DPFE Sensor - 1401 error. SHO-ROD?

[Gudog]

I know this is the Taurus area but the only response I received in the Sable area was to post my information in the Taurus area and look for SHO-ROD. Here goes.

POSTED TWO DAYS AGO

I just bought a 2000 Mercury Sable LS Premium with a 6 cyl 3.0 Dohc for my sons first vehicle.

Check engine light was on and Autozone showed a 1401 Code. I looked on this website and youtube for solutions. The car idled fine but the gas was very touchy (jumping acceleration) and gas mileage was very very bad. Based on the internet search, it sounded like I had a bad DPFE sensor. I purchased a Motorcraft/Ford DPFE Sensor online (original packaging). I pulled the old sensor and two supply tubes off. The supply tiues appear to be rubber inside and appeared to be worn inside. I used a pipe cleaner to clear the loose orange dust/debris from the tubes and re-installed. I then installed the new DPFE sensor. I had taken the negative cable off for 15 minutes to clear the check engine light and re-connected. I started the car and it reved to 1300 RPM, after 15 seconds or so the idle dropped as normal but then the car began to sputter. It had difficulty idling (like it was choking) and then it stalled. I started it again and tried giving it some gas but when returning to idel on its own it kept bouncing around below 1,000 RPM and stalled. The third time I started it I left it sputter for a few seconds and all of a sudden there was a small noise that sounded like something kicked in or cleared out. The car immediately began to idle great on its own and everything in the world was right. My son drove his car for the first time and loved it. We went about 15 miles and it ran great. The next day (today), I went out to start the car just to test it again before he takes it to school tommorrow.....and guess what...sputter again. Started it 3 or 4 times and nothing changed. I drove it down the road hoping something would clear out again. It seemed to to run fine at speed but when I came to the stop sign it wanted to die again. I brought it home and still sputtering in the driveway. I shut it off and headed for the pc. Right now, I am thinking I should put the old DPFE back on and see if that does anything.....I doubt that it will...but that is all that I changed and it idled fine prior to that switch. Can anyone out there help? It will be greatly appreciated my both my son and myself!

POSTED YESTERDAY

Because this sputtering started with the DPFE sensor replacement, I went ahead and put the old one back in. Still sputters. This whole sputtering started with the battery disconnect and DPFE sensor replacement.

I went out on youtube and found instructions on how to find and clean the AMF. It was easy to unhook and looked clean. I cleaned it with CNC MAF cleaner and let it dry. The video I watched also suggested cleaning the Throttle Body and Idle Air Control. The Throttle body has some black buildup on the lip just inside the circular plate so I cleaned that out with a toothbrush and the CNC. I then looked at the Idle Air Control and it also had a black buildup in the hole where the spring is. I cleaned it with CNC and swabs.

I put everything back together and re-attached the battery. Started the car...and sputter again. Idle goes down and bounces between 350 and 600 RPM and from outside you can see the vibration of the motor and hear the puffs coming out of the exhaust. It actually stalls sometimes with the brake on. I tried driving the car as someone said that the computer may have to re-adjust. Drive 100 yards, stop, turn the car off...restart. This did very little if anything. Then I tried going in reverse for a distance. Odd enough...this seemed to bounce the idle up to 1,100 Rpms and when I stopped it held there. I then drove the car some more and immediately noticed that we had some high revs. The car shifted fine, but it was reving so high that it would almost go by itself. The RPM's would bounce up to 1500 and then work down to 1,000. It would do this every 15 seconds or so. When I stopped, the car idled sometimes (at 1,100) and then eventually would suffer a harsh drop down to the 350 - 500 sputter again. So what we now have is a sputter idle on the low end with an occasional high idle that lets you accelerate with hitting the gas and while driving lets you get up to 40, take your foot off the gas...and continue above 35 MPH almost like its on cruise control!

When I got home I opened the hood and while I might be wrong, I thought I heard a strong hissing sound coming from the area near or below the Idle Air Control.

I really thought this might be a computer problem due to the battery detachment (as that was the only other thing that i did when I replaced the DPFE sensor). Might the hissing be a clue? I have a mechanic that treats me well (not cheap but is honest). My experiment with the car might be over unless someone has an idea out there. Any thoughts are apprecaited no matter what as they can only help brainstorm the problem for both me and my mechanic.

POSTED TODAY

ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED!!!!!

Thanks

Jim

[tempfixit]

The hissin tells me you have a vacuum leak. Spray some carb cleaner on all the vacuum lines to see if you can find it. IF the rpm;s change you have found the leak.

[shorod]

I agree, it sounds like you have a vacuum leak. The leak could be due to a cracked hose to the DPFE. Since this issue seemed to happen just after replacing the DPFE, focus on that area for a cracked, broken, or missing vacuum hose, but don't necessarily stop there. Also, be aware that the hoses for the DPFE are slightly different in size and you may have been able to connect them incorrectly. I wouldn't expect that to cause an idle issue though, but rather a diagnostic code.

While it is not uncommon for the DPFE to fail, your P1401 code could have been due to a cracked or collapsed PCV elbow which would also be a vacuum leak. My memory is failing me currently though, I don't recall if the DOHC does or does not have the PCV elbow. You might search this forum for keyword "P1401" to see what others have discovered as well.

