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Engine will not idle and no power, code P0104

Tiny
RICHARD BLAKELY
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 FORD RANGER
  • 2.3L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 225,000 MILES
Okay, over the last four months my son and I have replaced EGR Valve, EGR vacuum solenoid, EGR sensor, IAC valve, air filter, fuel filter, upper and lower oxygen sensor, just like one of the other post on here, plus today the MAF has been replaced. I have fuel pressure according to the bleed-off on the injector rail. I have reset the CPU 4 times since the MAF was replaced.
It was driving fine with only a rough idle after a clutch replacement last weekend and then just quit on my son at a stop sign. So we replaced what I though was last piece of the emissions system that affects the fuel controls the MAF.
I am only receiving the MAF low flow code P0104 and that is because the only way to get it to idle is to manually control the idle with my hand over the throttle body intake and almost completely choke all the air from the system. If left open the engine shuts off.
My son was running injetor cleaner through the tank last week. Any help is appreciated.
Note, the carbon filter, EVAP, system has not been touched but was unhooked since he got the truck and before these problems ever started.
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Saturday, August 11th, 2018 AT 3:39 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,904 POSTS
The code is for erratic air flow. This could mean you have a clogged catalytic converter or you have a bad connection to the MAF or the PCM is bad. Lets start with the converter. Here is a guide to help you confirm the issue. Remove the head bolts from the exhaust to see if it starts.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-a-catalytic-converter

Please run down this guide and report back.

Cheers, Ken
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Monday, August 13th, 2018 AT 4:52 PM
Tiny
RICHARD BLAKELY
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Ken thanks for the response. I was not able to get the exhaust head bolts loose as of yet so I tried loosening the intake manifold itself, weird how eight were easier to take loose than two. This had no effect same misfire, back fire, or no idle. I removed the throttle body and cleaned it the the six month old IAC has free movement and no heavy deposits in the TB itself. I will re-tighten the manifold and and see if my spray has soaked in enough to remove just the front O2 heat sensor this afternoon.
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Tuesday, August 14th, 2018 AT 10:37 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,904 POSTS
Okay can you let me know what happens? I want to get this fixed for ya.
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Thursday, August 16th, 2018 AT 10:50 AM
Tiny
RICHARD BLAKELY
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Hello again. We removed the front O2 Sensor from the exhaust, reattached the manifold and for the sake of trying swapped the PCM and the AC control relays (they are the same relay according to the part number) around to see if this had any effect. I also verified 11.48 volts to ground at the IAC valve.
(Is the normal operating state of the IAC to be open with voltage and is it supposed to be open with just the key switch on?)
I have attached a short video so you can hear the motor, my son is having to pump the gas and before was holding the throttle completely open to keep it running. Also after about ten minutes there are still no codes present on the reader. I was only getting 942 RPM according to the PIDs and the MAF was reading 1 to 1.5 lbs flow.
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Sunday, August 19th, 2018 AT 12:50 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,904 POSTS
Thanks for the video. It looks like the the coil pack is bad but lets do a compression test to see if you have a head gasket blown between two cylinders. Here are two guides to help us:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-engine-compression

and

https://youtu.be/iDgXwKA-IIc

Please run down these guides and report back.

Cheers, Ken
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Monday, August 20th, 2018 AT 9:12 AM
Tiny
RICHARD BLAKELY
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Hi Guys,

Okay, the compression test came back at 152 on the lowest and 160 on the highest with one spark plug out of each cylinder. We went ahead and replaced all the plugs and plug wires due to excessive carbon buildup on cylinders two and three and some heat discoloration on the cables. We did not change out the coil packs because both of them seem to work correctly with the truck acting the same with either disconnected. The attached video is taken right after we reassembled everything today. I checked all vacuum ports for clogs and that came up negative. I have no vacuum leaks using the carburetor cleaner test, but when sprayed into the valve cover hose the engine idles up correctly and and will stay running until the cleaner is burned out. I am going to run a fuel pressure test on the three year old pump and filter and see how that goes.
Oh, still no codes. If you have any other suggestion after the video please let me know.
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Sunday, August 26th, 2018 AT 5:51 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,904 POSTS
Good work on the video. Yes, that looks like no fuel is getting to the engine. Can you hear the pump working in the back? Here is a fuel pressure test guide to help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

Please run down this guide and report back.

Cheers, Ken

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Monday, August 27th, 2018 AT 10:35 AM

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