2002 Sport Trac; CODE P0174

[BigBadStang]

Lean condition both banks. Any ideas where to start on this?

[8banger]

Assuming its a 4.0 v-6 with a MAF sensor,clean the sensor itself.Dust dirt and debris can accumulate on the elemnets causing these codes.use "electronic parts cleaner" or MAF cleaner, not throttle body cleaner or carb cleaner. try this first

[facemelter71]

Dont those mass air meters have a burn cycle when they heat the element up and burn all that stuff off? Or is it GM im thinking of?

[cstreu1026]

I was thinking 02 sensors maybe. I am getting P0171 and P0174 on my Mustang as well. I picked up some new O2's and hopefully I can get them installed tonight and see if that fixes it. How many miles on on your sport trac?

[8banger]

Yep some GM's have the burn cycle feature.Nothing ever (read/found on the fords though.(least the older versions 05 backl).Even on the GM's the burn cycle dosent do a good job.Easy just to manually clean them.

[8banger]

Also change the fuel filter if you havent.

[BigBadStang]

Assuming its a 4.0 v-6 with a MAF sensor,clean the sensor itself.Dust dirt and debris can accumulate on the elemnets causing these codes.use "electronic parts cleaner" or MAF cleaner, not throttle body cleaner or carb cleaner. try this first

Yeah, it is a 4.0L with mass air. I bought a can of CRC MAF sensor cleaner to try that first. Being that I've never fooled with a MAF before, what's the best way to clean it? It looks like you just unbolt it, then do you just spray everything down inside?


I was thinking 02 sensors maybe. I am getting P0171 and P0174 on my Mustang as well. I picked up some new O2's and hopefully I can get them installed tonight and see if that fixes it. How many miles on on your sport trac?

It has 97k miles on it.


Also change the fuel filter if you havent.

I bought one... any clues how to get the damn lines off?:lol: I have replaced the filters on older Ford EFI cars. I took the metal clamps loose on the lines, but they still won't budge...I'm sure there is some special tool I need.:lol:
The other times it was changed, the wife had it done at a shop.

[8banger]

Yeah, it is a 4.0L with mass air. I bought a can of CRC MAF sensor cleaner to try that first. Being that I've never fooled with a MAF before, what's the best way to clean it? It looks like you just unbolt it, then do you just spray everything down inside?



It has 97k miles on it.



I bought one... any clues how to get the damn lines off?:lol: I have replaced the filters on older Ford EFI cars. I took the metal clamps loose on the lines, but they still won't budge...I'm sure there is some special tool I need.:lol:
The other times it was changed, the wife had it done at a shop.

You can unbolt it from the air cleaner housing.If you look closely at it you will see that the MAF has an opening in the middle of the tube like structure with what looks like bare silver wires(thats the elements) and just spray them down real good.

Yes you'll need a special tool to remove the fuel filter.Most auto parts stores sell them.Or if you're close enough to warnt a drive,you can borrow my mine.

[8banger]

And the metal clips are just a safety clip.

[8banger]

Looking for the tool needed I found this for ya.
http://www.fordf150.net/howto/fuelfilter.php

[8banger]

Even better....

http://www.fordf150.net/howto/clean-maf-mass-airflow-sensor.php

[BigBadStang]

Thanks for the help!
I will pick up the tool so I can get that changed. I live 30 miles north of the river, but thanks for offering up the tool, that was very cool of you! :)

[8banger]

Hey your welcome.No prob.Need any help let me know.:bigthumb

[Timido]

My bet would be intake gaskets. I know the SOHC intake gaskets are made of rubber and plastic the rubber gets old and starts leaking. Check your vaccum hoses and PCV hoses they can deteriorate also. That code being lean in both banks tells me that it is common problem to both banks. That would rule out an Oxygen sensor they usually go bad one at a time. Take off the Engine cover and carfully spray carb cleaner around the intake,intake hoses, and vaccum hoses. If the idle goes up there is your vaccum leak. Might be a good idea to have a fire extinguisher or hose handy just in case. You never know.

[BigBadStang]

My bet would be intake gaskets. I know the SOHC intake gaskets are made of rubber and plastic the rubber gets old and starts leaking. Check your vaccum hoses and PCV hoses they can deteriorate also. That code being lean in both banks tells me that it is common problem to both banks. That would rule out an Oxygen sensor they usually go bad one at a time. Take off the Engine cover and carfully spray carb cleaner around the intake,intake hoses, and vaccum hoses. If the idle goes up there is your vaccum leak. Might be a good idea to have a fire extinguisher or hose handy just in case. You never know.

I had thought of that too, but the only thing is, it idles rough, or surges on cold start sometimes. If you rev the throttle once or twice, it stops. Is it true, if you unplug the MAF, it will go into "fail" mode and meter fuel by throttle position? (I read that on an Explorer forum tech article). I tried that, and the surging and rough idle disappeared. I just don't know if unplugging the MAF was the cause of the rough idle/surging idle was alleviated by that, or if it was just being intermittent. Is there a sure fire way to test the MAF? I would hate to drop 2 billson a MAF and that not be the problem. I sprayed the hell out of the MAF with cleaner, and it seemed to help it for about an hour, then it started doing the same thing, but not quite as bad. I still need to change the fuel filter.

[Timido]

Unmetered air from a vaccum leak will cause all kinds of drivablity problems. If you unplug the mass air it does go into some kind of fail mode. If it was my explorer I would just replace the intake gaskets clear the codes and go form there. They are a common enough problem with the plastic intakes and rubber gaskets. I replaced about a million of them they have a reputation of failing. Make sure you have a decent torx socket set and metric 7mm 8mm sockets.

[BigBadStang]

Well... I found the culprit of the P0174 Lean Condition code.
This damn thing was split on the underside. I was checking all the vacuum lines and found it. Thanks for all the help.
Here is a pic of the bad piece.
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w247/BigBadStang/PCVHose.jpg
It was like the entire part where the bend is was deteriorated. It was all soft and gooey, and it looked like it was being sucked flat before it finally tore.

[Blkcobra01]

Yup besides intake gaskets thats another culprit on the 4.0 or lean codes pcv valve rubber hose groumet seen a few of them.