rockyw123

P0181 Fuel Temperature Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance

I just bought an 03 gt and was running like a turd. I used Lucas Fuel treatment and after about 2 or 3 tanks the car started running better. I figured it was fixed so I didn't use it with my last fill up. I was wrong and the car is crapping out again. It runs fine if I drive it nice and easy, but as soon as I open it up, it loses power.

First of all it will not light up the back tires.
Then, It would accelerate good up to about 4500 rpms and then the power just drops off.
Now, It will not even go over 3000 with the throttle wide open.
It acts like its not getting any fuel.

I bought a crappy chilton manual and it said 181 is Adaptive Fuel rich limit reached at part throttle, right side. It doesn't tell me what mite be causing the problem or how to fix it.

Can anyone please help me

blackstallion666

Have you tried clearing the code and seeing if it comes back. Also does it trip the engine light? And what have you done so far besides the fuel treatment. may be worth getting a fuel filter for a few bucks and throw that on and see what happens. It could be clogged.

rockyw123

I cleared the code and it came back with the the engine light.
I'll change the filter this morning.
Do you think the fuel pump could be going bad?

rockyw123

OH, and I just started it up after clearing the code last night.
The code and engine light popped up along with the low fuel light as soon as I started it.

cliffyk

Is it low on fuel? That could (a long-shot-maybe) cause the problem...

Here is what the '03 shop manual says about P0181...

rockyw123

nope, unfortunately its not low.
Right now I'm thinking its the fuel pump, but I'm fixing to change the fuel filter and see if that helps.

cliffyk

Why are you thinking "fuel pump", it's not mentioned in the list of potential casues for P0181?

rockyw123

Well I was just guessing.
The crappy book I bought didn't give a reason for the 181 code.
I was thinking that maybe if the fuel pump was bad or going bad then it mite be heating up the fuel.

Anyway, I just changed the filter and out one side was nice pretty clean gas.
When I turned it over to the other side I got bad ugly muddy looking gas.

cliffyk

Check the issues listed in ther link I posted above first--if nothing there fixes it then it will be time to start guessing...

rockyw123

Oh, thanks, didn't see the link for some reason.
I bought me a shop manual on ebay last night.
So, were is the EFT sensor and how would I check it and the harness for a short and the PCM.
Thanks alot