Zethien

Would that part be an EGR Temperature Sensor. This is the only thing I can find that makes any kind of sense to me. http://www.car-stuff.com/store/?N=42...996+1616++7894. Other than that piece I can't seem to find anything. As a little test today I did take the hose coming out of the EGR Valve, and I plugged it. It has a very faint vaccum, and the car seemed to idle alot better with it plugged, but still backfires like crazy. The next thing i'm going to try is to completely flush my throttle body, brake booster, oil, and gas tank with seafoam. Someone is swearing up and down to me it's the IMRC being stuck open. I don't know, this is driving me crazy!

WhiteFoxGT

Ok, I'll start in numerical order..This is going to be long

P0171 is a lean code for bank 1
Possible causes:
Fuel system
[*]Excessive fuel pressure.[*]Leaking fuel injector(s).[*]High fuel pressure.[*]Low fuel pressure.[*]Contaminated fuel injector(s)[/ul]
Ignition system
[*]Spark plugs.[*]Spark plug wires.[*]Coils.[/ul]
Induction system
[*]Air leaks after the MAF sensor assembly.[*]Vacuum leaks.[*]Restricted air inlet.[*]PCV system.[*]Improperly seated engine oil dipstick.[/ul]
Base engine
[*]Oil overfill.[*]Cam timing.[*]Cylinder compression.[*]Exhaust leaks before or near the HO2S(s).[/ul][*]Check intake air system for leaks, obstructions and damage.[*]Check air cleaner element, air cleaner housing for blockage.[*]Verify fuel level.[*]Verify integrity of the PCV system.[*]Check for disconnected spark plug wires.[*]Check for vacuum leaks.[*]Verify customer did not run out of fuel.

P0301 and P0303 are misfire codes for cylinder1 and 3.
Possible causes:
[*]Ignition system.[*]Fuel injectors.[*]Fuel pressure.[*]Evaporative Emission System.[*]EVAP canister purge valve.[*]Base engine.[*]Running out of fuel.[/ul]
P0411 indicates that Secondary Air is not being diverted when requested

Possible causes:
[*]Vacuum hoses damaged.[*]AIR diverter valve inoperative.[*]AIR pump inoperative.[*]AIR diverter solenoids damaged.[/ul][*]Visually inspect vacuum lines for disconnects in the AIR system.[*]Visually inspect for proper vacuum line routing. Refer to VECI decal.[*]Visually inspect AIR pump for broken or loose AIR pump belt

1517 is the IMRC stuck open code.

Possible causes:
[*]Leaky vacuum reservoir.[*]Damaged vacuum lines.[*]Damaged vacuum solenoid.[*]Damaged vacuum actuator.[*]IMRC actuator cable/gears seized.[*]Cables improperly routed (binding) or seized.[*]Damaged/disconnected IMRC housing return springs.[*]Lever/shaft return stop obstructed/bent.[*]Lever/shaft wide open stop obstructed/bent.[*]IMRC lever/shaft stick/bind or disconnected.[*]Open IMRC control circuit.[*]Open VPWR circuit.[*]Shorted IMRC circuit.[*]Damaged PCM.[/ul][*]For electric IMRC, view cable routing. Make sure cables are not binding or improperly routed. Cable core wire at IMRC housing attachment must have slack and lever must contact closed plate stop screw. For Escort/Tracer, view IMRC actuator lever. Make sure lever is visible. For vacuum operated IMRC systems, make sure sensor linkage is attached and secure. Lever must contact closed plate stop screw with key on engine running.



That is straight from the Ford repair website. (Gotta love working for Ford.)

