Sensor Reset

[Mustang_Driver]

I just re-insured my van which had been sitting since February 2014 and it's now August since it has been parked i changed the IAT gasket and Throttle Body gaskets just because i needed something to do,It also had a dead battery which i charged up and only hooked it back up to let it run every few weeks or so but i always dis-connected the battery after running it for a bit and a quick drive around the block and after i put 200+ km on it, I have no check engine light no codes at all but before i parked it i had 1 sensor that would not reset (EV(Evaporative system monitor)) Now i have 4 sensors that haven't reset yet after 200+km they are:
C- Catalyst Monitor
EV- Evaporative System Monitor
O- Oxygen Sensor Monitor
OH- Oxygen Sensor Heater Monitor

I have heard somewhere about a driving cycle to reset the sensor by keeping at least a half tank fuel and driving on the highway above 45 MPH for at least 15 minutes.
Am i doing something wrong or should i reset the PCM with my hand-held scanner again and go for a drive on the freeway again or will things work out by themselves the van runs fine except for it feels like a small flat-spot during acceleration but it's not as bad as when i reset the sensors.

If anyone can help it would be much appreciated and my wallet will thank you as my mileage will hopefully get better

[wiswind]

When you disconnect the battery for more than a short time (a few minutes) you lose some of the stored information.
Getting more to the point......you have "reset" the system....much as you do by pressing the "clear system" aka "reset" on your scanner..
All of the tests have to run and PASS in order for the system to give you a "ready" indication.
The "Ready" indication is required in order to pass emission testing in many states.
This prevents a person from doing a "reset" right before the have the test done.

The system that is usually last to complete the test is the downstream oxygen sensors......"catalyst monitor".
I put a Walker "direct fit" catalytic converter pair on my '96 windstar. It would take up to 1 month of normal driving for the catalyst test to complete.
I am guessing that the aftermarket converters were not a efficient as the OEM ones.

The other issue that you have is that it may have old gasoline in the system.
You might give it a treatment of Berryman's B-12 Chemtool and run that tank of fuel through the system.
Then change the fuel filter, if it has not been changed lately.
The biggest improvement will be running through the old fuel and getting onto new fuel.
Also, make sure that you are up to date on your routine maintenance items.

The battery that was dead.......if you are still using it......it may need replacement.
A weak battery can also cause lots of strange problems.
I figure that 5 years is what one should expect out of a battery, many last much longer, but you should be able to count on 5 years.
However, once it has gone dead, the expected life is much shorter.
The cost of a new battery is low compared to the inconvenience caused by it going dead and leaving you stranded.......or having you going in circles trying to track down the strange problems that a weak battery can cause.

It is not unusual for a vehicle that has been sitting to give you strange problems for a while once you start to use it again.
Some of those problems may clear up on their own after a few weeks of regular use.

[Mustang_Driver]

Originally Posted by wiswind

When you disconnect the battery for more than a short time (a few minutes) you lose some of the stored information.
Getting more to the point......you have "reset" the system....much as you do by pressing the "clear system" aka "reset" on your scanner..
All of the tests have to run and PASS in order for the system to give you a "ready" indication.
The "Ready" indication is required in order to pass emission testing in many states.
This prevents a person from doing a "reset" right before the have the test done.

The system that is usually last to complete the test is the downstream oxygen sensors......"catalyst monitor".
I put a Walker "direct fit" catalytic converter pair on my '96 windstar. It would take up to 1 month of normal driving for the catalyst test to complete.
I am guessing that the aftermarket converters were not a efficient as the OEM ones.

The other issue that you have is that it may have old gasoline in the system.
You might give it a treatment of Berryman's B-12 Chemtool and run that tank of fuel through the system.
Then change the fuel filter, if it has not been changed lately.
The biggest improvement will be running through the old fuel and getting onto new fuel.
Also, make sure that you are up to date on your routine maintenance items.

The battery that was dead.......if you are still using it......it may need replacement.
A weak battery can also cause lots of strange problems.
I figure that 5 years is what one should expect out of a battery, many last much longer, but you should be able to count on 5 years.
However, once it has gone dead, the expected life is much shorter.
The cost of a new battery is low compared to the inconvenience caused by it going dead and leaving you stranded.......or having you going in circles trying to track down the strange problems that a weak battery can cause.

It is not unusual for a vehicle that has been sitting to give you strange problems for a while once you start to use it again.
Some of those problems may clear up on their own after a few weeks of regular use.

Okay the battery seems to be fine now and is holding a charge and is in good condition by way of my battery tester doing a load test on it.

the fuel filter was replaced in october last year i drove it till february then i parked it till august but i have driven it around the block just to keep the fluids flowing through the systems. as for old gas it could be but i put about 55 liters of new gas in it when i insured it.

but i am going to be taking it for a run tonight approx 75km on the highway so i am hoping things work themselves out

thanks for the info it just seemed strange that i had one sensor that would not reset and now i have 4

thanks again

[Mustang_Driver]

Well this is just a little bit of an update i have since put approx 1000km on the van since i insured it at the beginning of august 2014 and i aparently still have those same 4 sensors that refuse to set i still have no error codes but it just seems to hesitate every now and then on take off i hope that these sensors set soon or the van is going to be retired( i had similar issues with a previous windstar) i just wantted a van that would run properly.....Still i average 17.5M.P.G in the city

Also i started to have issues with the cruise not working picked up a new brake pressure switch (45.00 in Surrey,BC, Canada) so it isn't cheap like the states seems as soon as parts come across the 49th parallel the price goes up 50% now the cruise seems to work flawlessly and i am happy not having to worry about a engine compartment fire (I would probably make more from the insurance if it did catch....LOL)