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97 B2300 P1443 code Solenoid question


sci-flyer

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Hello all, new here but have a 97 B2300 since last year.

I'm having an issue with the EVAP system and am curious about the function of the solenoid.

I have 12v at the solenoid connector with the key on and 0v with key off. I got a couple of spare solenoids at the yard along with another solenoid pigtail connector. With battery power across the spare pigtail connector, all of the solenoids energize.

Thinking that my original connector may not be making a good connection, I cut it off and wired my known good spare into place. Turned on the key, none of the solenoids would actuate.

My question is: Is the solenoid supposed to be energized (open) the whole time the key is on, or does the PCM/ECM open and close the solenoid during the course of driving the truck?

If it's supposed to be energized the whole time, then the current is low at the connector which would be a PCM issue, correct?

Thanks for any help!
 


RonD

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Welcome to TRS :)


Besides testing if Purge valves energize(click) you also need to test if valve is working.
Put a hose on one port and try to blow thru it with 0volts and then 12volts, it should not pass air with 0volts(closed), and pass air with 12volts(open).
9volts battery works for this test

When key is on Purge valve will have 12volts but no Ground, the computer controls the Ground and will Pulse the Ground on and off to open the valve a little or a lot depending on engine status, cold/warm, idling/cruising, light load/high load.

There is also a pressure sensor that actually triggered the P1443 code, it usually is the Purge valve that is at fault, but not 100% of the time.

Once an EVAP code is set it will take a few days to a week to get it to clear, the computer tests the EVAP system "almost" every time you drive the vehicle, and there must be 3 to 6 "good tests" before code will be cleared.
One good test is cold start then full warm up, driving for at least 15 minutes, then full cool down.
And "almost" is the key word, there is no way to force an EVAP test.

After Purge Valve is repaired, assuming that is the only issue, make sure gas tank is kept between 1/4 and 3/4, not empty or full.
After a few days of driving the CEL should go off and the P1443 will be moved to History memory, and it can be cleared at that time if you have an OBD2 reader/scanner
 
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sci-flyer

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Thanks for the fast reply RonD!

Before swapping them into the mix, I had checked for air flow with the solenoids energized and I could suck air through them.

Normally, I run the fuel tank levels low because I don't want to carry a lot of gas around, but I'll run it around 1/2 tank now to get through this issue to pass smog.

I had swapped in different solenoids and reset the code after each swap, but it still came back after about 75 miles each time. I tried two other flow sensors in the mix, but they were used and I can't say definitively that they're good. I do get vacuum through the units with the engine running, so no blockages.

I'll do a sensor check per this website and post my findings hopefully tomorrow:

http://www.tomshints.com/FordRanger/FR_EPS.htm
 

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flyer:I do get vacuum through the units with the engine running, so no blockages.


You do realize that the solenoids should block flow when off? If they leak, then the EVAP pressure test will fail. They should not necessarily be opened just because the engine is running, so that is not exactly a good test. Do they block flow when power is removed, and allow flow when power is applied is the actual function test for the valves.
tom
 

sci-flyer

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tomw: I get flow through the flow sensor connected to the vacuum port on the engine when disconnected from the solenoid.

The solenoids are normally closed and I got flow when I applied power to them from the battery.

Update: Today, I got the CEL light to show up on the dash and fixed another dash light outage. I'm using LED lights and they are polarity dependent. Initailly, I thought I had them in correctly when I did the swap with a 98 Explorer tach manual trans cluster. The smog guy told me that the bulb was registering an outage last week, so double checking would have saved me a retest. I connected the known good solenoid pigtail and a good operating solenoid on it, and I did NOT clear the CEL afterward. I'll do an operational check on all of the flow sensors I've got tomorrow.

Some back history on the truck is that when I bought it, there was no CEL. About a week or so later, it came on. At the time, the smog wasn't due for six months, so not really worried. I could smell gas when filling it up 3/4 or more and found out that the filler neck goes bad.

I wound up replacing the filler neck and gas cap. When replacing the neck, I saw a vacuum hose disconnected from the top port on the fuel tank. Not sure why it was that way, I traced up toward the front of the truck and reconnected it. Buttoned everything back up and the CEL went out on it's own about a week later with the original speedo only gauge cluster installed.
 
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sci-flyer

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Another update: On the drive home from work on the day of connecting up the known good wiring pigtail and solenoid, the CEL light went out. This was about 30 miles of driving at the time. I had less than 1/4 tank of gas and was running it pretty low before hitting the gas station.

I got the dash lights sorted out and the fuel reset location now illuminates the door ajar light as it should with this cluster. The check gauges light works when the gas gauge is low. I didn't even know about this one.

I checked the codes again and saw a P0443 which is a Evaporative Emission Control System Purge Control Valve Circuit Malfunction.

