Check Engine light - Code P0171 and other issues - Updated
#21
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by handdrumman
Ok..if this isn't fixed by NEBF...
You guys can stand around and troubleshoot...lol
You guys can stand around and troubleshoot...lol
#22
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Thread Starter
Car is back. Everything seemed fine when I picked it up from the tint shop and drove to Home Depot then home.
First thing this morning I was greeted with my faithful friend the check engine light. Didn't have time to grab code reader yet. Will have info tonight.
First thing this morning I was greeted with my faithful friend the check engine light. Didn't have time to grab code reader yet. Will have info tonight.
#23
RIP
True Car Nut
Bill, could one of the ground wires be corroded on the inside, either at the crimp connection, or the wire itself. Maybe leave the original wire in place, but run a second wire between the two points as a test?
#24
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Thread Starter
Tried that...wish it helped.
I think this one is going to end up heading over to my buddy Dan the Mechanic. I feel it'* a sensor or something going bad intermittantly and it just hasn't fully failed and shown itself yet.
I think this one is going to end up heading over to my buddy Dan the Mechanic. I feel it'* a sensor or something going bad intermittantly and it just hasn't fully failed and shown itself yet.
#25
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Thread Starter
Alrighty. I believe resolution has happened.
Along the journey, I threw some money at a couple parts that didn't help at all. Thinking that a sensor was bad in a string of grounds. I also did a lot of swearing and wondering what could possibly be causing the problem.
In the end, Highlander gets the thanks for figuring out my problem. This past weekend we swapped his motor. Once we started the car it occaisionally hiccuped like mine. While I found this funny that my car had infected his...it told me that when either of us found the problem...the other would benefit.
I took the car on a test drive and it died. Time to find the problem. The connector to the ICM was loose and not fully bolted up. This fixed AJ'* problem and I immediately found mine to be connected very well. Were the contacts dirty or corroded? Was the ICM bad? W/o having a way to test ICM'*, I changed mine out with one from my pile of parts. So far, no codes, not hiccups, no flashing shifter lights on the console.
I have determined that the park neutral position switch code I was getting was due to the motor actually stalling and restarting quickly enough that while driving I thought it hiccumped and in reality the PCM saw this as being started in gear. The flashing of the console lights was the PCM'* way of telling me it wasn't happy.
Along the journey, I threw some money at a couple parts that didn't help at all. Thinking that a sensor was bad in a string of grounds. I also did a lot of swearing and wondering what could possibly be causing the problem.
In the end, Highlander gets the thanks for figuring out my problem. This past weekend we swapped his motor. Once we started the car it occaisionally hiccuped like mine. While I found this funny that my car had infected his...it told me that when either of us found the problem...the other would benefit.
I took the car on a test drive and it died. Time to find the problem. The connector to the ICM was loose and not fully bolted up. This fixed AJ'* problem and I immediately found mine to be connected very well. Were the contacts dirty or corroded? Was the ICM bad? W/o having a way to test ICM'*, I changed mine out with one from my pile of parts. So far, no codes, not hiccups, no flashing shifter lights on the console.
I have determined that the park neutral position switch code I was getting was due to the motor actually stalling and restarting quickly enough that while driving I thought it hiccumped and in reality the PCM saw this as being started in gear. The flashing of the console lights was the PCM'* way of telling me it wasn't happy.
#27
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Hmmm, that'* one for the books. It will be good for us to remember if it happens to anyone else. Since I don't have my FSMs with me to look at, do you know what method/tool/tester is used to test the ICM?
Oh, and glad you finally got it resolved.
Oh, and glad you finally got it resolved.
#28
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Thread Starter
No corrosion, which is why I changed it out. I saw nothing that should have caused an issue. Thinking it was an ICM going bad.
The low oil level light was a function of the engine stalling for the brief millisecond. As were also a variety of other codes related to CKT 451 that are all the sensors on the TB, and the ICM and PCM. Everything that gets ground from the engine showed me a code at least once. Since cleaning the grounds, the only codes I was still seeing were the P0171 Lean Bank Sensor 1 and Transmission PNP switch.
The low oil level light was a function of the engine stalling for the brief millisecond. As were also a variety of other codes related to CKT 451 that are all the sensors on the TB, and the ICM and PCM. Everything that gets ground from the engine showed me a code at least once. Since cleaning the grounds, the only codes I was still seeing were the P0171 Lean Bank Sensor 1 and Transmission PNP switch.
#29
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Thread Starter
**knocks light dust off thread**
Since the last update, the car was running fine as always and without any "hiccups" as I've come to call them. I had scanned and gotten base data before putting on a front PEM and crossover. (rear bolts will meet a torch soon)
Anyhow, I head out to scan with the PEM'* and get a hiccup. Being upset, some advice I was given comes back to me. "Did you clean the mounting plate and bottom of the ICM?"...nope. Went home, cleaned both and applied a light coating of dielectric to each. Driven about 80 miles w/o a hiccup since. I'm hoping this was the issue and that would mean my other ICM wasn't bad, but possbily not grounding through the mounting plate well.
Hopefully one day this thread can help someone.
Since the last update, the car was running fine as always and without any "hiccups" as I've come to call them. I had scanned and gotten base data before putting on a front PEM and crossover. (rear bolts will meet a torch soon)
Anyhow, I head out to scan with the PEM'* and get a hiccup. Being upset, some advice I was given comes back to me. "Did you clean the mounting plate and bottom of the ICM?"...nope. Went home, cleaned both and applied a light coating of dielectric to each. Driven about 80 miles w/o a hiccup since. I'm hoping this was the issue and that would mean my other ICM wasn't bad, but possbily not grounding through the mounting plate well.
Hopefully one day this thread can help someone.
#30
Junior Member
Posts like a Ricer Type-R
Your welcome (if it works long-term)
I saw that screw up a 3800 once. The ground for the ICM is actually the baseplate, and it'* pretty exposed to the elements. I was going to pull mine for maintenance yesterday, but didn't get the chance.
A good wire brush and some dielectric grease would go a long way on that baseplate.
I saw that screw up a 3800 once. The ground for the ICM is actually the baseplate, and it'* pretty exposed to the elements. I was going to pull mine for maintenance yesterday, but didn't get the chance.
A good wire brush and some dielectric grease would go a long way on that baseplate.