Engine light is on, and my cats are turning red and almost melting running lean in both banks 1 band 2. I have changed plugs and wires and coil pack, coil pack was an after market and I have been told they won't work very good on a ford.
It also was misfiring on 3 cylinders.

Please help motor is shacking! bad and I cannot get it inspected.

 

how about some info? year?

these trucks only like Motorcraft OEM ignition parts (coil pack, wires, plugs).

 

What are the exact P-codes?

Sounds like you need to fix whatever's causing the codes, and then replace the cats. This ain't gonna be cheap.

 

2001 F 150 V6 143,000 miles will get the p codes tomorrow
thank you for helping me.

 

My bet is 171/174 and then some.

The PCM probably detected a lean condition and richened up the a/f ratio making it actually rich, which will cook the cats.

Post up the exact codes and we will try to help you from there. And I think GLC is right it doesn't sound cheap.

 

sounds like clogged cats for sure and most likely a DPFE valve/sensor or other vacuum leak. need actual P codes when u get time tho.

 

po 171 and 174 codes what is a DPFE valve? on a 2001 F150 with a V6 where is the
gas filter???location gas smell very bad and mileage is 39 miles to a quarter tank now
used to get 15 miles to a gallon.

Thank for all who are helping helping
Joe

 

P0171/174 are lean bank 1 and 2 (1 is pass side 2 is driver side)

DPFE is differential feed back pressure something or other ha ha! Has to do with the EGR operation.

Fuel filter is on the inside of the frame rail driver side about where the bed and cab meet.

The 171/174 are from air entering the system after the Mass Air Flow sensor (In the intake tube after the air filter-before the throttle body). What you have is a MAJOR air leak most likely;
1) Isolator bolts and Plenum gaskets-check this link http://sites.google.com/site/fordf15...p0174fix/Home/
2) Major vacuum leak-check the PCV system @
a) PCV valve on the side of the t/b-Oring goes bad and leaks
b) The rubber hoses at each end of the "pipe" that connects the PCV to the valve cover.
c) The plastic pipe itself.
3) Vac hose to the brake booster.
4) Vac hose to the vapor recovery system @ the firewall.
Also there is a short hose in the wheel well driver side that takes alot of abuse.
5) By the starter solinoid (pass side fire wall) there is a "T" where the hard plastic line goes to the black storage box behind the battery, that one likes to rot also.
6) The black box behind the battery-it is used to "store" vacuum, look for cracks.
7) Stuck open VMV (vapor management valve) sucks fumes from the gas tank into the engine.

Also check the exhaust system for leaks like;
1) cracked exhaust manifolds.
2) bad "donut" where the pipe meets the ex-manifold
3) cracked/broken/split exhaust pipe between the manifold and the cats.

All of that stuff can give you the 171/174 lean codes. What happens is the sensor picks up the "extra" air from the leak and tells the PCM that it is running lean. Then the computer richens the air fuel ratio and makes the engine actually run rich. There goes the gas milage! Also the rich mixture can do damage to the cats. I think you may have clogged the cats so the rich mixture is backing up to give the gas smell you have.

With the miles you have I'm 99% sure the plenum gaskets and isolator bolts are history. Fix those and check all the things I told you, then have the cats checked.
My truck is 03 v-6 with 147k and I just did my gaskets and it's like a new truck.

You can also let the truck idle then spray starter fluid around the suspected areas of the intake system. If the motor changes rpm then you found a leak-repair as needed. Just remember starter fluid is highly flamable, so have a fire exting close by!

Good luck and sorry for the long post.

 

what is and where is, the plenum and isolator bolts?
the pcv valve is very oily is there a 0 ring on it? how do you know the pcv needs to be replaced?

 

The plenum is the big box on top of the engine, mine is black plastic, the early ones might have been alminum-(the aluminum is a guess). The isolator bolts are what holds it on and they are inside.

Yes there is an o-ring on the PCV if you have the heated one on the side of the throttle body. It takes 2 torx bolts to remove it, and the o-ring is inside. You can't buy just the o-ring and the PCV is a dealer only item at about $35.

Check out the link in my last post, it will answer a lot of your questions. Just click on it. You can see if this is the kind of thing you want to tackle, I hear it's about $600-$800 to have done.