Engine codes...possible solutions?

[doobsstang]

I went to AZ and had them run my codes. There was only two.

1. 452 - No input from vehicle speed sensor
2. 172 - Heated oxygen sensor indicates lean condition, right side

I know how to fix VSS, but I need some input on solutions to fix problem code 172. Thanks ofr the help thus far...hopefully I can get my Mustang running like it should soon so I can start modding...

 

[Chythar]

Running lean basically means you've got too much air and not enough fuel on the passenger side of the engine. Possibilities could be a vacuum leak in the intake manifold, allowing the passenger side to draw in more air than the driver's side. You could also have a fuel injector that's not firing right. Just to be safe, I think the best way to check how each cylinder is doing is to pull all the spark plugs. Check each one, and compare them to this website:

http://www.theultralightplace.com/sparkplugs.htm

Likely, at least one will be reading lean. This will give you a direction on the issue. For example, if only one cylinder is lean, it's likely to be a fuel flow issue, or a leak in the intake manifold gasket for that cylinder. If all on the passenger side are lean, it could be a leak in another gasket.

First things first, check the plugs and let us know.

 

[doobsstang]

Ok will do...I will let you knwo as soon as i check em.

Also would this be a cause of a lack of acceleration in low gears? Sometimes when I am accelerating it feels like it is trying to catch up with what I am trying to do. It is slow to react. Maybe this be the problem?

 

[Mustangless]

how bad is your gas mileage? I got the same code and my car has slow acclertation

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=568764

been discussing it there

 

[doobsstang]

My gas mileage isnt bad at all on the highway, city driving it is worse like its supposed to be. I checked my plugs and they are ok, they are a little white(between tan and white i would say), but i think that was because of the cooling problems I was having that I recently fixed. My bypass hose was leaking and that fixed my overheating problem. Whats the next step in finding out whats wrong? Check for leaks? If so how would I go about doin that? Thanks. I also just cleaned my K&N but I do not think thats the problem because I am running lean and that means not enough fuel right?

 

[Chythar]

Ok will do...I will let you knwo as soon as i check em.

Also would this be a cause of a lack of acceleration in low gears? Sometimes when I am accelerating it feels like it is trying to catch up with what I am trying to do. It is slow to react. Maybe this be the problem?

Possibly. There are a lot of things that would cause poor acceleration, and running lean is one. It all depends on how lean you're running. If the air/fuel mixture isn't right, the charge in the cylinder won't ignite well and you'll lose power.

For example, I just changed the fuel injectors in my '94 Mustang V6 (it's a good daily driver). Car had some good power, but seemed to be running a bit rich; I had a mild gas smell from the exhaust. After changing the injectors, the gas smell was gone and I've got more power back out of the engine. The injectors were old; two of them had cracked pintle caps, and one was missing a chunk of plastic from the cap. This caused the fuel mixture to not be efficient, so the air/fuel mix wasn't very good and all the fuel wasn't burning. With the new injectors, the fuel mix is more efficient, giving me more power. I think my gas mileage actually went up a mpg or two.

The same basic theory works on any engine, irregarless of manufacturer or number of cylinders. The air/fuel mix needs to be right in order to get all the energy out of the fuel.

This is different than the delay you get in a car with an auto transmission. There's a short delay while the computer registers you've floored the gas pedal, maybe a second or two. THEN it runs like a bat out of hell.

Man, this must be my day for wordy answers.

 

[Chythar]

My gas mileage isnt bad at all on the highway, city driving it is worse like its supposed to be. I checked my plugs and they are ok, they are a little white(between tan and white i would say), but i think that was because of the cooling problems I was having that I recently fixed. My bypass hose was leaking and that fixed my overheating problem. Whats the next step in finding out whats wrong? Check for leaks? If so how would I go about doin that? Thanks. I also just cleaned my K&N but I do not think thats the problem because I am running lean and that means not enough fuel right?

If the plugs are all a little white, you're just barely lean enough for the code to get thrown. I'm now thinking the MAF needs to be cleaned, especially with a K&N filter on (the oil can bleed out and cover the MAF if you use too much oil). The MAF meter measures the air coming in the engine, and adjusts the air/fuel mixture accordingly. It's been the cause of a lot of problems for all Mustangs, usually results in a pinging engine. Here's a link to where it is and how to clean it:

http://forums.stangnet.com/showpost.php?p=4491580&postcount=7

Be VERY careful cleaning the wires. If you break one, you'll have to buy a new one. Clean them with q-tips until nothing more comes off the wires. Use rubbing alcohol or electrical contact cleaner to clean the wires.

 

[doobsstang]

Well I just cleaned my MAF...I am waiting for my K&N to dry then I will put everything back together and see what happens...