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3.0 troubles

F

Frosty

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Nov 26, 2003
Messages
2,060
Location
Sheboygan, WI
I finally got my SVT back on the road a couple weeks ago after putting in my 3L and I have a couple issues. Here is the story:

Dropped in ported 3.0 with 3.0 cams/timing, headers and mil eliminators (Tuned) and got it back on the road 8/2008 with no issues and about 24 hours later I proceeded to destroy the diff by accident. Sat until April when I got a built trans, dropped the subframe and replaced the busted trans. Drove it that night a little and parked it so I could go get it registered the next day (it was due for emissions inspection) and get it aligned. No CEL, no sign of trouble. Next day I start it up and it idles up and down and finally settles in around 1750rpm and runs like crap and suddenly has a CEL. P0171 and P0174 and sounds like I have a Vac. leak. The gaskets were changed when I ported the 3L and I used the bugzuki plate with RTV gasket maker or whatever its called. I looked at the gaskets and they were a little wet and no longer had the blue on them so I got a new set and replaced them. Intakes looked pretty clean so I left them alone. Fired it back up and different codes this time (I didn't write them down). Took intakes apart again and inspected lower plate and it seems sealed all the way around. Put the gaskets back in and still runs rough, but hasn't thrown a CEL yet (prolly because I had the battery out and it hasn't completed a cycle yet). I will try to get the second set of codes as soon as I can, but anybody have any suggestions?? I'm not sure what else it could be. I replaced all the injectors when I did the 3L and there were no problems the first time I had it on the road. I have a temp registration and need to get it to pass emissions by the 28th of June. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
Ok, checked the codes this morning and they're back to the P0171 and P0174 lean bank 1 and 2. Any suggestions? I'm not sure what else to check! :help:
 
if there are no vacuum leaks its possible its the maf or the fuel pump, etc. the lean code means the pcm can't add enough fuel to make itself happy. how are the O2 sensors reading?

you replaced the injectors? what injectors did you put in?
 
I have MIL eliminators so I don't think those are the problem. I replaced the injectors with all new Ford SVT injectors (they're replacements for the orange ones, but they're white..double checked the P/N's and fitment) I'm just confused because when i first fired and drove the 3.0 after the swap it was fine, no problems at all. Would it be the fuel filter?
 
I would try the MAF, im sorry but wasnt following your build, but does you MAF match your Injectors?

I noticed it takes three start cycles to pull those very codes.
 
TourEnvy said:
I would try the MAF, im sorry but wasnt following your build, but does you MAF match your Injectors?

I noticed it takes three start cycles to pull those very codes.
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maf doesn't need to match injectors. its all in the tune. installing injectors with a calibrated maf does work with out cars as far as I know.
 
I understand that, I guess I should have asked if he has a tune as well? If he doent have a tune and the MAF and injectors are not paired correctly, it could cause the stated problems, correct?
 
a stock maf and 19lb injectors are fine.

make sure your idle air control is working properly, and that no lines on the vaccum block are leaking. a small vaccum leak will give you the high/loping idle and lean codes. also just go through and check everythign that connects to the intake between the MAF and the throttle body. if your taking in unmetered air, it will run like poop too. sounds pretty textbook, but usually problems like this are something easy that gets overlooked because your first instinct is "oh my, a gasket didnt seal!" and you rip it all apart while the problem is still sitting there in front of your face
 
BrApple said:
well maybe you didn't drive enough drive cycles to set any codes.
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When I put it back on the road in 08 before I blew the trans the motor purred like a kitten. I started it and drove/cooled down/repeat at least 4-5 times in the 24 hours it was on the road then. When I started it up this last time it was very rough and up and down and almost exactly 3 drive cycles later the CEL appeared.

I checked the vac lines and didn't notice anything. I will double check everything between the MAF and the TB and swap out the IAC as well. I do have a tune and stock maf/injectors.

