System Too Rich

I just bought a 2001 Taurus SE. I just pulled codes P0172 and P0175, system too rich bank 1 and 2. Not knowing anything about the cars history, where should I start to remedy this. I do know the car sat for 4 months and when I received it the fuel tank was just shy of being dry. Any ideas?? Thanks!!!

I used the very effective search tool from the Taurus forum main page and quickly came across the following which may be of use (see the TSB posting from Huney1 in post #12 in the first thread).

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=608412&highlight=P0172
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=463088&highlight=P0175

-Rod

Do what Shorod said and read through my threads because there is an extended warranty on the PCM and yours might be eligible for free replacement. That is, IF the PCM is in fact bad and the Ford place pulls the codes verifying it needs replacing.

This will sound mighty strange, but here's what a guy at Advance Auto told me to do to cure the surging, and it worked. Drive it until it gets to normal operating temp then park it and disconnect the negative battery terminal, let it sit all night then connect the battery terminal and somehow that resets the computer. When you first crank it don't race the engine, let it sit and idle for 15 or 20 minutes then drive it for an hour or so at highway speeds and around town speeds. If it doesn't work the first time try it five or six nights and eventually it should straighten itself out and the surging and loping mine was doing went away. I kept getting the CEL light so I replaced the sensor before the cat next to the firewall, sensor 1 bank 1, I think it was, and the CEL light went off and hasn't come back on in over 5K miles, so I guess it's fixed.

OH! Get a can of electrical parts cleaner and clean the MAF wires. Very delicate wires and do not touch them, just spray them off and let them dry a few times and that is all. MAF = Mass Air Flow sensor. On my 03 it's in the air duct after the air filter. Here's how yours looks but mine is a flat little rectangle box 'bout big as a small box of stick matches. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/01-04-RANGER-TAURUS-SABLE-OEM-MASS-AIR-FLOW-SENSOR_W0QQitemZ110053035125QQcmdZViewItem

Also check fuel pressure. If regulator is bad, you can get those codes.

Alright, I did what Huney suggested. I disconnected the battery, let it sit overnight, and reconnected it in the morning and let it run for about 15-20 minutes then drove it down the highway. All seems well, no more surging, no CEL. My only problem now is my computer wont go through all the cycles to be ready for inspection. The scanner I bought shows if it is ready or not and my Evaporative System Monitor. I even tried the procedure again and still not ready. I followed Ford's recommendations in the Owners manual on page 200 to reset the computer. Any ideas??

That's what happens when you turn off the check engine light, it resets all the monitors to "not run".. in part so you can't turn off the cel and have it pass emissions testing if required, do a search for " obdII drive cycle" for your car, someone on here may know, it's in my books, I'll try to come up with it..

I stated in my previous post that i already knew that. All other systems are a go. Just the Evaporative System Monitor is not "resetting". It has been about 200 or so miles since I cleared the codes out. I followed Ford's drive cycle to a T a few times over.

According to the factory service manual, "The Evaporative Monitor can only operate during the first 30 minutes of engine operation. When executing the procedure for this monitor, stay in part throttle mode and drive in a smooth fashion to minimize 'fuel slosh'." You may want to go through the tests again in the first 30 minutes if you have not already.

I'm not sure where you got your drive cycle information, but this is what is in the factory service manual:
"Cruise at 64 to 128 Km/h (45 to 65 MPH) for 10 minutes (avoid sharp turns and hills). NOTE: To initiate the monitor TP MODE should = PT, EVAPDC must be > 75%, and FLI must be between 15 and 85%."

The purpose of the drive cycle is it "Executes the EVAP monitor (If IAT is within 4.4 to 40°C (40 to 120°F)."

-Rod

I got my drive cycle information right from my owner's manual. It says to drive for 10 minutes on the highway (around here that is 65mph) and then 20 minutes city driving with at least 4 idle periods.
>"The Evaporative Monitor can only operate during the first 30 minutes of engine operation"< Does this mean 30 minutes from intial engine operation after resetting the monitors or 30 minutes anytime the engine is started?? And would fuel level effect it at all?? And would outside tempeture effect anything as well??

The evap monitor will not run if fuel is below 1/4 tank or above 3/4 tank of fuel. These are approximates. I believe the figutes are 15% and 85%. The evap monitor will run on each system start up.

ok, my tank has been around half or so. So what about the outside temp, will that effect it??

Outside temperature should not have any effect on running the monitor. The only thing it would affect could possibly be a seal that has contracted due to cold temoeratures. But if that were the case, there would be lots of vehicles with the same problem.

I drove the car today just as shorod read off form the service manual. The evap Monitor is still not ready. I can't get the car inspected until it is all set. Any other ideas??

Does your MAF sensor seem to function properly? The following note is from the service manual regarding the description of the EVAP monitor:

"Note: During the EVAP Leak Check Monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycle a PCM reset will bypass the minimum soak time required to complete the monitor. The EVAP Leak Check Monitor will not run if the key is turned off after a PCM reset. The EVAP Leak Check Monitor will not run if a MAF sensor failure is indicated. The EVAP Leak Check Monitor will not initiate until the Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Monitor has completed."

Also, does your scan tool read the Ford manufacturer-specific codes? If not, you may have some codes which may indicate why the monitor is not completing. Again, per the service manual:

"If the initial [fuel tank] target vacuum is exceeded, a system flow fault exists and DTC P1450 (unable to bleed-up fuel tank vacuum) is set. The EVAP Leak Check Monitor will abort and not continue with the leak check portion of the test.

