Codes 171 & 174 TSB # 03-16-1 update

[farns]

WOW!!! YAY!!! YAHOOOOO!!!!

It works guys!!! It really works!! Got everything all put back together and it fired right up!! Strange looks from the neighbors when I did the happy dance, the chicken dance, and the macarena on my front lawn!

Again, I am NOT a mechanical person. Bookees all over were putting the odds against me to have a junkyard contribution at the end of the day. It never would have happened without pcitizen's walkthrough and everybody else's input. You guys are all soooo awesome! I will put some miles on it this week and let you know if the codes are gone.

Thanks for everything, once I recover from this, I'm going to see what I need to do to fix a door lock motor.

Now I just need to get it over to Wal Mart and get the oil changed!

[rob072281]

Make sure to clean out the EGR ports on the intake they get clogged with the oil sucked in from the bad valve cover. also Dorman sells a kit with all parts need to fix this problem (part number 615-177). Don't for get to get you computer flashed as i understand it it will mask the vacuum leak from the IMRC (intake manifold runner control).Also to get the hood out of the way there are black bolts that stop the hood from opening all the way back them off and put a thick piece of cardboard on the windshield and the hood will hinge all the way back. ALL BOLTS ARE TORQUED TO INCH LB. REPEAT... ALL BOLTS ARE TORQUED TO INCH LB. also make sure all your mating surfaces are clean and dry.

[Salmacis22]

Just completed this repair on my 1999 with 125K miles and all went very smoothly thanks to the excellent step-by-step directions and fantastic pictures provided by everyone including pcitizen, wiswind and especially the leckemby link. I was getting the check engine light (0174 too lean bank 2) and the engine was running rough, whistling noise audible inside the van. Lucky enough to pick up the parts pretty inexpensively on eBay (8-pack of Dorman isolator bolts for $27 shipped) and with the savings I decided to change the long-overdue spark plugs too (eBay again, 6 Autolite Double Platinum plugs for $11 shipped). A few items came from Amazon.com (Autolite Professional plug wires, PCV valve, anti-seize and such) and altogether my cash output was about $63.

Interesting thing about the Isolator bolts I removed -- they apparently had already been changed at some point (I bought the van used with 83K miles several years ago) as they were the green-sleeved replacement type. Has anyone heard of the replacement bolts wearing prematurely? Maybe due to lack of changing the valve cover? They looked almost identical to the new Dorman bolts I was installing. The spark plugs I replaced looked to be the originals, and didn't have much left to the center electrode; the hex nut sections were so rusted the plugs were crumbling as I carefully eased them out. Amazing that the van was still running at all.

Anyway, after all was complete & put back together, the van started right up and is now purring like a kitten with the check engine light pacified. Have driven it almost 100 miles since the repair & all is well. Thanks again to the great contributors on this forum!

[gregguy]

will the 8 isolater bolts and port gaskets be enough to fix this problem. I think my 2003 valve cover and vacuum line are ok. hoping for a cheap fix with cleaned ports, new port gaskets and isolater bolts. bolts from ford canada are 15.00 each here. lol. Any help appreciated, thx.

[pcitizen]

That will fix it, but if the van holds up you may be fixing it again in 70,000ish miles since the oil will still be getting up into the intake baffle.

Originally Posted by gregguy

will the 8 isolater bolts and port gaskets be enough to fix this problem. I think my 2003 valve cover and vacuum line are ok. hoping for a cheap fix with cleaned ports, new port gaskets and isolater bolts. bolts from ford canada are 15.00 each here. lol. Any help appreciated, thx.

[gregguy]

why will the oil still be getting in after the repair? Will the new bolts give way again? Should i spend the extra and buy the kit and replace everything included?.or is the cheap route ok.Hoping to only have to do this job once. Finally should i notice an improvement with acceration, as it feels a little sluggish right now. Sorry for all the questions and thank-you all for any replies. cheers.

[pcitizen]

It's been a while, but I remember that the valve cover was one part of the problem. This is just me, but if going through the process to replace the inner components why not replace the outer ones too. Though the cover is pricey it finishes off the recommended fix discussed in the TSB.

The vacuum leak detected is really minor. On my vehicle I saw no change in performance. But that was back then. Now with 120k miles on it, it's not as peppy as it once was.

Make sure all your vacuum hoses and tubes are in good repair. Pay special attention to the PVC and its tube and end fittings.

Originally Posted by gregguy

why will the oil still be getting in after the repair? Will the new bolts give way again? Should i spend the extra and buy the kit and replace everything included?.or is the cheap route ok.Hoping to only have to do this job once. Finally should i notice an improvement with acceration, as it feels a little sluggish right now. Sorry for all the questions and thank-you all for any replies. cheers.

