IMy friend has a 1990 Bronco and he has a hard time starting in warm weather or cold. Since it is fuel injected, he should not have a hard time starting. I believe it has new plugs but wondered if it was the throttle body and how to clean it.
Any ideas???

 

Pull computer codes before you do ANYTHING else. Chasing things that MIGHT be the problem when the computer can pinpoint it for you just wastes your time and money. There are a host of potential reasons for hard starting with this truck. Anything short of having fault codes is a shot in the dark. CHECK HERE for answers on how to pull codes and what they mean once you have them. If you need clarification about specific codes, let us know.

 

Can we take it to autozone to get the codes pulled????

 

Yes auto zone and advance auto will read the codes TR

 

he can buy a code reader for about $25 or use the paperclip method. Well worth the money and the time, it removes a lot of guesswork when dealing with engine problems.

 

$0.02 paperclip will get the job done if you read up on how. Haynes manual describes the procedure pretty well. But, yes, you can have AZ or one of the larger chain "parts barns" pull codes for you. Tell them you want the actual code numbers not just "what they say" the codes are. I've seen guys, particularly newcomers, get some of the screwiest answers as to what the codes they pull really mean. So even if they want to try and diagnose the problem based on the codes they get, tell them you want the actual code numbers they pull anyway. Better yet, have them SHOW you the reader.

 

Will do
I had them pull the codes on my 95 f-150 and they said it was a EGR code and that it could be 3 different things!

 

Yeah, see that's why you want the actual number the computer spits out. A lot of us here know what the individual codes actually mean. There are about 6 or 8 EGR-related codes but if you have the actual number of the code it can be narrowed down even further. The AZ guys still want to sell you more than one part if they can so they aren't gonna be any more specific than that.

 

So the Autozone will throw out the actual code even if the check engine light is not on?

 

The CE light doesn't necessarily come on and stay on. The only time the light stays on is if there is a continuous problem that the computer encounters repeatedly and cannot correct during normal operation. It also doesn't necessarily come on every time a code is generated which is why running the self diagnostic tests is about the only way to get to the root of the problem. Best to read up on Ford Fuel Injection because there are not only different codes but there are two different tests to determine the real problems.

KOEO (Key On Engine Off)
KOER (Key On Engine Running)

For both tests it is imperative that the engine be at operating temperature.

My concern is that the AZ response that says the problem is an "EGR code and that it could be 3 different things" leaves you with no better information than when before because you still don't have a definitive answer to the problem. Now if they had told you the ACTUAL codes that the on-board computer generated, the combined information from all of the codes would yield a combination of problems that would point more clearly to the real issue.

Simply put, the more information, the better the problem can be pinpointed. The AZ employee answer only gets you chasing what it could be. You can do that without pulling the codes at all.

 

Greystreak is right on as ususal. I would like to add..when you return for codes ask them to check CM (continuous memory) also. They display immediately after the KOEO (Key On Engine Off) codes. CM may tell you about intermittent issues.