Thanks for your help guys...I'm just getting a little frustrated because it sounds like I have a vac leak by the intake, but I haven't heard this thing run in a while so who knows :crazy:
 
You can spray carb cleaner or starting fluid around the suspect vacuum lines. If the idle changes it means you have a leak. Also follow the hose to see if they are connected at the other end.
 
Well I finally got back around to it because of being busy with other things. The maf was a tiny bit dirty, so I cleaned it again and now it idles to 1500 rpm, which is a slight improvement. No slight popping noise in the exhaust if I shift above 2800 rpm anymore. The RPM's seem to climb a bit now after I push in the clutch to shift, though. I cleared the CEL's so we'll see what comes back.
 
Frosty said:
I have MIL eliminators so I don't think those are the problem. I replaced the injectors with all new Ford SVT injectors (they're replacements for the orange ones, but they're white..double checked the P/N's and fitment) I'm just confused because when i first fired and drove the 3.0 after the swap it was fine, no problems at all. Would it be the fuel filter?
Click to expand...

the MIL's are in the downstream O2's and should have no effect on the lean condition, they are only there for the emissions aspect. Who did the tune? if you have stock 19 lb injectors, and a ported 3L, you could try running it without the tune for a while, the car will run fine. Have you tried to datalog at all?
 
Nautilus Performance did the tune. I am running stock SVT injectors but prior to blowing up the trans it ran fine, so I am not sure what the heck is going on here. Theres got to be a vac leak I am not seeing somewhere. I am having a Ford tech friend of mine look at it this weekend. I didn't want to go to him because he is always giving me crap about my Contour's lol :laugh:
 
Ok, I really need some help here guys. I do not know what to do anymore. My auto tech friend and I did a bunch of work on it over the past month and things have improved, but still lean codes persist. We took the metal gaskets off and re-did the gasket maker around them as well as replaced the LIM and UIM gaskets for a second time. The idle is steady at 800 rpm, but when we monitored short and long fuel trims with a rotunda tool, the long was maxed out and the short was varied (can't remember exactly how much, but not alot). I can't hear a vac leak and I've checked everything. It does not lack power at any speed. Do you think it is the tune that is the problem?
 
Still sounds like a vac leak to me.

Being that they are 19lbs injectors and stock MAF, do as tricker said before and try to run it on the 'stock' tune.

Drive normally and see if the same codes persist. The stock tune will be safe as long as you are not redlining it. Only in the upper RPM range are the 19lbs starting to exceed their duty cycle.

This will at least confirm or deny this issue being tune related.

Check all the PCV connections as well as the valve cover vent connections. Check them very closely. ie take apart and get a really good look. I recall a thread that was just like this and ended up being the PCV connection had a crack on the bottom.

Good luck.
 
I double checked all the PCV connections yesterday and all the intake connections again including to the valve covers. I found the rear connection to the intake to be not seated all the way on properly so I adjusted it and as of 10 pm after 4 complete drive cycles the P1000 was gone and no codes were present. I got on it on the way to work and all of a sudden a P0174 showed up again, but no CEL. I'm wondering if I should find a replacement tube from the intake to the rear valve cover? I tried resetting it and driving normally to clear the code and run the drive cycles again to see what it does. Thanks for the advice. If I continue to have troubles I will return to stock tune to see what that will do for me, at least to get the registration taken care of.
 
Both lean codes showed up again so I went to the stock tune and after 2 drive cycles, the lean codes showed up again. I guess its time to just start replacing PCV hoses, etc until this ish stops. I don't know what else to do, I don't see/hear anything with a carb cleaner test :confused::crazy:
 
I am at my wits end with this guys. I replaced the fuel filter yesterday and now it seems to misbehave even more. It will idle at 15k for a while before dropping down to 750 like it should. I don't know why it would just suddenly start misbehaving like this again. I am going to take everything apart down to the heads again tonight or I might consider just asking the stealership to take a look at it. I just cannot find this gremlin that is ruining my fun with this car! :mad:
 
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