i have a lean on banks 1 and 2 98 ford f150 4.2L i had a code ran at advance and he said the code said system to lean on banks 1 and 2

 

Could be a contaminated/dirty MAF. Do you have a aftermarket intake?

 

i dont think so at least i havent put one on there the truck only has 115k

 

Lean both banks is quite often caused by a vacuum leak.

 

Well here's what the Ford PC/ED lists:
Possible causes:

Fuel system

Excessive fuel pressure.
Leaking fuel injector(s).
Leaking fuel pressure regulator.
Low fuel pressure or running out of fuel.
Contaminated fuel injector(s).
Vapor management valve (VMV) leaking.
Induction system

Air leaks after the MAF.
Vacuum leaks (vacuum lines and gaskets).
Restricted air inlet.
PCV system.
Fuel purge system.
Improperly seated engine oil dipstick.
EGR System

leaking gasket.
Stuck open EGR valve.
Leaking diaphragm.
Base engine

Oil overfill.
Cam timing.
Cylinder compression.
Exhaust leaks before or near the HO2S(s).
Check intake air system for leaks, obstructions and damage.
Check air cleaner element, air cleaner housing for blockage.
Verify integrity of the PCV system.
Check for vacuum leaks.

 

well i have replaced the spark plugs and wires and air filter and fuel filter could it be my cadale**** converter cause the shop said it was bad but they also said i had 4 O2 sensers bad but if that was true it would show up on the codes but its not.

 

Sounds like they are trying to rip you a new one. Check for vacuum leaks, that would be my first step.

 

ok i will do that and advance had the tec book out and it said it could be a vacuum leak or the ECT senser is bad or the MAF senser is bad so i got the ECT senser and im going to put it on tomorow and see if that helps

 

Not really. The cat doesn't just "go bad". Not usually. I know GM had some that just started suddenly stinking up the joint around 2001, but it usually takes running overly rich to kill one of those.

Also, try a different shop that's not just into parts swapping. You pretty much hit that right on the head...a bad O2 will show a particular code to indicate as such. I'm not really sure they were trying to rip you rather than they did not know what the heck they are doing in this case. Not good either way

BTW, I think the ECT sensor sets its own code, too..

 

Holey HELL

How does anyone afford your labor ?? - ,and that's just for lean codes

 

Why do you think it costs so much to take it to the dealer? Systematically troubleshooting these issues takes TIME!

To the OP: Throwing parts at it is NOT the proper way to troubleshoot - you must examine all possible causes. If you do not have the experience or knowledge to do this kind of troubleshooting, you need to take the truck to a technician who does. If you must try to nail this down yourself, you would be much better served by listening to the Ford techs here, not some clown at the auto parts store.

FYI, I do believe that Joshmac is a Ford dealership technician.

 

Hey dog, i'm going to put it to you straight on.
You came asking for help, now you ignor what your being told. WHY?

Lean codes are the result of excess air the PCM can't shift far enough to cover with additional fuel.
If you want to chase it by replacing parts without any ryme or reason, go do that but don't come back wondering what to do next if your not going to listen now!

 

im not ignoring the help i just havent been online sorry i really need the help so what should i do start replaceing sensers or parts or just take it to the dealer because its throwing a lean code and that could be anything

 

Take the trim cover off, get in there and look at 'all' the rubber hoses for cracks, getting hard, holes etc even back where you can't see them but feel them..
Anything that would let air into the intake where it's not supposed to get in unmetered.
The ox sensors see this as to much air in the exhaust and tries to richen up the fuel tables to compensate.
When the tables go out of limts, the codes are set saying 'lean' when the tables themselves are actually rich, but that is the way the program tells you what is the 'base' cause of the problem with the hardware.
Problem is when you don't do anything, you don't know when to stop!

 

I know , I was just messing with him - A Tech position isn't an easy one. I can just imagine the pressures ones under trying to keep the cost down for the customer and troubleshooting quickly in busy shop. I couldn't do it - I like to take my time and cover all the bases. Time that's not allowed usually when striving to keep a business successful and profitable.

For the DIY'er, covering all area's on these vehicles yourself, attempting to pinpoint the problem can be a drag and time consuming as hell. Specially without a computer diagnostic device. A tech with one of those high dollar devices that fully understands it and one that keeps up with ever changing technology has to be in high demand. With the sophistication in these suckers today - It seems one could locate the problem much quicker, given the proper training and has a good understanding of todays technology. It's a skill that requires allot of dedication, more today, than it has in the past - and IMO should be more respected.

Also, I wouldn't want to be the one telling the customer it's going to cost $3000 to change your plugs - Nope. The manufacturer puts some of these shops in very uncomfortable positions.

Believe me - Tech's aren't respected enough in most situations. I don't think most customers know or care enough about what's involved in doing s good and thorough job determining some of these problems. The fixing in most cases is the easy part. Finding the problem isn't always - not even for a tech. Innovation changes things up on yuh all the time.

The more you try to figure things out yourself - the more you respect the technician's out there.

So maybe it was a bad joke - I apologize , I wasn't serious - Where's your sense of humor glc?