-Rod

[Gudog]

Well, I bought some carb cleaner and started spraying. Can't beleive you can spray that on a hot engine and not cause a fire! I covered all of the parts that I had installed and no change in idle. I then shot some spray in the hole area shown in the picture and the idle reved up. I guess that is where my leak is eh? However, that is such a tough space to get into....I am not sure where the leak is? The DPFE sensor is back there near the firewall and the tubes connecting to the sensor are right below. I have no idea what the big black three armed metal cover is to the left of the spray area line is but could that be leaking underneath or on the side? I will take it to the mechanic on Monday i guess because if it is any of the items mentioned above...I dont think I can replace them. SHO-Rod....I did replace the rubber tibes that connect to the DPFE sensor and they are on the right pipes so that is not it. It was hard to get those lines on so maybe I bent or cracked the pipes to which the hooked when I was puching down? Any other ideas on whats in that area will be helpful as I can give the mechanic a heads up or maybe try it myself over the weekend.

Thanks for all of your help!

jim

[shorod]

The big three-armed piece is the upper intake manifold. It's probably actually a plastic rather than metal. You could have a leaking upper intake manifold gasket or a cracked or warped manifold. It could also be something less expensive, but chances are good the shop will want to remove the upper intake to get a better look. If they go that far, it probably would make sense to have them replace the lower intake manifold gasket as well.

You could ask the shop if they have a smoke machine for identifying vacuum leaks. I'm not sure they are very common yet, but when used properly they can greatly speed up the time it takes to pinpoint a vacuum leak.

-Rod

[Gudog]

As you can tell...I know nothing about cars. I mean nothing! But this attempt to give my son something I didn't have in high school has inspired me to get this car running. Yep....I am also a cheep son of a gun so if I can do it myself....I will try. Youtube has been a blessing and so has this site. Anyway....here we go again...........

I opened up the hood and started spraying carb cleaner again as I should be able to find the leak. I sprayed all the parts again and nothing! Then, I sprayed a wide spray back near the fire wall between the throttle body thing and the firewall. VROOOM! I looked back there and put my ear closer and could hear a hissssss. I saw a few plastic wire tubes which I figured were electrical in nature but then I reached back there and felt around. One of those tubes was completely loose just hanging there. I looked at its rubber end and then saw that one half of the rubber plug was still hooked to a male plastic tube with a tube crimp attached. I unscrewed the crimp and pulled the broken portion of tube off. Yes, the riubber tube plug had broken in half at the attachment end. I followed the assembly and disassembled all of the other tubes on the line. Photos of the entre line are attached. The broken rubber plug end pulls right off leaving two small red tubes. Those tubes run to the other side of the enigine. I went to Autozone and Oreilly and neither had the rubber plug end or the assembly. I will go to Ford tommorrow and hopefully can buy just the rubber end and slide it on the two red tubes. I would have to imagine this was the problem eh? I hope so! I also hope that Ford does not kill me on the price of the part....but at least the labor will be free!

One other question I have. I watched a youtube video today of a guy that replaced a PCV hose on a 2000 Taurus. The big rubber plug end that is right up underneath the throttle body actually collapsed and he said it had a crack in it causing it to leak. The first piece I sprayed tonight was that piece...and it did nothing. However....I also felt the large plug end and it also had that collapsed shape to it (it just apparently was not leaking air yet). Is this something that I should also change right away? Even though it is not leaking, could it affect performance or gas mileage? I beleive that end should be round and right now it looks and feels like a hard roll.

I will fix the hose first and see if that corrects the cholking off idle. If so I will replace the pcv hose also if somebody out there suggests that I should? If so, can anyone give me some advice on how that is done (The video does not show him do it). It is in a tough spot and I can't tell how it is attached on either end. Having done my cleanong the other day, I know how to take off the air box and the tube running up to the throttle housing. That should let me get my arm under there better? I have no idea how that end (The end that looks like a smoking pipe_ comes off or how the other end does for that matter. Any suggestions or links for help will be appreciated.

Let me know if I am missing something!

Thanks!

Jim

[shorod]

Yeah, you probably found the source of your vacuum leak. The big round device in thumbnail image #1 is the EGR valve. I'm not familiar enough with the model year and engine in your car to be able to tell you where the other three fittings go, particularly the broken one. I suspect it goes to a large vacuum port on the intake manifold though. You may be able rig something up by visiting the "Help" section of your local parts store and picking up a variety of vacuum hose, rubber elbows, and t-fittings in the event your dealer wants to sell you the entire vacuum assembly (likely).

At this point I'm not sure I'd worry too much about the PCV elbow, but you may find that as soon as you fix the other vacuum leak the PCV will start to exhibit a leak as well.

-Rod

[Gudog]

Rod, I am getting brave. I went to an Appleton grave yard and walked down the taurus aisle. I had to pinch myself that I was in a junk yard looking for car parts. I found an engine that looked just like my 2002 sabel and there sat the vacumme line. I pulled it out in 15 seconds and went back inside to the counter. Guess how much it cost me?

100..........................pennies! Thats right....$1 for the exact part. Ford wanted $40 for a 2001 as the 2000 cable is no longer made. It was fun, easy and very satisfying! Thanks for all of your help!

Jim

PS I now have a tranny post....and I don't think this one has any hope?

[shorod]

That's awesome! Thanks for the information and glad to hear that you were able to save a bundle on a good part.

-Rod

[65comet]

I knew Rod could help you.