2.5L ('98-'01) 1998 2.5l fuel issues

[Tenper616]

I am going to run smoke through the engine again to look for any vacuum leaks, I know that could cause it to read high, from what I've read anyway, I'll keep you posted on any findings, in fortunately I only have Saturday off and my schedule won't let me do anything till then

 

[scotts90ranger]

I'm pretty sure a vacuum leak would cause it to show low airflow not high airflow. From my understanding on how they work some are heating an element and judging the temperature drop through a known area to calculate airflow but there's a couple different kinds and yeah... so to get a high reading either the reference voltage to the sensor is low causing a higher relative signal or something to that effect.

I'm more used to speed density with a MAP sensor like they use in industrial and marine engines...

 

[Tenper616]

So, I didn't smoke it again, and talking to as many people as I have about half of them said a vacuum leak will cause it and the other half says no, I've even had contradictory responses from Google's AI bot about it, I did replace the MAF sensor yesterday though, and it didn't do anything, even after unhooking the battery for about 3 hours it's still reading high, my next step is to try to see if the wires are bad, or even if I routed them wrong and they are infact too close to the coil packs, even though they ran right next to them originally

 

[Tenper616]

Update, I have p0172 p0301 p0303, and a code for bank 1 sensor 1 O2 sensor, so basically running rich and miss firing on cylenders 1 and 3, I am at a loss on this one,

 

[SenorNoob]

Misfire could cause cause the rich codes from the unburned fuel making its way to the O2 sensor. I'd bet if you cure the misfire, that goes away too.
Edited: I was wrong. Sorry.

Check plugs, wires, and coil pack.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Misfire could cause cause the rich codes from the unburned fuel making its way to the O2 sensor. I'd bet if you cure the misfire, that goes away too.

Check plugs, wires, and coil pack.

Actually it's the other way with oxygen sensors, they see the extra air being an oxygen sensor. My best guess is there's too much fuel going to cylinders 1 and 3, if you pulled the plugs (exhaust side is fine, don't need to do the hard ones) do they look ok? I'm pretty sure there would be a code for shorted injector wires, I'm not sure at the moment unless the MAF is seeing a higher signal than it should somehow and making it run rich.

 

[Tenper616]

I had pulled number three the other day, it hadn't run that day though, but it looked fine, I have to pull them after it runs for a while, I replaced one coil already with new plugs and wires, also, I grabbed injectors from the u-pull-it yesterday, my plan is to clean them real good and pull the cheap new ones out that I just put in and put the OE ones I just got in, I'm thinking these cheaper ones are not accurate,