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NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ?


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blahcomp222
User

Apr 9, 2018, 11:12 AM

Post #1 of 9 (1510 views)
NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ? Sign In

2000 Ford ranger 6 cylinder.
I have a code reader. Shows 2 codes: P0171 & P0174 (system too lean bank 1, and bank 2 [hopefully just a leak intake pipe or clean MAF again). I have all things 'Ready' except for EVAP.
My inspection 2 years ago, I passed with p0171 PENDING and EVAP NOT READY. I did a bunch of erasing of codes and changed o2 censors etc prior to that inspection but that's what I still had when it did indeed pass.
I read all different claims about how many codes can be pending or 'not ready' depending on car year or weight, but I called DMV today and they said it 'should pass' with 2 pending codes plus EVAP not Ready. I don't care if I don't pass on the first try because I can go back for free re-inspection, and I've had many-a red stickers and only got an $80 ticket once after I couldn't get a previous car to pass for months and months and finally got a ticket.


so anyway, my question is, do I erase the codes right now and then let the truck do the CYCLE to be ready for inspection with pending codes? Or should I attempt to fix the codes (hopefully just clean MAF and/or check for intake leaks but I did that 2 years ago and the MAF cleaning fixed a different code [I had like 6 codes 2 years ago] and I couldn't find any intake pipe leaks therefore these 2 LEAN codes might be a harder fix and I'm actually getting a new truck in like 3-4 months anyway and basically donating this rusted POS]). So I don't want to go too crazy trying to fix these codes right at the moment. Maybe before I get rid of it I will though.


In other words, if I just erase the two codes with my code reader, in about 3 weeks the 2 codes will become as pending? Or will they be out of pending by then and become active? I don't (no one really does) know the exact method to get the CYCLE done to get the 2000 ford ranger to be 'ready' for inspection so I don't want to wait too long and not be able to drive it enough in order for it to cycle. but I know I can't just erase the codes the day before because then the whole system won't be ready for inspection.
I'd rather at least have a red sticker than to just have an expired April 2018 sticker because I waited too long from now to erase the codes and the truck isn't ready yet.
thanks in advance.


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Apr 9, 2018, 1:58 PM

Post #2 of 9 (1500 views)
Re: NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ? Sign In

3.0L or 4.0L?

Does your scanner have datastream and/or freeze frame data?

More than likely the lean codes will pop up before the monitors complete. Its going to fail as soon as the adaptive fuel limits are reached.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 9, 2018, 2:19 PM

Post #3 of 9 (1495 views)
Re: NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ? Sign In

Why don't you just fix the vacuum leak causing the codes?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



blahcomp222
User

Apr 10, 2018, 4:22 AM

Post #4 of 9 (1461 views)
Re: NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ? Sign In

4.0 liter


code reader does have live stream and show freeze frame data.
I DID pass last time though with P0171 PENDING.


If I erase codes now, I'll know when it's ready for inspection based on the code reader's I/M readiness scan?
I can never get EVAP to be ready for some reason but I passed with that 1 part not READY last inspection. I would just wait until hopefully all the other sections are READY but the 2 codes will hopefully be pending and not active?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 10, 2018, 5:12 AM

Post #5 of 9 (1454 views)
Re: NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ? Sign In

You are working awful hard to work around a problem that I'm betting wouldn't be that hard to repair permanently.

These Fords are totally notorious for vacuum leaks at main connectors causing these two codes.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



blahcomp222
User

Apr 10, 2018, 8:34 AM

Post #6 of 9 (1443 views)
Re: NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ? Sign In

I'm asking though assuming I'm not making the repairs now, when should I erase the codes with my reader for inspection due in 3 weeks max, and then if I'll know if it's ready if simply by my code reader's I/M readiness test showing all systems ready (except for EVAP which has never become back to ready since 2 years ago but I CAN pass with that one not READY).




I will tinker with the air intake hoses today though. I tried this 2 years ago though and couldn't find why it's running lean. I sprayed carb cleaner all around the hoses and was supposed to hear the engine surge if it were sucking in carb cleaner but I didn't hear anything. I sprayed near the intake manifold gasket too and didn't hear any surge (luckily because I don't really want to change that gasket out). But with no surge sound for any of those spray test, it could be something else more difficult (have seen lots of work needed for other cars to fix this, stuff the dealer techs didn't even know) so I don't want to go crazy trying to fix this. Would rather just pass inspection now and try a go at fixing it before I sell the truck in a few months to help it sell better but I'm basically selling it as a parts truck or selling it to a junk yard for parts because it has only 80K miles but rusted to hell and cracked frame from rust (thanks soooo much for the cheap metal, Ford). But yes if I could fix this before selling, it will sell for more because it runs so lean that in Winter (when air dry I guess), when it's really cold or snowing, it has a really rough idle and sometimes stalls and sometimes stalls out the first time I come to a stop after driving for 5 minutes, but in summer it runs fine.


I didn't take a good good look at the intake hoses though, I just sprayed carb cleaner while truck running and looked them over but I'll look really good with the headlamp tonight.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 10, 2018, 8:38 AM

Post #7 of 9 (1439 views)
Re: NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ? Sign In

I've repaired many Fords with these 2 codes and 90% of the time it is caused by a $3 vacuum connector or a leaking PCV hose.

The best way to find this is using a smoke machine.

That spraying technique used to work well on carbed engines but not so much on computer controlled cars because the computer will correct the issue so quickly.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Apr 10, 2018, 8:40 AM)


blahcomp222
User

Apr 12, 2018, 3:26 PM

Post #8 of 9 (1357 views)
Re: NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ? Sign In

smoke machine would be nice.
i'm not gonna try and fix it before inspection if DMV told me on the phone I should pass with 1 not ready and 2 pending codes but with no check engine light on. I don't want to mess with any hoses etc and make it worse. I will fix it after inspection though. thank you.


so do I just use code reader to ERASE codes and then wait till it shows I/M all are ready except the EVAP which never becomes ready for some reason? Then go to inspection station? I think last time my code reader said all were ready but the DMV computer said differently.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Apr 12, 2018, 3:53 PM

Post #9 of 9 (1353 views)
Re: NJ Inspection in 3 weeks. 2 codes. Erase NOW? or ? Sign In

I don't get your logic. Nothing bad can come from repairing a leak.

I don't see how you expect to accomplish the specific goal you are after either. I believe the time it will take for the lean codes to put the check engine light back on will be much shorter than the time to complete all drive cycles. I also believe even a pending code will prevent the monitors from resetting.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Apr 12, 2018, 3:55 PM)






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