Hi. Thank you to those who wrote me about this. It had turned into a real head scratcher!! But is solved. The plastic DPFE sensor works fine, although the only reason we could find on the web for converting from metal to plastic was some kind of interference with radio reception! The metal DPFE for the '95 Contours is still available and we found one on the web for about $60, and Bill Jenkins also has it at a reduced price, so I'd advise going with that if you can, as you don't have to cut and re-soder wires.
Here's what the deal was. The vacuum tube size for the intake and output ports is switched in the plastic DPFE, but there is no indication of this in the otherwise very
detailed and thorough Ford installation/conversion directions. Janos found a picture of the plastic DPFE system on a Ford Scorpio website (same system) and noticed the change. So... he switched the hoses and voila! CEL light went off (without clearing the codes)!! What a relief. The DPFE worked okay with the hoses wrongly installed, car drove fine, but the voltage is slightly different between the two ports, creating wrong info to the computer. We also had to buy a longer silicone hose for the wider-diameter port; by American measurements got a 7/32"", and it has to be at least a foot long; ours was just an inch short and Janos says need will depend on the original hose's length; someone else's car might already have a longer hose.
Now... just have to get the dang-blasted coolant sensor light off again. We'd found the sweet spot for coolant level but got the coolant system flushed and haven't been able to hit the spot again. Minor, minor issue. Car is running nice and cool.
Should have cleaned out that throttle body long ago as Big Jim advised me!!!! Not doing so could have led to this whole issue. Just never got around to it and Janos was worried about the "don't clean the teflon" Ford structions... but the teflon just means it can go longer; it still needs regular cleaning at some point! I think Big J. also mentioned cleaning the IAC so will go look at some of my old messages and make sure we do that if it's advised. He also adivsed Redline fuel injector cleaner, but I can't find that and the guy at NAPA who has had 35+ cars talked me into Lucas brand, which he says, of trying multiple kinds, is his favorite. Big Jim rules!! So does Bill Jenkins, who for many years has made us great deals on parts, and has the patience to answer my questions, and the rest of you CEG guys.
Thank you all again! Here I am keeping my beloved '95 SE low mileage and at some point I worry that the support for it will move on... such a fun little car.
Lynn
Ferret II - '95 Contour SE (V-6) MTX, 63K, electric red
