I'm on vacation, and wrench + CEL just came on...

[DT444T]

I got a $15 scan tool i bought years ago and been using it on several vehicles. I keep it in my primary vehicle in the passenger seat back pocket which is my Ranger now.

I think this is an idea I will emulate. I used to have that cheap-o bluetooth scan tool from amazon and use the Torque app to clear codes. I think I need to get one for general purpose.

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[BlackRanger01]

Definitely good to have it immediately. One time, a friend of mine had a CEL code and I hooked it up in her car and turns out she just needed a new thermostat (I can't remember the code) and one time I hooked it up to a used car we looked at to buy and saw the O2 monitor is "NOT READY" so obviously we didn't buy that car. Mine is so basic it just display a code and then i googled it on my phone. Could buy a slightly more expensive one but this one works pretty well.

 

[quangdog]

Are you tuned?

What Octane are you on?

Do you have an intake or intercooler upgrade?

LIvernois tune - had it that way for more than a year with zero issues.
Always put the highest octane in I can find - in my area that's 91... though filled up today with 92 that I found out here on the coast.
No intake or intercooler upgrade. Exhaust is also stock.

About 3 weeks before leaving on this trip I did an oil change (Mobil-1 oil and filter) and replaced the engine air filter (Wix).

Main reason I didn't take it to a dealer already is that I don't want to spend my vacation in a dealer waiting room... so I decided to record of the exact code, then clear it. If it comes back, I'll take it in before I get back home. If it does not come back on this trip, then I'll probably leave well enough alone after I'm back home.

 

[quangdog]

You check your air filter lately? Check the basics… caught a blue jay in my old trucks grill. Thought it had just fell out of grill after I hit it. Nope. Was in my intake tube. Just wondering… I know sounds silly. ??‍

See my above comment - just changed air filter about 3 weeks ago. I'll check the intake and air filter box in the am. Thanks!

 

[Joeiconic]

Do you know what elevation you were at when it threw the code? Maybe you outside the parameters of your tune?

 

[LB357]

Chiming in that I had the same code and symptoms come up last earlier this year while on cruise going through Iowa on a cross country trip. Also running a Livernois tune (the 91-93 smooth shift at the time) but used the Livernois tuner to scan and clear the code and haven't had an issue since. My truck is all stock other than the tune and the only anomaly on that specific stretch of our trip was that I topped off with the highest grade available, 89, and was running the 91-93 tune as mentioned so the tank was probably 50/50 with 91 and 89.

 

[quangdog]

Do you know what elevation you were at when it threw the code? Maybe you outside the parameters of your tune?

Interesting thought. It was only around 1200 feet, and as far as I understand there are no elevation restrictions with Livernois…

 

[LB357]

Interesting thought. It was only around 1200 feet, and as far as I understand there are no elevation restrictions with Livernois…

Yeah I'm not aware of any either, I reached out to Livernois and got a reply saying to double check check inlet connections and that they've only received a couple reports of this happening (not sure of if that's Ranger specific or not) but I initially just chalked mine up to somehow being related to running lower octane than the tune I was running but also haven't had it occur again.

 

[IdahoRanger]

Interesting thought. It was only around 1200 feet, and as far as I understand there are no elevation restrictions with Livernois…

Have the Livernois and no problems here in McCall at 5000+ elevation. Many passes travelled at higher elevations too. Knock on wood.

 

[AdamHarris]

If you have a scan tool you can clear all the codes you want or disconnect the battery as much as you want without worry. The computer stores the historical codes in its memory and dealer level scan equipment can still see them.

 

[DT444T]

LIvernois tune - had it that way for more than a year with zero issues.
Always put the highest octane in I can find - in my area that's 91... though filled up today with 92 that I found out here on the coast.
No intake or intercooler upgrade. Exhaust is also stock.

About 3 weeks before leaving on this trip I did an oil change (Mobil-1 oil and filter) and replaced the engine air filter (Wix).

Main reason I didn't take it to a dealer already is that I don't want to spend my vacation in a dealer waiting room... so I decided to record of the exact code, then clear it. If it comes back, I'll take it in before I get back home. If it does not come back on this trip, then I'll probably leave well enough alone after I'm back home.

Ok I have the 5star with a BullyDog. I think the other thread I saw had both stock and tuned trucks, but it definitely seems to be that more tuned trucks are having the issue.

I also have an intercooler upgrade and the first time I got the CEL was after install of it, but that was like 2000 miles of towing, later.

 

[quangdog]

I checked the air filter and cold air intake this am, everything looks perfect. No blockages or anything. Air box looks perfectly clean inside as well.

No further issues so far…fingers crossed we can finish the vacation and get back home without incident. Thanks, everyone!

 

[DT444T]

Have the Livernois and no problems here in McCall at 5000+ elevation. Many passes travelled at higher elevations too. Knock on wood.

Yeah it's weird. I towed up over Eisenhower Pass West of Denver and had no issues. I also didn't use the cruise control. It honestly only EVER happen while on cruise control.

I was somewhere West of Laramie, Wyoming when it happened the first time. I was tooling along at 70mph with the cruise on going up a grade and it was just like NOPE! A 2.3L NA motor cannot pull my trailer up a hill at 70. I was amazing how much power I lost. If I hadn't had my tuner I would have been SO SCREWED. Driving the freeway to the next auto parts store at probably less than 45mph in 80mph speed limit country.

 

[IdahoRanger]

Yeah it's weird. I towed up over Eisenhower Pass West of Denver and had no issues. I also didn't use the cruise control. It honestly only EVER happen while on cruise control.

I was somewhere West of Laramie, Wyoming when it happened the first time. I was tooling along at 70mph with the cruise on going up a grade and it was just like NOPE! A 2.3L NA motor cannot pull my trailer up a hill at 70. I was amazing how much power I lost. If I hadn't had my tuner I would have been SO SCREWED. Driving the freeway to the next auto parts store at probably less than 45mph in 80mph speed limit country.

That is scary. I use the cruise all the time when climbing but put it in sport mode.

 

[quangdog]

(Hopefully) final update from me on this issue:
Made it home safe from the coast last night. No other issues with the truck, CEL did not come back, everything seems to be normal.

Thanks again to everyone who chimed in with advice while I was traveling. This forum is awesome.

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