Check Engine Light

Hi Folks,

I have a '99 Ford Explorer XLT 4L, 4WD SUV. 118,000KL on it. Lately I
have been getting engine ping, especially when entering and going uphill.

Today..this morning, I backed it out of the garage and drove over town
and back. Nothing out of the ordinary. This afternoon, my wife went
across town and when she got back, she told me the Check Engine Light
was on.

I went out to the vehicle and started it. Sure enough the check engine
light was on and there was a noticeable roughness in how it ran. I took
it around the block and it was low on power as well and continued the
rough running.

What may have broke so suddenly?

Thanks

Allan

Enormous number of problems could cause this - can't tell anything
without knowing the codes. Most likely a sensor failed.

On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 19:38:32 -0600, Allan >
wrote:

>Hi Folks,
>
>I have a '99 Ford Explorer XLT 4L, 4WD SUV. 118,000KL on it. Lately I
>have been getting engine ping, especially when entering and going uphill.
>
>Today..this morning, I backed it out of the garage and drove over town
>and back. Nothing out of the ordinary. This afternoon, my wife went
>across town and when she got back, she told me the Check Engine Light
>was on.
>
>I went out to the vehicle and started it. Sure enough the check engine
>light was on and there was a noticeable roughness in how it ran. I took
>it around the block and it was low on power as well and continued the
>rough running.
>
>What may have broke so suddenly?
>
>Thanks
>
>Allan

Would a sensor cause it to run rough? Most noticable at idle?

There is a couple of things I am going to do first before looking for
faulty sensors, one is to change plugs as it's very unlikely these have
been changed since the vehicle was new. I bought the vehicle at
103,000km, put 15,000 on it in a 21 months. I have not changed plugs
since I owned it. Another is to change the fuel filter. Then I will run
some injector cleaner in the tank, just filled. Hopefully this will
correct it, as it's past due for this type of service anyway, if not
then I'll have to get it in and on a scope.

Allan

Big Shoe wrote:
> Enormous number of problems could cause this - can't tell anything
> without knowing the codes. Most likely a sensor failed.
>
> On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 19:38:32 -0600, Allan >
> wrote:
>
>
>>Hi Folks,
>>
>>I have a '99 Ford Explorer XLT 4L, 4WD SUV. 118,000KL on it. Lately I
>>have been getting engine ping, especially when entering and going uphill.
>>
>>Today..this morning, I backed it out of the garage and drove over town
>>and back. Nothing out of the ordinary. This afternoon, my wife went
>>across town and when she got back, she told me the Check Engine Light
>>was on.
>>
>>I went out to the vehicle and started it. Sure enough the check engine
>>light was on and there was a noticeable roughness in how it ran. I took
>>it around the block and it was low on power as well and continued the
>>rough running.
>>
>>What may have broke so suddenly?
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>>Allan

"Allan" > wrote...

> Would a sensor cause it to run rough? Most noticable at idle?
>
> There is a couple of things I am going to do first before looking for
> faulty sensors, one is to change plugs as it's very unlikely these have
> been changed since the vehicle was new. I bought the vehicle at 103,000km,
> put 15,000 on it in a 21 months. I have not changed plugs since I owned
> it.

Plugs are due at 100,00 miles, so your 118k km is early for needing plugs,
I'd think.

> Another is to change the fuel filter.

You say "rought at idle". Wouldn't a restricted fuel filter have more
problems at hard acceleration rather than at idle?

> Then I will run some injector cleaner in the tank, just filled. Hopefully
> this will correct it, as it's past due for this type of service anyway, if
> not then I'll have to get it in and on a scope.
>
> Allan

I'm rarely one to believe when it comes to auto advice, but before you do
a lot that's not necessary, wouldn't having the "check engine" codes read be
a better thing to do first?

Craig

"Craig" > wrote...

> Plugs are due at 100,00 miles, so your 118k km is early for needing
> plugs, I'd think.

Whoops, make that 100,000 miles.

The check engine light is the PCMs way of trying to tell you something... is
there any particular reason that you are refusing to listen?

If a car comes in to the shop with the CEL illuminated, the VERY FIRST thing
that happens is a code scan.

Fuel filter and plugs are routine maintenance items and should be addresed
according to schedule as long as no abnormal conditions have been
encountered.



