Hey guys, so heres the story. My head gasket was leaking out radiator fluid so my mechanic friend and I changed both head gaskets. IT took forever but now it is fixed!! We broke about 4 header bolts so those are no longer able to be used....so my headers are missing 4 bolts. I drive back to school and my check engine light comes on. truck starts to idle and run crappy. This past monday Igo to advance pull the code and it says system too lean. take it to a mechanic here and he does a intake/fuel system cleaning. blows out alot of white somke and all. so that fixed the crappy idle ect. well on tues the check engine comes on again after like 5 miles. take it back to advance and it says banks 1 and 2 system too lean. go BACK to the mechanic and he said he forgot to reset the check engine light and turns it off. I drive to my apartment just now and the LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN!!!!! (after like driving less than 5 miles) Its driving me crazy. We put everything back together as it came apart. Except for a hose that is directly under my throttle body. We could not find a hose that went to it or anything. And the Chiltons book does not go into much detail...... PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!

Thanks!

 

no one?!

 

I'm sorry if I sound like a jerk here, but I thnink the reason no one's chimed in is because it sounds like the quality of workmanship is an issue here.

You need to basically go over "EVERYTHING" you've done and double and triple check your work. Sorry.




Allen

 

that hose under the tb is prob a vacuum hose, that would be why you got crappy idle and you keep throwing codes, and running lean. once you hook it up to the other end and reset the computer, you should be good. here check out the pic below, it doesnt tell where every thing is but it tells you where to look, you could also check out the diagram under your hood, it say the same thing

rything it, but it tells you what to look

 

well put your finger on that "port" and see if it sucks it in or you hear a wistleing noise.. if you do you have a vacuume leak. BUT if you have an exhaust leak at your exhaust manifold that can also cause a lean code due to outside air entering the exhaust which then the O2 sensor sees. and the ECU trys to compensate for a lean condition that isnt even thier giving you an exsessivly ritch contidtion instead. SO you need to go over everything ( try a can of brake cleaner) and look for a vacuume leak, the idle will raise up or the truck will stumble when you spray the leak... goodluck


JOSH

 

Missing header/manifold bolts......IS NOT GOOD.

The thing that you need to consider is that if the manifold isn't properly mated to the block, uneven exhaust manifold heat transfer To the cylinder head (for cooling) will cause problems.

Potential is real that you will crack the head.

See: http://www.autotechnicianonline.com/...howtopic=29373 and read Post #8.

 

you broke the bolts taking the manifold off? why didnt you easyout the bolts out when you had the heads off to do the headgaskets?

 

You need to put ALL the bolts back in the manifold no matter what it takes and hook the hose up to the TB then reset the PCM and you should be fine.

 

thanks guys....I know i need to put them back on, i was at home and had to leave for school, so we didnt have time to deal with it. i am in the process of getting new bolts as i type this.....

also anyone have a pic of the hose that attaches to the underside of the throttle body?
thanks

 

Vacuum leaks **and** exhaust leaks can both cause that code your seeing.

btw, You should be able to dis-connect the neg battery terminal, turn on the headlights, turn off the headlights, and reconnect the battery to clear the computer. No need to get it scanned each time... since you pretty much know what the problem is.

Rich

 

I would start with the Obvious. The broken bolts at the manifold. It is possiable that the hot gasses rushing past the loose manifold pulling in outside air. So when this air gets to the O2 Sensor it is reading lean. My guess but address the known issues first and find a new mechanic friend.

BTW loose manifold bolts can cause all kind of bad things. Burning / cracking a valve is possiable too.

****

 

Thanks for the help. Why get a new friend? He taught me an azz load about how to take my engine apart and put it together. WE just ran out of time to get the bolts in place correctly

 

Thanks guys. Got that hose attached and scored a whole set of exhaust studs and nuts free from a service tech @ ford!!! Just gotta put them on now

 

i had a problem similar to that. only it was my cool air intake. i had my friend hook up my truck to the computer and wasnt reading anything. so he cleared the light. nd 3 days later it came bck on. i went to ford nd they told me that as long as i had my cool air intake, its gona come back on...i think they are full of it but all i know is that damn light will not stay off.

 

I had the same prob when I put a cold air intake on my mustang...the CEL said it was running lean.

 

Your mechanic screwed you by doing a throttle body service. That's a Tire Kingdom diagnosis there. If there are header bolts broken the exhaust is bypassing your oxygen sensors completely. That will lean out the motor when it sees no oxygen thinking that the engine is running extremely rich which in turn will cause a crappy idle. And if you just did head gaskets I would look for a vacuum leak too but I'd bet on the headers.

 

yeah ive figured its those missing header blots which will be put in next sat. the throttle body service did make my truck idle and run back to normal btw...