Help with a '96 with a 3.8L

Here’s my story: I have a ’96 Windstar with a 3.8L engine that we got for free with a blown engine (Rod through the oil pan). We put a remanufactured engine (Marshall Engine) in about 5K miles ago. It seems to be running OK but only gets about 17 miles to the gallon. My wife also says that it idles rough. It seems to shutter a little bit like going form 700 RPMs to 600 RPMs while sitting at a stop light.

We took it to a mechanic and he said he smelled gas in the oil and with black shoot around the exhaust that it seemed to him that it was a blown intake manifold gasket. I have replaced the both upper and lower gaskets. I still doesn’t seem to get any better gas mileage and it still shutters a little bit. I cleared the codes and have gotten them after two days. The codes are:

P0131
P0133
P0141
P0401

My question is: Where I go from here? Do I start on the codes are do you think I may still have something to do with the manifold.

Thanks for you help in advance. Your help may help "save" a marriage.

Matt

Here’s my story: I have a ’96 Windstar with a 3.8L engine that we got for free with a blown engine (Rod through the oil pan). We put a remanufactured engine (Marshall Engine) in about 5K miles ago. It seems to be running OK but only gets about 17 miles to the gallon. My wife also says that it idles rough. It seems to shutter a little bit like going form 700 RPMs to 600 RPMs while sitting at a stop light.

We took it to a mechanic and he said he smelled gas in the oil and with black shoot around the exhaust that it seemed to him that it was a blown intake manifold gasket. I have replaced the both upper and lower gaskets. I still doesn’t seem to get any better gas mileage and it still shutters a little bit. I cleared the codes and have gotten them after two days. The codes are:

P0131
P0133
P0141
P0401

My question is: Where I go from here? Do I start on the codes are do you think I may still have something to do with the manifold.

Thanks for you help in advance. Your help may help "save" a marriage.

Matt

P0401 - Insufficient EGR flow detected
P0131 - 02 Sensor Circuit Low Voltage (bank 1 sensor 1)
P0133 - 02 Sensor Circuit slow response (bank 1 sensor 1)
P0141 - 02 Sensor Heater Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

I tend to believe that the 3 02 codes are related and could be due to source voltage to the 02 sensors or perhaps something wrong in bank 1 or even the sensors themselves.

The P0401 is most likely clogged EGR ports or the EGR DPFE or a vacuum feed leak to the EGR. a Vacuum problem could explain the rough idle.

I know this is not much to go on.

Your symptoms and codes are common. Plug 96 3.8 IMRC into the "search this forum". Read everything you find. Post back here with questions.
Only "you" can save your marriage
Karl

Thanks for the Replys. I just checked the IMRC and seems to be working correctly. Both closed on start up and then I took the line off and they opened up. I put the line back on and they closed again. So I don't think that's the problem.

I think the next thing I'm going to do is change the O2 sensor on back 1.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks for the Replys. I just checked the IMRC and seems to be working correctly. Both closed on start up and then I took the line off and they opened up. I put the line back on and they closed again. So I don't think that's the problem.

I think the next thing I'm going to do is change the O2 sensor on back 1.

Any other suggestions?

If you're going to change an O2 sensor, I replace both in front of the cat. If you have one new and one old they will be sending different information to the computer because the old one will be slower than the new one.

Dan

Take a good look at the sensor when you take it out.
If there is a green stain on it, it is from coolant.
Coolant onto the sensor is from coolant entering the cylinder(s) on that bank.
On the 1996 and newer windstar, the most common cause is the lower intake manifold gasket, which you have replaced.
You will want to continue to monitor the coolant to make sure that you do not have any leaks.
Head gaskets are pretty good on post '95 windstars.

Make sure that the overflow bottle is "in the loop".
To do that, when the engine is cool, remove the radiator cap.
If you see a bunch of air there, you will need to "top off" the coolant to fill it to the base of the cap.
Also, make sure that the cap and radiator neck are clean so as to permit the cap to seal properly.
It is normal for some air to be in the system after a coolant drain (which you will have done during the lower intake manifold gasket change).
It takes a few days to "burp" all the air out of the system.

Also, take a very good look at the sensor wires.
Make sure that they have not fallen down on top of any exhaust component.


I would change the fuel filter, and run 2-3 tanks of fuel through with a can of Berryman's Chemtool B-12 in each tank.
I used the stuff in the metal can......bought it at Autozone.
This is a solvent based cleaner, that will clean your fuel system, specifically the injectors.
I run a detergent based cleaner in a maintenance dose to keep things clean.
Recently, I had a serious misfire, that I needed to run 5 tanks of treated fuel through. This is after having run the detergent cleaner on a maintenance dose.
As this problem developed for me right after changing the lower intake manifold gaskets, I am guessing that something worked loose in the fuel system when things were flexed about in the repair process.

HOWEVER, I would correct the oxygen sensor code issue FIRST as this is cause enough for low fuel economy and performance issues.

I get about 20-21 MPG on the interstate with the "oxygenated" gasoline with ethanol that is EPA mandated in my area.
This is with my '96 3.8L in good shape.
Non-ethanol fuel will likely give you another 1-2 MPG as the ethanol has less energy (BTUs) than the straight gasoline.
Bumping up to a higher octane will NOT solve the problems that your PCM is reporting.

I have replaced 3 O2 sensors. I had already replaced one of the sensors before reading that I should do both. I checked the sensors and they didn't have a green stain on them. I'm not sure I should have replaced the intake gasket the first time put who knows. Spending about 7 hours under the hood was just good practice.

After reading more about the P0141 code, I replaced the EGR value position Sensor which after some searching is the same as the EGR Pressure Feedback Sensor (Thanks Rockauto.com). That seemed to help the idle so far. I drove it around for about 15 minutes and no codes present so far.

I would like to thank everyone that responded to my request for help. This forum has saved me a lot of money and headaches. I don't know if I could have fixed these problems without ya'll.

Thanks again, and maybe you did help save a marriage.

Now I've got to start searching why my Cruise control won't work, but not a killer I don't think my wife knows it doesn't work. Thanks again.

Matt