I'm not worried because I'm sure that was thrown when I had cut the old solenoid connector off and ran it for a day without any solenoid and just two bare wires. The CEL is still off and I did NOT clear the codes.

Today, I filled up 1/2 tank with 89, and tomorrow I'll do a code check. If the CEL is still off tomorrow morning, I'll go back for a smog retest. I've only got 15 days total after the fail before having to pay for a new test, but things are looking good.
 

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Update: No CEL after driving to and rechecking codes in the parking lot of the smog test place; passed smog w/o any problems.
After using up all the 89 I put in 87. Less than a week after passing smog, and while driving in morning traffic (which I normally don't), I got another CEL.
I checked the codes tonight and it's a P0171, so not related to the EVAP problems I had before.

My original problem was either my flow sensor or the solenoid connector. I was going to put in the original flow sensor to see it if would throw a code, but I'll do that after I sort out the latest code. I did see the P0171 code before I started trying to fix the EVAP codes, but it went away after I replaced the vacuum hose from the flow sensor to engine port with a fuel line hose, but it's back now.

I'll give it a visual in the daylight and probably spray down the MAF sensor.
 

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P0171 means there is too much oxygen in the exhaust on bank 1, 4cyl only has the one bank.

Yes, cleaning MAF sensor is always a good idea.

The MAF sensor tells the computer how many pounds of air are flowing into the engine at any given moment, computer then calculates how many pounds of fuel it needs to add based on the 14.7:1 air:fuel ratio, 14.7 pounds of air needs 1 pound of fuel added.

The O2 sensor then tells the computer if the burning of this 14:1 mix has correct amount of oxygen left to be a "good" burn.
If there is too much oxygen then computer adds more fuel to get correct oxygen level in the exhaust.
To little oxygen and computer reduces the amount of fuel it is adding.

And as long as the computer doesn't have to add too much more fuel everything is OK.
But computer has a pre-set range of "Fuel Trims", if it hits the upper edge of that range enough times it will set the P0171 code and turn on the CEL.
Computer is still adding the extra fuel, engine is not running Lean, computer is just notifying driver of the range issue.

If all the air coming into the engine is not passing thru the MAF sensor, i.e. vacuum leak, then computer is getting false lower air flow data from MAF, so it isn't adding enough fuel.
Computer adds more fuel and you get P0171

Computer can't monitor fuel pressure, so if fuel pressure is low, when computer opens an injector less fuel is flowing in than computer expects, so computer has to add more fuel and you get P0171.

Exhaust manifold leak, while exhaust does come out of a leak like this, it also sucks in air, O2 sees this air as extra oxygen, this is a false lean, but you get the same P0171 code, with this type of P0171 you would also notice drop in MPG because engine is actually running Rich.
Exhaust leak needs to be between engine and O2 sensor to effect fuel trims, a leak after O2 sensor wouldn't effect fuel trim with P0171 code, but it can cause long term fuel trim issues.

A misfire doesn't burn the oxygen, so it is dumped into the exhaust and O2 sees that as higher oxygen levels, but most people would notice consistent misfires.

Vacuum leak is pretty easy to test for.
Engine needs to be warned up and idling
Unplug the wires on IAC(idle air control) valve
Idle should drop down to 500rpm or engine may even die, either is good it means no vacuum leak.
If idle stays at 700rpm or higher then there is a leak.
 
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sci-flyer

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Thanks again RonD!

Hopefully, Final Update:

Sprayed down the MAF sensor a few weeks ago and went on a 360 mi. weekend round trip w/o any problems. Driving home from work on Tuesday night at highway speeds right after my trip, the truck started acting like a fuel filter was clogged and bogged down hard out of the blue. It didn't like anything over 2500 RPM. I got it home without having to get it towed.

The next day, it would start and didn't want to idle, but would run and idle after driving for about five minutes. I replaced the fuel filter with a Motorcraft, but it still refused to idle after starting. I checked the codes and it now showed P0102 (Mass Air Flow Circuit Low Input) along with P0171.

Wrapping it up:

Thinking I damaged my original MAF, I swapped in another two used MAF's and, not curing the problem, I had another sensor to harness pigtail that I was going to swap to replace the original. When I went to disconnect it at the engine harness side, I found that it was not completely engaged. I connected it and the idle issue went away and the check engine light went out later. I still have a hard time trusting these new LED dash light bulbs since I've had a few new ones have issues within a few weeks.

Checked the codes today and there is nothing stored, so that ends my trouble code issues. Now, I need to replace my engine and trans mounts and possibly a master cylinder.

Thanks everyone for all the help!
 

RonD

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Good Work :icon_thumby:

So problem was wiring harness connector?

For future reference what did it come from or run to?
 

sci-flyer

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RonD,
the loose connector was at the engine harness to the pigtail end that comes from inside the canister connected to the MAF sensor.

I would say spraying down the MAF didn't hurt and probably cured the original cause of my P0171 code.

John
 
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RonD

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