P1151 code

[mark38]

Hi there,

I was driving my '96 3.0 Ranger more aggressively than I normally do the other day (I was late for work) and before I reached my destination the check engine light came on. That night I took it to Autozone and they pulled a P1151 code off it. The def for this code is: Lack of o2 switches-bank 2 sensor 1. After some research I saw a vacuum leak could cause this issue so after snooping around I found a line that had some deep cracks in it. I replaced it and reset the computer, that was yesterday. Today the truck ran great as usual but once out on the highway I detected the engine stumbling at times. After a brief pit stop, and at slow speed, I once again felt the engine stumbling and the check engine light came on. This ride has treated me well over the years, it doesn't burn oil even though it now has a bit over 180,000 miles on it, nonetheless, I don't want to dump too much money into it. From what I understand this error code stems from the o2 sensor pre-cat on the drivers side, should that be my first course of action, to swap it for a new one?

 

[06RangerXLT]

un plug it as see if the stumble gets better. if it does, the sensor is reading wrong and needs replacing.

 

[mark38]

Thank you sir for the idea, I'll give that a shot.

 

[Earl43P]

Really, you don't even have to disconnect it.

Just drive it with the gas pedal pinned to the floor.
If it doesn't stumble at WOT, the O2 sensor is likely bad.

Wide Open Throttle causes the PCM to go into open loop mode, which uses canned computer values and ignores sensors' inputs.

At 180,000 miles, you should at the end of your 3rd set of O2 sensors' lives.
If yours are original, well, you'll see a big improvement in how it runs.
Just make sure you reset the computer after you replace it (disconnect Bat- and turn on the headlights, headlights off, reconnect battery -).

Helpful links:
http://www.oldfuelinjection.com/?p=31
http://www.oldfuelinjection.com/?p=64
http://www.oldfuelinjection.com/?p=10
http://www.oldfuelinjection.com/?p=12


Welcome to The Ranger Station!

 

[adsm08]

Forget all that. You have a 15 year old truck. Just replace the sensor, it's probably shot anyway, and most manufacturers say that the O2 sensors have an expected service life of 100,000 miles.

 

[mark38]

Thanks for the tips guys, I really appreciate it. I disconnected the sensor and it seems to run fine, although I only had it out on the highway for about 10 mins. I'll test it out on Monday to see for sure. I bought this truck with 96k on it and the only items I've replaced were the typical maintenance parts, never touched an o2 sensor before. What would be the side effects if I continued to drive with this sensor disconnected? Not that I would, just curious how this sensor effects the way the engine performs, although the answers to that maybe found in the links provided by Earl. Thanks for the warm welcome by the way, I actually registered here back in 2000 I think, right before selling a Splash I had dropped a 5.0 in. I was basically in the dark throughout the install, sure could have used this forum to help me through it, oh well. Thanks!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I'm glad to see fordfuelinjection is back up under a new name;
www.oldfuelinjection.com
They have been a real help in research.
Thread jack over.

Richard

 

[mark38]

I just wanted to thank you guys for the help. I replaced the o2 sensor and the truck runs better than it has in about a year. Thanks!