Now Im going to try and break this down for you. Lean codes are almost always a vac leak. So check all over for cracked, missing, or damaged vac lines. Take a can of 2+2 and spray all the vac lines while the engine is running and listen for a change in engine RPMs..Misfire codes are self explainitory. For some reason #1 and #3 are not firing...and what is a P302? did you mean P0302? If so then #2 is mifiring also. Probably from lack of fuel or too much air. Could also be a coil/wire problem. Pull those plugs and take a good look at them. Take pics if you have to and show us. P0411 is the air pump code, so check to make sure it is operating. It is located behind the passenger headlight if I remember correctly. Now your IMRC code...I had mine throw the same code, then go away. IF in fact yours are stuck open, then you will lose some low end performance, but it wont make the car run like crap. I suggest removing them and cleaning them thoroughly. Dont worry about deleting them just yet. Heres a good article. http://home.flash.net/~ivc1/cobra/imrc.html. Dont worry about that DPFE, because you do not have any EGR flow codes. Whoever told you to replace that is talkin out of their ***. Carefully read over these and tryto pinpoint a problem.. Usually one vac leak can lead to many codes. Good luck and hope this helps.

Zethien

This is my third time posting, so it will be shorter and to the point, lol.

First off, That was an awesome post, very nice.

I used some booster car starter today and sprayed all my vac lines. I never heard a change in my idle at all. Just to make sure something would happen I took a hose off my intake and sprayed just a small bit in there, and of course my idle increased briefly. I can't find my air pump either. It is not behind my passenger side headlight. That used to be the housing for my air filter, which I have moved to the fender well with a cold air intake kit.

I did find a vac hose today coming out of a UFO looking plate (EGR Valve?) and it goes to a larger piece that has an electronics hook up, and what looks like 3 vac lines, one big one, and 2 little ones. I thought that was my air pump. I know if I unplug the electronics and try to start my car it won't stay on for more than 5 seconds.

Another bit of info that could help. If I turn my wheels all the way right or left, or if I press the brake as hard as I can. My engine acts like it wants to die. Of course I was sitting still when I did this. Isn't that another issue a bad air pump could cause?

I just changed my spark plug wires, and spark plugs. I'm absolutely sure they are good. My next thing there is the coils.

Again I appreciate all the help, you've been great.

WhiteFoxGT

To me, it still sounds like a vacuum leak. If your car has an air pump, its by the headlight, but you get to it from under the wheel well..You gotta pull the black plastic back. However Im not sure Cobra's have them, I know 6 bangers do. The EGR is the UFO lookin thing, and that other piece is most likely the DPFE...which is NOT the air pump. Heres a picture of a DFPE for reference.





I'd still check for vac leaks. Its still hard for me to be really accurate because the vehicle is not in front of me, but I hope you figure it out

Zethien

yea that's the sensor I was talking about. The line goes out of the EGR into this



Mine looks slightly different, but I figure it's 11 years old, the standard may have changed.

I still haven't been able to locate that DPFE...

WhiteFoxGT

Let me go look at my car (98 Cobra) That looks like an air pump. I got a little confused..Like I said I need to see the car in front of me to be of use. How did it run before you put that accufab TB on? And what did you have to modify to get it to work? Try swtiching back to the stock TB.

Zethien

Ran fine with the stock throttle body. The new one added a hell of alot of throttle response, and i've had it on forever and a day with no problems. The stock TB is a twin bore, the one I put on is an accufab singleblade. I had to take a dremel and cut the center out of the manifold because it was made for the twin blade, and the single blade can't open with that piece of metal in the middle. I read up on it like crazy. It's in right and everything. I'm pretty sure it's a 1200cfm TB.

Anyway, thanks for all the help, I appreciate it

WhiteFoxGT

Ok, you must excuse me on my inaccuracies.. There seems to be a difference between the 96-97 and the 98 motors. Heres a shot of my EGR and DPFE right next to it, and the air pump under the fender behind the the headlight. Its right where I thought it would be, I guess your car is different. Could you take some pics.

EGR and DPFE (dont mind the dirt )


Air Pump UNDER fender

Zethien

Ahh ok. I was talkin about that piece that the line goes to out of the EGR. It's black with top that spins. That is actually exactly what i'm looking at under my hood, no difference whatsoever

WhiteFoxGT

Oh, that would be the EGR control solenoid. Thats what actually opens and closes the EGR (ufo lol) and the DPFE moniters EGR operation..