"If the target vacuum is obtained on the fuel tank, the change in the fuel tank vacuum (bleed-up) will be calculated for a calibrated period of time. The calculated change in fuel tank vacuum will be compared to a calibrated threshold for a leak from a hole (opening) of 1.016 mm (0.040 inch) in the Enhanced EVAP system. If the calculated bleed-up is less than the calibrated threshold, the Enhanced EVAP system passes. If the calibrated bleed-up exceeds the calibrated threshold, the test will abort and rerun the test up to three times. "

I expect that "...the test will abort...." is synonomous with "EVAP monitor will not be complete. OBD-II codes of the format P1xyz are manufacturer-specific codes.

-Rod

My scan-tool does read Ford specific codes. I think we may be on to something with the MAF sensor though. You will see my initial post was about the CEL being on and the "system too rich" codes were pulle. I changed the air filter and did the procedure that Huney1 described by disconnecting the battery, etc. This seemed to work, and the engine stopped working. But if it is the MAF Sensor, shouldn't the CEL come on like it did before?? So I guess I will take another look at the MAF sensor.
I appreciate all your help guys.
I will let you know my progress.

Sounds like a plan.

Does your scan tool allow you to monitor the parameters real-time in a datastream mode? If so, you can monitor the activity of your MAF sensor to see if it is doing what it is supposed to. Did you clean the MAF sensor elements as Huney1 suggested, or just disconnected the battery? Huney1 recently informed me that CRC now makes cleaner specifically for MAF sensors. I know they sell it at Advance Auto Parts, that's where I got mine. The MAF could be reading slightly off due to contaminated elements, but as far as the PCM knows, it's working just fine. Granted, if they get too far out of expected range, the O2 sensors will pick it up and recognize that something is out of range eventually.

-Rod

I have not cleaned the MAF sensor yet, I just disconnected the battery. i wil pick some of the cleaner you suggested. I will give it try and let you know ho wit goes. Thanks!

I went ahead and cleaned the MAF sensor with the CRC Maf cleaner. Took the car for a ride today, now I am pulling up a pending code P0401. i can hear a clicking cound from the front of the engine. If it hadnt started raining I would have tried to narrow it down more. Any ideas now??

Sounds like you might be experiencing a DPFE issue which is pretty common on the Taurus (and other Fords). However, make sure you didn't pull any vacuum lines loose or the intake air hose loose when cleaning the MAF.

You can perform a search on the Taurus forum for P0401 and get quite a few hits.

-Rod

SHOROD- thank you for all your continued help. I did do a search on the DPFE issue. I checked the vacuum lines, air intakes, etc. and everything looks fine. I think I well start with cleaning the EGR valve. And if that doesnt help, I will get a new DPFE sensor. Could this have been my evap problem??

The EGR system is not part of the EVAP leak check, so I don't believe the EGR valve or DPFE system would lead to the EVAP check not completing.

-Rod

My P0401 code is now gone. I have taken the car 4 times now to do the drive cycle, performing just as suggested. I drove it for 13minutes on the highway and then 22 minutes in the city with 5 idle periods and the evap system still won't complete.

Is moving to a state that does not have emissions testing an option for you? :)

I'm not sure what to suggest now. It may be time to find a friendly dealership and ask them if there is anything they are aware, considering what you've already performed, that may explain this.

-Rod

Well we have been considering getting out of tax-crazed NY state. So maybe moving to a non-emissions testing state might be a good idea (joking!) I might stop by the Ford dealer, I just have to find a "friendly: one. Not too many of those in this area. I was considering if this could be a damaged PCM. You think so??

I would expect that if the PCM were bad, you'd get other indications such as a non-responsive PCM on the scan tool, other codes, etc. Not just an emissions monitor that doesn't complete.

-Rod

Alright, in 2 weeks I havent gotten awywhere. The P0401 code came back and has set off the check engine light this time. So I guess i will replace the DPFE sensor now. I was looking at it and I dont see any screws or bolts that hold it on. I just see the 2 tubes that come up off the EGR pipe and the electrical sensor. My Taurus has the Vulcan motor. So does the sensor just pull off or am I missing something??

Did you do what Way2Old suggested? "Also check fuel pressure. If regulator is bad, you can get those codes."

The PCV sits in a grommet and mine was very loose and someone said it could possibly pull air around it so I replaced the grommet and valve, cheap about six bucks. I re-read the whole thread and I'm stumped.

See if this will work. http://arrc.epnet.com/autoasp/framerq.asp

See if this will work. http://arrc.epnet.com/autoasp/framerq.asp

Link didn't work. I am preety sure it is the DPFE. I cleaned out the EGR valve and the vacuum lines for the EGR system. Quite a bit of carbon in it all. So I am going to start with replacing the DPFE since it such a common FOrd problem. iam just wondering how it comes off.

I did not check the fuel pressure, I don't have the tools to do that.
My Evap monitor finally did cycle through. Then the (0401 came on. Can't win I guess.

I am confident that if I replace the DPFE I should be good...I hope!

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=1865144

I used the search engine at the top right and punched in 'P0401' and got a lot of threads pertaining to it. Alrightey then, we're off to Hilton Head Island to do lunch and a day of just knowkcing around the malls. Cheap thrills . . .

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=1865144

I used the search engine at the top right and punched in 'P0401' and got a lot of threads pertaining to it. Alrightey then, we're off to Hilton Head Island to do lunch and a day of just knowkcing around the malls. Cheap thrills . . .
I have already done the search at the top right several weeks ago. This is where I learned about the DPFE problems.