Possible vaccuum leak

Tiny
THOM043
  • MEMBER
  • MERCURY TRACER
I recently bought a 95 tracer trio the muffler pipe was broke between the flex pipe and the resinator. I had an oil change and ever since the oil change when the car idles when it is warm the check engine light comes on. When I start driving it will go off. Then when I stop at a light it comes back on. I was told it was the exshust and had fixed but symptom is still their. I was told that it could be a vaccuum leak. Can a code be found if it happens when it idels to tell me whats wrong. I was told no by a friend. Can you help and tell me what the problem may be wrong oil maybe they put in 10w30 instead of 5w30. It also idels between 550 & 700 rpms. And seems to idle a little rough but that did that when I bought the car. I had the car about 3 or 4 days before the oil change. I also put in some fuel injection cleaner made by gumout for high milage cars and filled it half way with regular unleaded could it also be bad gas. I did the exhust repair two days after the oil change. :X
Thursday, October 25th, 2007 AT 9:30 PM

16 Replies

Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Getting the codes read would be a good start. The 95 may have obdII although it wasn't required until 96. I doubt a relationship between the oil change place and the symptoms you have. But never say never.

The oil weight will have no bearing on the problem. Bad gas is pretty rare. IF you put in the wrong octane, that may affect it, but still low probability.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, October 26th, 2007 AT 7:44 AM
Tiny
THOM043
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
Would the fact that it is not idleing correctly have any thing to do with it or the fact that thier is a little corrosion on the battery. Also I am haveing a trans tune up done because the fluid is not pink and I do not think it was ever done. Would weak fluid cause this symptom. I do not see the connector for the odb but I do see a ecc diganostic plug under the hood. Will they still be code the car that way.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, October 27th, 2007 AT 10:04 AM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
No connection between the idle and the battery corrosion, but it should be clean regardless.

The DLC is on the firewall:


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/30961_dlc_1.jpg

Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, October 28th, 2007 AT 12:22 PM
Tiny
THOM043
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
I went to the garage where I had the oil change done and them take the extra oil they had put in. As I had thought no more engine light. Why would a little extra oil cause the engine light to come on.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, October 29th, 2007 AT 8:55 AM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
All I can say as I have yet to have high oil level trigger the CEL. Did they clear the codes perhaps?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, October 29th, 2007 AT 12:09 PM
Tiny
THOM043
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
No but the problem did return. But dose not seem to happen as much as it use to. What would cause the engine light to come at low speeds and go off at speeds more than 40. Also the car did stall once today. It ran fine for about 4 hours after they took out the extra oil.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, October 29th, 2007 AT 12:18 PM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
You need to access the codes to start narrowing down the source.

Dirty MAF?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, October 29th, 2007 AT 2:12 PM
Tiny
THOM043
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
The codes that was giving to was a bad cam sensor or crank sensor and a random miss fire. Could you please tell me where these sensors are. Also they recommended a tune up what type plugs do you recommend resistor or platinum.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, November 1st, 2007 AT 7:17 PM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
I like Auotlite plugs, I would go by what the catalog calls for, I 'll check it and get back. What was the code number?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, November 2nd, 2007 AT 4:52 AM
Tiny
THOM043
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
He did not give me the numbers because he did the at no charge. He just me that those codes came up. They also tried to clear them but the one for the cam senor came back.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, November 2nd, 2007 AT 5:30 AM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Is this a 1.9 or a 1.8 motor?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, November 2nd, 2007 AT 6:11 AM
Tiny
THOM043
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
1.9
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, November 2nd, 2007 AT 6:36 AM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Autolite plug # is xp5144 .054 gap.

The sensor is on the back of the head, #7 on the diagram
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, November 2nd, 2007 AT 7:16 AM
Tiny
THOM043
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
I just want to thank you for al your help hopefully it is not hard to change this sensor. Also what dose this sensor really do. To me it sounds like a bs sensor that really is not needed.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, November 2nd, 2007 AT 7:41 AM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
My Pleasure, The Camshaft position sensor gives the computer information of the cylinder' position so the computer can give output signals for the correct ignition firing.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, November 4th, 2007 AT 7:02 PM
Tiny
THOM043
  • MEMBER
  • 18 POSTS
How do I change the cam sensor if I take it out do I have to line anything up. Or can I just take out the one bolt that holds it in and put the new one in.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, November 17th, 2007 AT 7:16 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Oil Change Content

Engine Oil Change and Filter
VIDEO
Engine Oil Change and Filter
In­struc­tional re­pair video
New Car Service
GUIDE
New Car Service
When you buy a new car the most im­por­tant thing you can do is keep the ser­vices up and give your car a vi­sual in­spec­tion both un­der the hood and un­der the car. Al­though the...
VIEW MORE