Ruh-roh, SES and vibration

firehunter · Feb 20, 2012

Wife comes home earlier today and says I need to drive her truck (the '02 in sig) because of a vibration that started suddenly within a couple miles of the house. SES immediately came on at the same time. I drive the truck, everything is normal until it tries to lock the TC and it feels like it is rapidly locking and unlocking for a few seconds then stays locked and the vibration is consistent according to RPM and engine load.

No, I don't have scanner or access to one today. 191K miles on the original untouched 4R100 in it. (other than regular fluid flushes and filter change).

I am thinking the TC is giving up? Thoughts? Similar stories?

Blowby · Feb 20, 2012

Is the OD light flashing? or not going off?

Fordcowboy · Feb 20, 2012

Really hard to say without knowing what the code is. Do RPMS bounce up and down like the TC is locking unlocking. Is it down on power at all before TC locks? FWIW I have one injector not firing at the moment, SES light, and it runs fairly normal up to TC lock because RPMS are up, once it locks you can really feel the vibration. But I can also tell its missing a bit in the lower gears, just way more pronounced once TC locks

firehunter · Feb 20, 2012

Good thought, no OD light at all. I even tried the button to see if it works and it does. Only the SES with the vibration. There is some RPM change when it vibrates, I thought it was the TC locking/unlocking but maybe it's just slipping?

:shrug:

firehunter · Feb 20, 2012

Fordcowboy said:
Really hard to say without knowing what the code is. Do RPMS bounce up and down like the TC is locking unlocking. Is it down on power at all before TC locks? FWIW I have one injector not firing at the moment, SES light, and it runs fairly normal up to TC lock because RPMS are up, once it locks you can really feel the vibration. But I can also tell its missing a bit in the lower gears, just way more pronounced once TC locks

You guys are replying faster than I can check back on the thread, too cool!

imp:

When I drove it I stepped on the throttle pretty hard and the engine seemed to pull normally, hard and smooth. Idles smooth as ever. No unusual sounds (rattle) when it's idling and I am laying underneath it.

Thanks for the quick replies!

firehunter · Feb 20, 2012

Hmmmm, I read the comment on the injector (those are also 191K original) and remembered that I have pulled the UVCH connections to check the glow plugs a week ago so I decided that I should check those connections - they are both tight. I pulled them apart again just to check the pins and put them back together. Fired it up and sure enough it feels like there is a miss. FML. I put the truck in gear, give it a little throttle (with the foot brake on) and the miss (vibration) becomes very apparent. SES is on all the time now, came on and off while driving an hour ago.

I know, I know...AE...I know...

firehunter · Feb 21, 2012

After some more reading and comparing notes on the truck, there are little specks of black on the inside top of the degas bottle. Maybe 20 little specks is all. Doesn't smell like fuel when I pull the cap off and the coolant looks pretty darn clear (yellow coolant) but...? I have been reading about injector cups and some of the symptoms guys have been experiencing when they fail. When I searched this forum for "engine miss" the electrical side of the injector/wiring popped up but injector cup stories also showed up in the search.

More stuff to think about when I can't sleep at 0430...

JLDickmon · Feb 21, 2012

meh.. injector..

golfer · Feb 21, 2012

SES light..annnnd a dead miss?

100% wiring or electrical...you need to run a buzz test to see which injector isn't plugged in.

the PCM doesn't care if you have good/bad injs...all it cares about is are they all plugged in.

ToMang07 · Feb 21, 2012

Sounds like UVCH to me.

firehunter · Feb 22, 2012

golfer said:
SES light..annnnd a dead miss?

100% wiring or electrical...you need to run a buzz test to see which injector isn't plugged in.

the PCM doesn't care if you have good/bad injs...all it cares about is are they all plugged in.