cured a 5-year-old CEL

[eljefino]

Bought my 95 F150 about 5 years ago. CEL came on when I test drove it, about 5 minutes into warm up. "Don't care", thinks I, and I put down my six Benjamins and got myself a run-around-truck.

I scanned the codes back way back when, doing something stupid with the battery positive terminal, one of the diagnostic terminals, and a light bulb. Results were inconclusive-- I couldn't even figure out if I had 2-digit or 3-digit codes by the counting of the flashes.

The internet being what it is, I found better instructions on a youtube video today. Jumpered the "lower left" terminal in the "block-of-six" to the "lonesome" one, keyed on, and read the CEL flashes.

Got a 1332 and a 332, maybe a 322 as well. This is hard! But they all look like EGR stuff.

I lost my mity-vac in the chaos that is my garage, so I dug up some 1/8" aquarium tubing and sucked on my EGR valve while it idled. Actually changed something, so the valve is good. Bravo!

Back tracked the vacuum lines and found "the can" had suction going in, but not out. Further, the hard plastic line from the can to "solenoid land" was clogged.

Never fear! Ripped all that stuff out. Direct wired the manifold vacuum to "solenoid land" with 1/4" hard tubing and all diagnostics are happy. Plus, it idles mint. It ran good before but great now. I found a 3/8" vacuum line not on my under-hood schematic that goes straight to ported vacuum via a solenoid hiding in the intake manifold. Plugged that with a bolt.

Truck has always returned 12 MPG, which I sort of care about, as it only has 2.73 gears and can't get out of its own way. 12 MPG is 3/4 ton territory for me, IMO.

Pics for the curious!





The mystery line, with bolt, without can:



Leftover junk:



Emissions diagram. My mystery line is probably charcoal-canister or fuel vent related, but, meh.

 

[OVERKILL]

That vacuum reservoir was always the goofiest looking thing, but I imagine it is supposed to be there and serves a function. Subsequently, I'd probably try and source a replacement. Later Ford's had a plastic "ball" version that is much more aesthetically pleasing and you could probably get for free from a wreckers.

 

[Chris142]

That reservoir is so that the dash won't switch to defrost on a hill and the cruise won't fall off on the same hill.

 

[eljefino]

That reservoir isn't even plumbed directly into the HVAC! Cruise is all-electric on my year, me-thinks.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
That reservoir isn't even plumbed directly into the HVAC! Cruise is all-electric on my year, me-thinks.


I think it really just smooths the vacuum, aiding it to stay at a constant level despite variances in manifold. On vehicles with significant vacuum assist, I could see what Chris saying as making sense.

 

[eljefino]

I'm going to use the cubic footage of my intake manifold as a de facto reservoir.

Found where the vacuum line goes-- indeed, a charcoal canister. But the line to the tank has rusted to utter oblivion, so I left it plugged.

 

[andyd]

Talk about rusted to oblivion I had a few frame rails like those in the Grand Wags. AMCs had nearly 30' of vacuum lines. Transfer case shifter, AC, besides all the emissions stuff. 2 black soup cans for reservoirs.

 

[eljefino]

My frame is, knock wood, solid. Channel frame made of thick stuff; what's flaking off isn't too bad really.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
That reservoir isn't even plumbed directly into the HVAC! Cruise is all-electric on my year, me-thinks.
no. The cruise is electronically controlled but vacuum pulls the diaphragm that pulls the cable.

 

[eljefino]

No vacuum anywhere near this thing.

 

[Colt45ws]

On those old fords I always get rid of all the air [censored] too, bypassing and removing the air pump on the engine, that saves several feet of line as well. Just leave the solenoids plugged in the engine electric and it will happily think its running the air system. Really all you need is a line from the engine to the EVR solenoid and to the EGR valve.

 

[eljefino]

Where the air pump goes on the cat rotted off a long time ago, but the check valve in the cat keeps the smoke in.

The belt on it is an unknown custom size, as the AC died and compressor was removed, but a belt for a non-AC F150 doesn't work either. If I got rid of the air pump, I'd need yet another custom size belt which isn't worth it on a truck I drive 500 miles a year.

If this bumps me up to 17 MPG I'll be