Been trying to track down this problem for almost a month.
Have a '91 SR5 pickup 4x4 AT. Took it to my mechanic when the CE light came on. Told him it would point to the O2 but that wasn't likely the problem. Maybe it's cause I'm a woman, he ignored me, replaced the O2, told me it tested weak & charged me $291. Woulda been fine if that woulda fixed it (though *I* coulda replaced the O2), but a few days later the CE was back on. I pulled the codes again. 25/26. Took it back to him with some gentle suggestions but he really wasn't into listening. He cleaned the fuel injectors (which was fine but I didn't feel like that was going to do it) and tested for vacuum leaks. He didn't charge me. The CE light came back a few days later. I returned to him but he basically told me he was stumped and to take it somewhere else. That everything he'd tested came back good and he couldn't find a vacuum leak, tho that's what he was suspecting. He *did* mention that two of the spark plug wires were "leaking electricity" but that they tested fine. I noticed they looked like original equip and the truck has 154k miles on it. He said he'd change the cap and wires for another $100.
I went to Pep Boys, got new cap/wires/rotar ($43) and installed them myself just to eliminate that as a possible source of the problem (misfire can cause 25/26 I've read, though the truck has always run great and still does). The metal leads <?> on the inside of the old cap were rusted and the rotar arm was pitted, so I was hoping maybe that'd be it.
The truck runs even smoother now, but today the CE light came back on, just two days after changing the cap/wires. I kind of thought it would.
I would like to take care of this myself if I can. I sense it might be an electrical short, perhaps in the wires running to the O2 sensor? Or maybe a loose ground somewhere?
I sound like I know more than I do. I'm just making my way through. Does it sound like I'm on the right track? Any tips or suggestions? I read someone suggested clearing the codes then starting the engine, and with ti idling, go underneath and wiggle the O2 wires to see if that trips the CE light. Is it better to use one of those screwdriver-looking light testers for conductivity?
Thanks for reading.
Terry "Have Screwdriver will wrench"
Have a '91 SR5 pickup 4x4 AT. Took it to my mechanic when the CE light came on. Told him it would point to the O2 but that wasn't likely the problem. Maybe it's cause I'm a woman, he ignored me, replaced the O2, told me it tested weak & charged me $291. Woulda been fine if that woulda fixed it (though *I* coulda replaced the O2), but a few days later the CE was back on. I pulled the codes again. 25/26. Took it back to him with some gentle suggestions but he really wasn't into listening. He cleaned the fuel injectors (which was fine but I didn't feel like that was going to do it) and tested for vacuum leaks. He didn't charge me. The CE light came back a few days later. I returned to him but he basically told me he was stumped and to take it somewhere else. That everything he'd tested came back good and he couldn't find a vacuum leak, tho that's what he was suspecting. He *did* mention that two of the spark plug wires were "leaking electricity" but that they tested fine. I noticed they looked like original equip and the truck has 154k miles on it. He said he'd change the cap and wires for another $100.
I went to Pep Boys, got new cap/wires/rotar ($43) and installed them myself just to eliminate that as a possible source of the problem (misfire can cause 25/26 I've read, though the truck has always run great and still does). The metal leads <?> on the inside of the old cap were rusted and the rotar arm was pitted, so I was hoping maybe that'd be it.
The truck runs even smoother now, but today the CE light came back on, just two days after changing the cap/wires. I kind of thought it would.
I would like to take care of this myself if I can. I sense it might be an electrical short, perhaps in the wires running to the O2 sensor? Or maybe a loose ground somewhere?
I sound like I know more than I do. I'm just making my way through. Does it sound like I'm on the right track? Any tips or suggestions? I read someone suggested clearing the codes then starting the engine, and with ti idling, go underneath and wiggle the O2 wires to see if that trips the CE light. Is it better to use one of those screwdriver-looking light testers for conductivity?
Thanks for reading.
Terry "Have Screwdriver will wrench"