"Allan" > wrote in message
...
> Would a sensor cause it to run rough? Most noticable at idle?
>
> There is a couple of things I am going to do first before looking for
> faulty sensors, one is to change plugs as it's very unlikely these have
> been changed since the vehicle was new. I bought the vehicle at 103,000km,
> put 15,000 on it in a 21 months. I have not changed plugs since I owned
> it. Another is to change the fuel filter. Then I will run some injector
> cleaner in the tank, just filled. Hopefully this will correct it, as it's
> past due for this type of service anyway, if not then I'll have to get it
> in and on a scope.
>
> Allan
>
> Big Shoe wrote:
>> Enormous number of problems could cause this - can't tell anything
>> without knowing the codes. Most likely a sensor failed.
>>
>> On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 19:38:32 -0600, Allan >
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Hi Folks,
>>>
>>>I have a '99 Ford Explorer XLT 4L, 4WD SUV. 118,000KL on it. Lately I
>>>have been getting engine ping, especially when entering and going uphill.
>>>
>>>Today..this morning, I backed it out of the garage and drove over town
>>>and back. Nothing out of the ordinary. This afternoon, my wife went
>>>across town and when she got back, she told me the Check Engine Light was
>>>on.
>>>
>>>I went out to the vehicle and started it. Sure enough the check engine
>>>light was on and there was a noticeable roughness in how it ran. I took
>>>it around the block and it was low on power as well and continued the
>>>rough running.
>>>
>>>What may have broke so suddenly?
>>>
>>>Thanks
>>>
>>>Allan

Old school I guess. Older vehicles, if they acted like this I would
suspect fouled plug. I'll take it in and have it scanned once they are
open, holiday weekend here. Will post results.

Thanks

Jim Warman wrote:
> The check engine light is the PCMs way of trying to tell you something... is
> there any particular reason that you are refusing to listen?
>
> If a car comes in to the shop with the CEL illuminated, the VERY FIRST thing
> that happens is a code scan.
>
> Fuel filter and plugs are routine maintenance items and should be addresed
> according to schedule as long as no abnormal conditions have been
> encountered.
>
>
>
> "Allan" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Would a sensor cause it to run rough? Most noticable at idle?
>>
>>There is a couple of things I am going to do first before looking for
>>faulty sensors, one is to change plugs as it's very unlikely these have
>>been changed since the vehicle was new. I bought the vehicle at 103,000km,
>>put 15,000 on it in a 21 months. I have not changed plugs since I owned
>>it. Another is to change the fuel filter. Then I will run some injector
>>cleaner in the tank, just filled. Hopefully this will correct it, as it's
>>past due for this type of service anyway, if not then I'll have to get it
>>in and on a scope.
>>
>>Allan
>>
>>Big Shoe wrote:
>>
>>>Enormous number of problems could cause this - can't tell anything
>>>without knowing the codes. Most likely a sensor failed.
>>>
>>>On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 19:38:32 -0600, Allan >
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hi Folks,
>>>>
>>>>I have a '99 Ford Explorer XLT 4L, 4WD SUV. 118,000KL on it. Lately I
>>>>have been getting engine ping, especially when entering and going uphill.
>>>>
>>>>Today..this morning, I backed it out of the garage and drove over town
>>>>and back. Nothing out of the ordinary. This afternoon, my wife went
>>>>across town and when she got back, she told me the Check Engine Light was
>>>>on.
>>>>
>>>>I went out to the vehicle and started it. Sure enough the check engine
>>>>light was on and there was a noticeable roughness in how it ran. I took
>>>>it around the block and it was low on power as well and continued the
>>>>rough running.
>>>>
>>>>What may have broke so suddenly?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks
>>>>
>>>>Allan
>
>
>

Still trying to recover from turkey overdose, myself....

Having the codes read is going to be the least painful way of addressing
your issue.... when I got my licence, cars still had points....THAT'S "old
school"....

Hurting tonight too...too much turkey;-)

Remember points well, my first was a 1962 Plymouth Savoy, slant six
standard. Next was a '63 Studebaker Daytona.

Cheers!

Allan

Jim Warman wrote:
> Still trying to recover from turkey overdose, myself....
>
> Having the codes read is going to be the least painful way of addressing
> your issue.... when I got my licence, cars still had points....THAT'S "old
> school"....
>
>

Hi Folks,

Code 301 came up and points to cylinder 1 misfire. Possibilities of a
bad wire or bad plug. Mechanic figures it's probably a bad plug as they
do go bad from time to time but didn't rule out a cracked wire. It's in
for service now, they'll call when ready.

Allan

Allan wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> I have a '99 Ford Explorer XLT 4L, 4WD SUV. 118,000KL on it. Lately I
> have been getting engine ping, especially when entering and going uphill.
>
> Today..this morning, I backed it out of the garage and drove over town
> and back. Nothing out of the ordinary. This afternoon, my wife went
> across town and when she got back, she told me the Check Engine Light
> was on.
>
> I went out to the vehicle and started it. Sure enough the check engine
> light was on and there was a noticeable roughness in how it ran. I took
> it around the block and it was low on power as well and continued the
> rough running.
>
> What may have broke so suddenly?
>
> Thanks
>
> Allan