #1 off, then I went to #4 and tried for an hour, even went and bought a spark plug wire puller and still couldn't get it.
Before I started, I did disconnect the battery and cleaned the terminals, when I finally gave up last night, I put everything back together and started my truck and the light has not come back on, nor has it hesitated...for now.
I want to do this myself, and replace those plugs, does someone have tips on how to get those wires off?
Thanks,
Eric
New User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Check engine light...........
Hi there,
The best way to get the spark plug wires off, is to use a pair of pliers and pinch the ends of the spark plugs which will automatically release the spark plug.
Mad Jack
aka Andy Blackwood
mad.jack@shaw.ca
The best way to get the spark plug wires off, is to use a pair of pliers and pinch the ends of the spark plugs which will automatically release the spark plug.
Mad Jack
aka Andy Blackwood
mad.jack@shaw.ca
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