Sport had some CEL show up: 0431, 0401, 0740, plus some other crap!.

[redraif]

2001 montero sport xls automatic 4x4 3.0l

So I had advance pull my codes yesterday.

I had the cat code I expected p0431. Efficiency Bank 2 below threshold. New o2s still have the code. Got to be the cat.

The dang egr code again p0401. We had the intake cleaned, the egr and egr solenoid replaced a few monthes back. Why does this keep coming back? Truck has not been seafoam ed yet. Should I give it a shot???

The code that threw me... the torque converter clutch solenoid P0740... ******! Tranny was replaced 20,000 miles ago with a replacement from LKQ. The tranny shop was supposed to go thru it. They promptly went out of business. Well we just did a trans filter when I had a trans fluid leak. About 3000-4000 miles ago. Reg Shop thought it was the pan gasket. It was a clogged vent line forcing fluid out the dipstick. Trucks been fine as far as driving and shifting. So I'm clueless. What does this one mean for my beast? Anything I can check to see if this is a false code or hiccup? Only thing I have ever noticed is that it shifts odd when I'm creeping on neighborhood roads like it can't decide which gear to be in... but that happens if you hover right at the shift threashold... right?

So the 0431 was in there once. The other 2 were in there 2x.

On a side note...awful clatter shoes up at cold start. Tracked it today. Timing cover is cracked in 3 places and had shifted to the drivers side. Was contacting something inside. A push on the drivers side to the passengers and all quiet. Bet it got busted 2000 miles ago when the shop did the water pump. Same time they opsied and left the crank pulley bolt not tq proper and it backed out.

Also...I'm still trying to track my oil leak. M-f Hour drive to work hour drive home. (30 miles) mixed traffic. Takes two weeks but I loose a quart of oil. Dumped 7 cans of brake cleaner on everything to see where the leak shows first.

While laying under it I noticed some uneven wear on the new front tires... cupping on the outside tread.... shocks? This beast Is gonna single handedly break the bank.

 

[nckwltn]

how many miles?

do you have a couple pictures of the crack in the timing cover? While it will be a little bit of work to wrench one off of a junked vehicle, you should be able to get one pretty easily from LKQ. I don't really read about them cracking, so most others should be crack free.

Do you have any visible oil outside the engine? At least on the 3.5 and 3.8, common leaks are front & rear cam seals, crank seal, and valve cover gaskets. You might want to let the engine idle for a few mins, and then goose the throttle. If you get a puff of smoke out the exhaust, you probably need your valve seals replaced. Parts are like 50 bucks, and you'll need a special tool ~75-100 online... and it takes several hours to get the job done, but it isn't expensive or difficult to DIY.

Here is a video on how to do it:

 

[redraif]

Sorry I forgot to post the miles... 245,000. Been fighting oil leak since we got it at 225,000. Timing belt and front cam seals done together at 225,000. Timing cover was fine then. Will get pics... Had Valve cover gaskets replaced same time. It was still leaking oil, but the oil pan bolt was fubar. Had it Heil coiled and fixed it's all good now. Then the trans was pucking fluid. Fixed that. Still have the oil leak.... ugh.

So I asked shop at last oil change. They say its the valve covers. I said you replaced them already with felpro rubber gaskets. How can they fail? Could have been immediate but Noticed the leak at 16,000 miles after the replacement were put in. They won't warrenty the seal. I'm not convinced they are the issue. Going to replace the rear cam seals as they have not been touched. Poor truck has oil everywhere.

Scrubbed the oil pan and bottom of Ac and alternator. Oil filter was caked. Driverside engine mount was caked as well. Problem is the shop never cleaned it after they fixed the seals so it's hard to tell what's from before. Grrr...

Crawled under today after 30 mile round trip. Did not notice new to the front of motor. Ran out of brake cleaner yesterday and Missed cleaning oil off rear of oil pan. That was still wet and had run down onto diff. Makes it look like its leaking. Ugh.... guess I will get more and spray and scrub.... maybe some dye for the oil after.

 

[redraif]

Dumped another 6 or so cans on the underside last night. I scrubbed and wiped and sprayed for about 3 hours. So there are now no Shiney parts from the valve covers down. Lol...

