flooding, temp sensor, and seafoam

[carwilef7]

Sorry to rehash this, but maybe it'll help someone out:

 

For some time I had been having hot-start flooding issues with my R50. Finally found the cause to be a bad coolant temp sensor (the one the computer uses to help determine fuel delivery, not the gauge sending unit), replaced it and no more flooding. Never got a code for it ever, just happened to run across the idea by googling, and found mine to have crazy high resistance while hot, but normal when cold or after waiting 20 minutes.

 

Then, the MIL light came on and I kept getting codes for a bad L rear O2 sensor and sometimes for R catalyst efficiency (P0159/0708 and P0420/0702). My theory was that all the flood-start drama had gooped up the cat and the sensor, and it just needed to cook off. On Sept 1, I seafoamed the intake and put some in the fuel tank, then drove it normally for a week.

 

Changed the oil on Labor Day (7th) and read the codes out/reset (with the screw-turn method).

 

Have been over 100 miles since then - a mix of short city trips and 65 mph runs - and the MIL has not come on again. I think the seafoam did the trick!

 

btw - I'm really impressed that an engine with 149k on it - with no signs of a rebuild - will make a vacuum gauge sit rock-solid at 20 in/Hg, and bounce down, then up, then settle back exactly like it's supposed to when I snap the throttle!

[MikeV]

Sea-Foam rocks, glad the truck is happy again!

[westslope]

Are you sure that the 02 sensor has not failed?

 

My pathie ran just fine with a failed 02 sensor. The idle rpms were slightly higher.