[gregguy]

Originally Posted by pcitizen

It's been a while, but I remember that the valve cover was one part of the problem. This is just me, but if going through the process to replace the inner components why not replace the outer ones too. Though the cover is pricey it finishes off the recommended fix discussed in the TSB.

The vacuum leak detected is really minor. On my vehicle I saw no change in performance. But that was back then. Now with 120k miles on it, it's not as peppy as it once was.

Make sure all your vacuum hoses and tubes are in good repair. Pay special attention to the PVC and its tube and end fittings.

thanks again for replying. I just bought the van 2 weeks ago. It drove fine the 1st week., then a little stutter at hwy speeds and now it feels a little sluggish and sometimes stalls on me. I realize that there could be so many reasons for this and I will read the threads like crazy. 171 and 174 come up so i thought i"ll start there and do the tsb procedure. will check fuel pressure and all vacuum lines and etc and hopefully resolve this. Have u heard of the tsb repair fixing stalling or sluggish motors?. If it only kills the cel codes 171,174, then perhaps i should work on the stalling problem 1st. cheers

[pcitizen]

I haven't seen anything about it fixing stalling problems. Once you get done checking fuel system and pressures check these things: 1) There's a solenoid on the top of the throttle valve (can't remember its name, but you can see the bottom of it in the 7th image - top left corner of image) Clean it! I should have replaced mine years ago... I just keep cleaning it. If you can't then replace it. Listen for vacuum leaks too. Check the EGR system. Finally, check the DPFE (see 1st picture, green box). If yours is metal replace it with the plastic one. The metal ones are lousy.

Originally Posted by gregguy

thanks again for replying. I just bought the van 2 weeks ago. It drove fine the 1st week., then a little stutter at hwy speeds and now it feels a little sluggish and sometimes stalls on me. I realize that there could be so many reasons for this and I will read the threads like crazy. 171 and 174 come up so i thought i"ll start there and do the tsb procedure. will check fuel pressure and all vacuum lines and etc and hopefully resolve this. Have u heard of the tsb repair fixing stalling or sluggish motors?. If it only kills the cel codes 171,174, then perhaps i should work on the stalling problem 1st. cheers

[rpbenisek]

been fighting this for 12 years some how i seem to pass the smog with several replacments and my scan tool. i some how think the MAP sensor is the problem as i replaced it twice but always with a rebuilt one. one suggestion was to unplug the sensor , i did and the motor still ran great so is this a positive solution as there was no change plugged or unplugged. however i know that can't run the vehicle unplugged forever as codes 113 & 102 appear than have to be cleared. what i'm saying is does this do a positive fix. i spent so much time and money with repair stations & ford and the same codes always come back. buy the way i have the correct LH valve cover and the manifold gaskets have been replaced but never went any further for the isolator bolts and & port cleaning ect. 171&174 always come back. (stumped?)

[pcitizen]

Sorry to hear of your difficulty. I suspect the isolator bolts are at fault and have been all along. They should have been replaced when the intake gaskets were done.

[bdahl385]

Originally Posted by pcitizen

Sorry to hear of your difficulty. I suspect the isolator bolts are at fault and have been all along. They should have been replaced when the intake gaskets were done.

That's exactly correct. The isolator bolts are the failure item, the gaskets are just replaced as you remove and replace the bolts. The original bolts had an issue on the head of the bolt where a rubber/plastic material would soften over time due to oil migration. The softening caused the original torque to loosen and thus an air leak would be introduced. Replacing only the gaskets w/o changing the bolts would not provide a long term cure but could have a temporary positive effect due to the new gasket.

BTW - My isolator bolt DIY job is still functioning perfectly 4 years and ~50K miles later...

[rpbenisek]

HEY THANKS GUYS FOR THE MORALE BOOST, REALLY MAKES ME WANT TO GET AT THIS PUPPY( LIKE THIS WEEK). knowing solutions is always positive results soon!

[gregthepainter]

did the dorman repair kit to void 171-174 then after a code came up 0305 # 5 misfire. like all the mind boggling stuff i had to go threw to eventually find this forum. (great help, by the way thanks!)i had to now go threw it with the 305 code. checked plug, wire, coil,,thought about injectors. then, after a compression check, found out no compression. buddy hooked up air line to #5 and realized and heard the air coming threw the head gasket. really?! thought maybe it was valve seals or rings....hopefully this is it. wondering if i should do the other head while everythings off again.....any thoughts....can you relate?

[branden0502]

Thanks for the help guys. I just replaced the gaskets on the isolator bolts and both the 171 and 174 codes and my engine stumbling at idle all disappeared! 200 miles so far....