There was oil caked everywhere. Final count... alternator, starter, both engine mounts, Ac compressor, differential, the entire oil pan, both sides of the motor.... ugh...

 

[BOPOH]

nckwltn is right, 4 cam seals on top and 1 cranshaft seal, other than that valve cover seals. Worst case rear main seal, but oil leak would be mainly on the bottom of the engine. If you are going to do valve seals, I recommend buying a narrower tool which is included in this kit, i found one on ebay new for $50 shipped http://www.lislecorp.com/divisions/products/?product=203 it's super fast and easy to use

 

[redraif]

Climbed under the truck tonight after 60 mile round trip to work. Only drip was on the oil pan bolt. I think I found a few spots I missed with the brake cleaner though. It was way back above exhaust manifold to the rear of the motor. I wiped to the front of them last night but not at the back. Was raining tonight, but I will spray and wipe it in the next day or two to eliminate those areas...

Both rear cam seals looked dry... so much for that theory.

 

[nckwltn]

Do you get the puff of smoke leaving a stop sign or stop light?

 

[redraif]

Checked for smoke this AM at start up.... no smoke at start up. Had the spouse give it some gas while parked... no smoke. Put a white box under the pipe outlet to see if I detected blue if there was smoke, but no smoke... will test with a black backdrop tomorrow AM to see if the white masked anything.

No smoke that I have noticed at take off in drive either... I will verify this as well though. We will do some drive by tests on the neighborhood streets.

 

[BOPOH]

to check valve seal you have to leave your truck idling for 15-20 minutes without revving the engine, just let it sit and if you see smoke then your valve seals are old

 

[redraif]

to check valve seal you have to leave your truck idling for 15-20 minutes without revving the engine, just let it sit and if you see smoke then your valve seals are old

So is this best done on a cold start, start it and idle for 15 minutes? Or once we get home tonight after the drive home, do I just let it sit idle for 15 minutes?

 

[BOPOH]

i dont think it matters much whether the engine is cold or not. Basically the reason why it could smoke is that oil seep into combustion chamber from flooded(exaggeration) with oil valves. Valve seals should keep valves dry from oil that splashes around on top of the heads, if seal is old/cracked oil leaks down the valve. When intake valve goes down to combustion chamber it lets the air and oil to enter, so when combustion cycle completes it burns oils and makes smoke. So the procedure is to allow enough oil to seep into valves and get it covered with oil film while engine is idling, but when you hit gas most of the oil from valve will be forced into combustion chamber and make big smoke - thus when you parked for few minutes at traffic light and then begin to drive tons of smoke come out. Sorry for lengthy explanation

 

[The Viper]

I had the code p0401 also, on a non-montero...i also cleaned my egr valve like crazy which didnt help. The solution was replacing the plugs and wires.

 

[BOPOH]

here is the tool i got, tested it on old heads and it is SUPER FAST and SUPER easy. Way faster than the guy on video, although i'm glad this guy did this video especially the part about the rope.

 

[redraif]

I had the code p0401 also, on a non-montero...i also cleaned my egr valve like crazy which didnt help. The solution was replacing the plugs and wires.

Plugs and wires have been recently replaced as well... Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[redraif]

i dont think it matters much whether the engine is cold or not. Basically the reason why it could smoke is that oil seep into combustion chamber from flooded(exaggeration) with oil valves. Valve seals should keep valves dry from oil that splashes around on top of the heads, if seal is old/cracked oil leaks down the valve. When intake valve goes down to combustion chamber it lets the air and oil to enter, so when combustion cycle completes it burns oils and makes smoke. So the procedure is to allow enough oil to seep into valves and get it covered with oil film while engine is idling, but when you hit gas most of the oil from valve will be forced into combustion chamber and make big smoke - thus when you parked for few minutes at traffic light and then begin to drive tons of smoke come out. Sorry for lengthy explanation

thank you! this helps me to understand the reason why and I appreciate it.

here is the tool i got, tested it on old heads and it is SUPER FAST and SUPER easy. Way faster than the guy on video, although i'm glad this guy did this video especially the part about the rope.

Where did you get your tool? if I have to go down this road its best to get the right tool