Issues with Heated & Non-heated O2 sensors not resetting

[FLeeDog]

Ok members I have seen a lot of good intel on this forum to help with issues. I am hoping to pick up some insights to TWO issues that I am having before I lose it and go postal on SPF here in Plano, TX.

I have a Gen 1 (2010) 6.2L with just under 80K on the clock. I purchased this truck brand new and immediately installed:

>ARH LTH, HFCs w/Magnaflow exhaust system
>Bully Dog Cold Air Intake (this gets rid of the intake resonator box off the throttle body)
>Tune from Hennessey Performance (with the capability to switch back to stock tuning)

Every year I would switch back to stock tune drive for maybe 100 miles and go inspect. No issues. UNTIL this year... It doesn't want to reset the O2 sensors to ready and I have even paid the Ford dealer to flash back to stock ($140). 1000 miles later still no reset.

Had all the plugs replaced and the lower/Non-heated O2 sensors as well. In hopes that this would at least get me to only one "Not ready" and get through inspection... Same issue after 125 miles.

To add insult to injury, the dealer dinged my hood and somehow managed to make my Raptor Retrofit HIDs not work when they worked fine when I brought it in. The Halos around the main projectors work, but the main lights are out regardless of switch position. I think they disconnected the battery working on the o2 sensors without checking to see if the switch was in auto on position.

I have tried:

bulb replacement
checked fuses & power supply
checked ballast and ignitor (I have spares)
Relay box

These lights have always been a little finicky, but are well worth the nighttime vision improvement.

Sorry for being so long-winded, but I have been going back and forth with the dealer on this since before Xmas. Thanks!

 

[MTF]

Going back to stock Tune (if the dealer did it right) with headers on, the check engine light would pop on right away.
Does the check engine light work?
The dealer will tell you they reset the PCM
but what they really do is a battery disconnect for 20 minutes and tell you they reprogrammed the PCM which is a scam in my opinion.

I'd look for a different dealer, Ford dealers cannot help you if you have long tube headers,
when it comes to emissions or Tunes.


Heated O2 sensor can be confusing because most people don't really know what that means.

What happens is, when you first start the truck, the PCM monitors the front and rear O2s.
The Rear O2s (and only the rear O2s are called heated O2s when this test is active) for 60-90 seconds (for the government) that they properly heat up from exhaust gases at the right time.
In other words the cats have to reach the correct temperature at a given time.
This tells the government you have or haven't changed/altered the exhaust/emissions to what the government mandates.

Adding long tube headers, high flow cats or removing them,
will throw a code to the PCM (not necessarily turning on check engine light) that you have a problem with the cats.

Now if your rear O2s have been turned off which is common with after market Tuners if you tell them your using headers.

In your case things may have changed in Texas, they now look for the readiness status.
Or the wiring harness going to the rear O2s have failed (which is kind of common on our trucks running headers).

The front O2s are mainly for monitoring the air/fuel mix ratio (AFR)

The wiring harness for the O2s front and rear are very fragile and tend to corrode at connection points
or break inside the wiring protective coverings from heat generated by the headers.
Not to mention there is a extended wire add on for the passenger side rear O2.
The voltage and amperage are in the milliamps so it doesn't take much to through readings off.

Finally rear O2 spacers is what you need so the Tuner can turn on the rear O2s.
There are a few threads on this forum about that.
This is the only fix for long tube headers and keeping the rear O2s sensors ON and passing inspection.

 

[FLeeDog]

MTF,

Thanks for the intel brother. I agree with you and the dealer... Its a sad state of affairs as this in the past has been a pretty good dealer.

First time I have heard about the upper harness failure which might be why it took almost 80k on the clock to reach a non-passing point. I guess thats the next point of attack (very frustrating). Have you dealt with this problem before or know someone who has? Cost outlay expectations, difficulty grade, etc. I like my old Gen 1 but I cant keep pitching $$$ at it chasing this problem without hitting a solution.

Lee

 

[FLeeDog]

MTF

I forgot to answer a couple of your questions.

Engine ck light works. There are no DTCs or pending DTC's showing which is why it has everyone perplexed.

I have asked if something changed with TX over the past year and I have been told NO. In TX you can pass with ONE "not ready" but not TWO. This is why I paid the dealer the coin to change the plugs and the lower (least expensive) 02 sensors. In hopes of getting to one "not ready" and pass while continuing to sort out a permanent solution.

The frustrating part is the truck runs fine, ALTHOUGH Id like to take a ride in yours....

 

[MTF]

Not ready, doesn't throw a code unless there is a problem.

You're having a failure of completing a drive cycle with all the parameters at the correct values.

My suggestion is to add the spacers on to the rear O2s, so they do not heat up so quickly from having headers and High flow cats.
Like I mentioned before everyone with LT headers and high cats that lives in a state that does OBDII testing has to do this!
Supercharged or Naturally Aspirated.

There are plenty of vendors on here that can help you or your headers manufacture.

Read this thread it's sticky for a reason.
https://www.fordraptorforum.com/threads/passing-state-inspection.11744/