I have a 2000 Ranger Automatic at 46k miles. The other day, my check engine light came on, but it continued to drive until I got home. Yesterday, I tried cranking up the truck and it made a horrible spurting cough sound. I turned off the ignition. I check the gas cap, it was on securely. My oil level is normal. It sounds like I need to take the truck to the Auto Service Shop. I wanted to know of ideas, of what I can expect the problem to be? I'm trying not to get a raw deal at the Service shop and save money.

 

The computer has detected a problem, turned the CEL on and stored a code. When you take it to the shop the code will point then to the problem. Ask them for the codes and we can tell you what some of the possible causes are, it is most likely sensor related.

 

I had took my truck to the shop on 2/26/03 to get a fault code P0176 (I read the code before I took it in to the shop) took care of and to see if that was causing my truck to stop running and drinking my gas. I had noticed that my last fill-up I only got 198 miles to the tank of gas compaired to 288 to 312.

The shop replaced the so called FFV (flexible fuel modulator). FP-Number YL5Z-9C044-BA Electro 503497 Unit Price $444.94....
can not find this part on www.partsvoice.com

My truck runs fine now and has not stopped, Check Engine light is off, no code faults are found, but I'm still only getting around 200 miles to a tank of gas.

Any ideas or what I should do next would be great. The shop says nothing is wrong, but I know that my MPG just don't start geting bad in a week unless something is wrong.

Thanks,
JayT

Info: 2000 Ranger 2 Door Super XLT 4x4 V6 3.0 Flex Fuel - 38,624 miles

 

I also have the P0176 code in my 2000....only mine has 94.5K on it. Apparently nobody has the aftermarket specs for this particular sensor -- in fact, much like mentioned most places don't even list a flex fuel sensor or fuel composition sensor (which is what the code refers to, Ford calls it the former).
I guess I'm going to have to eat the $400+ dollars on mine also...I did find it a little cheaper at fordparts.com, but by the time you add in shipping it works out to about the same as a dealership charges. On a brighter note, for those that are electrically savvy, I did happen upon the patent documentation from Virginia Tech that shows the construction and gives the specs for a generic flex fuel sensor -- combined with the test specs from Ford, maybe I'll screw around with the old one after I get the truck fixed...might be able to fix the old one (for those that are not aware, that $400+ part is basically a set of variable resistors that has fuel flow over it - the fuel density causes the resistors to give off different readings, resulting in the ECM adjustment to your fuel mixture. Not worth the inflated price really!)

 

Welcome to FTE!

The flex fuel sensor generates a frequency based on the % of ethanol in the fuel. The problem up to this point has been how to substitute a viable frequency generator in place of the flex fuel sensor.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=237789

 

Thanks for the clarification Rockledge -- needless to say it's been a long couple of days, but I knew what I wanted to say.....you just said it better

 

If you figure something out, be sure to keep us posted.

 

roger that - I should hopefully know a bit more in the next day or so

 

Ok Rockledge and gang, here's the scoop so far.....

After a $90 diagnostics trip to Ford to make sure that there wasn't something else wrong, I found out it is definitely the Flex Fuel Sensor that is shot. Current version part number is YL5Z-9C044-BA. Oh and by the way - Virginia Ford dealerships want $700+ for parts and labor to do this at the shop.

Had my dad get involved with the search for a new sensor - two searching goes a little quicker. www.fordparts.com has the part (have to search by number to find the listing for it) - their price is $376.02 and 34.90 for ground shipping...ships in 4-5 business days, then you have the actual shipping time so if you have a week to wait.....

The place we ordered the sensor from for my truck was www.partsgalaxy.com - their price was $368 plus shipping and handling. Still outrageously priced, but it's at least a little cheaper. I guess mine is coming from Indianapolis, so I should have it in a couple of days...glad I have a ride to work for the week....I am thinking probably 20 minutes at most to change it.

I'll probably tear open the old one next week sometime after I get the new one in place. For those that are curious, or for those that are new have no idea what the flex fuel sensor is/does, here's the website I found with the concept patent - www.vtip.org/licensing/ford/main.htm - take a look at the Flexible Fuel PI Filter Sensor patent...bears a very close likeness of the actual sensor

 

All I can say is, don't trust what the dealership tells you - have a second opinion or check yourself.

Ok, so Ford said I needed the flex fuel sensor - so I bought the sensor, got the old one off its plate and unplugged, and got the fuel lines hooked up. Here's where the problem is.....

When I got ready to plug in the wire harness, I noticed it appeared moist inside of the plug when the flashlight shined on it. Turns out, there is WD-40 or something similar coating everything inside the plug. I also found a small bit of corrosion residue at the back of the plug, and on the inside of the old sensor's corrosponding plug.

So, needless to say, I'm a little mad with Ford....I managed to put on about 100 more miles since my $90 service visit to Ford, and thought it kind of odd that there wasn't anymore problems (kind of mad about not checking that first before I put the new sensor in too). Let it be a lesson for others -- don't just say go ahead and fix it, especially when the price is high for the repair -- my total costs worked out to be roughly $506 between the part and service call....Ford wanted $700+ for parts and labor to change it. Other than the bolts being rusted beyond salvage, the only other problem I has was getting the quick-connect fuel lines undone and I still only had about a half hour tied up doing the labor myself....

Still going to check out this old sensor though - I'll feel a lot better if it does test out of specs. If it's ok, I'll have a used flex fuel sensor if somebody else needs it hahahaha.........be cheaper than a $400+ new one....

 

Well, it's a good reminder for the rest of us - that checking associated connections/wires/circuit is always a good idea when things are pointing to a particular sensor.

Also, don't knock it, I bet you could recoup a good part of your investment by selling the used flex fuel sensor on eBay.