QuestionQUESTION: Hi Tom,
Been busy going through this vehicle with just about everything I know of. That p1133 is gone. Somehow, someway it left and hasn't been back since a few weeks. Now I've run into a different problem. I have a code p0171(bank 1 lean). This one is even more head scratching that the previous. I have checked just about everything. New MAF, new egr tube to intake(had a crack), new vacuum lines from intake to FPR to Evap purge, new evap purge sol, checked FPR(not leaking), new egr valve, even sprayed entire top of engine running with carb cleaner, absolutely no change in idle. The only thing I can think of, possibly a vent valve on the fuel tank. Because of this p0171, I haven't been able to get inspected. I feel like I've tried just about everything, so if you have some tips for me, I'd so appreciate that.
Another issue is this. Car wheels ran stright before, as we discussed when replacing the rear frame. I did indeed have it aligned today, 4 wheel. Took the kid 2 hours to do. Car always ran straight down the road. They showed me the paperwork specs and the fronts were way out apparently. So, the guy emntioned it pulled a bit on left front. I left and immediately felt it wasn't right. Going 40 mph, then braking moderately, made the front end almost seem to jump left, and when I let off the brake, it straightened. the steering wheel is aimed at 2 oclock. What I want to ask is, all the kid did was adjust toe, why am I getting what feels like bumpsteer now? It was great before and I am now having doubts as to why I had them touch the front, when only the rear was needed to be straightened. It leterally feels like when you hit the brakes going down the road, the car shifts left. Let off, then it seems to go back to normal. The brakes are good, always had a sticky spring on that side that jumps when I turn the wheel majorly either way, and the axle has a ripped boot on that side. What would cause the jump in steering, tie rods are good no play. Being that it was aligned, I'm wondering what could've changed to make it do this? I've done alignments, just adjusted toe, but why would it affect braking/steering? Once again, thanks for your input.
ANSWER: HI MIKE, WELL TO DO TODAY'S ALIGNMENTS YOU DO A TOTAL FOUR WHEEL ALIGN..AS YOU KNOW THE FRONT WHEELS FOLLOW THE REAR..SO YOU SET THE REAR AND THEN SET THE FRONTS..BUT THE WAY YOU ARE EXPLAINING THIS IT SOUNDS TO ME AS IF THE TOE ON THE FRONT IS WAY OFFFF. BEING THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS OFF THAT KIND OF TELLS ME SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT..YOU SAID KID DID THIS ?? I WOULD ASK FOR MY MONEY BACK AND TAKE THIS TO A SHOP THAT KNOWS HOW TO SET UP ALIGNMENTS..THE BRAKING PART THROWS ME A CURVE..BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS WHEN BRAKING ONE BRAKE IS NOT WORKING AS IT SHOULD.. A PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKING SOUNDS LIKE THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE IS NOT WORKING AND THE LEFT FRONT CALIPER IS DOING ALL THE WORK...IF THIS CAR WAS SITTING A WHILE THE CALIPER ON THE RIGHT SIDE COULD BE BAD OR THE RF BRAKE HOSE IS RESTRICTED..CK THIS OUT AND LET ME KNOW...
AS FAR AS THE PO 171 CODE THIS MAYBE JUST A BAD OXYGEN SENSOR FAULT..BEING THAT IT IS JUST BANK 1 USUALLY DOES NOT MEAN THERE IS A VACUUM LEAK. IF THERE WERE THEN USUALLY BOTH SENSORS ARE LEAN ALONG WITH HE FUEL TRIMS...CK THIS OUT AND GET BACK TO ME,,GOOD LUCK TO YOU,,,TOM...
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QUESTION: Tom,
It's late. I'm just getting in from doing numerous tasks on this vehicle. I've rechecked the fuel pressure with my Advance auto fuel pressure gauge, which by the way says it only works for cars up to 96. Not sure why, cause it fits on the rail, but anyway. I inserted the gauge, KOEO got 39.5, started it up got about 42 then reved it went up to about 45 or 46 then after it went back to idle, it was about 38. So that right there tells me something is wrong. Specs say this car should be 48 to 55 lbs. Maybe this was the problem all along. I don't know. But I'm sure to think about this now. Might be time for a new used car. We'll see. I've exhausted all possibilities on this thing and it's appearing to be a money pit, as stuff is going wrong faster than I can fix it. What do you think?
AnswerHI MIKE,WELL I CAN TELL YOU THAT USUALLY WHEN A FUEL PUMP IN THE TANK STARTS TO GO BAD IT DOES JUST THAT.IT FAILS....A WEAK FUEL PUMP WOULD HAVE VERY LITTLE POWER ON THE OPEN ROAD IN THE CITY YOU WILL HAVE NO PROBLEMS..SO MY QUESTION IS HOW IS THIS CAR ON THE HIGHWAY.IF THIS HAS ALL THE POWER IT USE TO HAVE I DONT THINK YOUR PROBLEM IS IN THE FUEL PUMP..THAT IS MY THOUGHT. DO YOU THINK YOUR GAUGE IS CORRECT ??? ALSO IF THIS WERE A LOW FUEL PRESSURE ISSUE [AS IN LEAN] I AGAIN WOULD THINK [ALL] OF YOUR FUEL TRIMS AND [OXYGENS] SENSORS WOULD BE GOING BONKERS.. HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO THE BANK ONE LEAN SENSOR AS OF YET ???? DOES THIS SENSOR SWITCH AS IT SHOULD LEAN TO RIICH OR IS IT LAZY AFTER IT IS WARMED UP ??? IF NOT PUT A NEW ONE IN...I THINK THE CAR IS WORTH THAT MUCH AS LONG AS IT IS NOT IN BAD SHAPE BODY WISE....GOOD LUCK TO YOU,,,TOM...
