So, last week, I got a CIL, ran the code and it said that it was my accelerator pedal position sensor. Evidentally it acts like the choked used to back in the good old days. So I called the dealer to see what the damage was going to be and they quoted me in the neighborhood of $800-900 to replace it. I jumped on here, researched it and found out that it only takes about fifteen minutes to replace so I ordered it on Thursday. I picked it up Friday and made plans to change it out on Sunday when I got back from a weekend at the ocean.
I figured that, while I was in there, I might as well change the plugs and PCV valve, clean the MAF and throttle body, and change the air filter too. I went with NGK Vpower plugs, FRAM filter and was set to start when I got home Sunday.
Got home from a great weekend, popped the hood and started. The APP sensor was a peice of cake! Two screws to pull the engine name plate off, three screws that hold the sensor on and it was done! Pulled the air tube off the front of the motor and cleaned out the throttle body. It didn't look that dirty just to look at it but when I started spraying cleaner in there I was amazed! Pulled the MAF sensor and sprayed the heck out of it with the cleaner and set it down to dry for 10/15 minutes.
I started pulling plugs (one at a time) and noticed that they were very dirty! I also checked the gap on all the lugs I was pulling out and they were all gapped at .045!! WTF?? Put anti-seize on all the new plugs, gapped them at .032 and put them in. The only plug I had trouble getting to was the back one on the drivers side. Alll I had was a 10" extension (genetics...LOL) and the powere brake booster was in the way. So I had to go get a 6: extension and everything was fine. (Something else I thought was kinda comical, and very easy, was that every bolt or nut I took off the motor was 10MM)
Installed the MAF sensor in the airbox, buttoned everything back up and fired it up. It instantly died on the first start and fired perfectly the second time. It's supposed to die the first time due to the throttle body cleaner needing to be run through the system so it's perfectly normal.
I let it wamr up for a couple minutes and took it out on a test drive. There was instantly better response from the throttle, more power when hitting the pedal and it just seemed to run smoother. I put it back in the garage till this morning when I went to work and, after driving all the way to work (about ten miles) I have to say that the truck jsut seemed a little "happier" to be on the road. I will report on any gas mileage change after my next fill-up! Thanks to everyone who had posted about changing the APP sensor...you saved me about $500!!!
I figured that, while I was in there, I might as well change the plugs and PCV valve, clean the MAF and throttle body, and change the air filter too. I went with NGK Vpower plugs, FRAM filter and was set to start when I got home Sunday.
Got home from a great weekend, popped the hood and started. The APP sensor was a peice of cake! Two screws to pull the engine name plate off, three screws that hold the sensor on and it was done! Pulled the air tube off the front of the motor and cleaned out the throttle body. It didn't look that dirty just to look at it but when I started spraying cleaner in there I was amazed! Pulled the MAF sensor and sprayed the heck out of it with the cleaner and set it down to dry for 10/15 minutes.
I started pulling plugs (one at a time) and noticed that they were very dirty! I also checked the gap on all the lugs I was pulling out and they were all gapped at .045!! WTF?? Put anti-seize on all the new plugs, gapped them at .032 and put them in. The only plug I had trouble getting to was the back one on the drivers side. Alll I had was a 10" extension (genetics...LOL) and the powere brake booster was in the way. So I had to go get a 6: extension and everything was fine. (Something else I thought was kinda comical, and very easy, was that every bolt or nut I took off the motor was 10MM)
Installed the MAF sensor in the airbox, buttoned everything back up and fired it up. It instantly died on the first start and fired perfectly the second time. It's supposed to die the first time due to the throttle body cleaner needing to be run through the system so it's perfectly normal.
I let it wamr up for a couple minutes and took it out on a test drive. There was instantly better response from the throttle, more power when hitting the pedal and it just seemed to run smoother. I put it back in the garage till this morning when I went to work and, after driving all the way to work (about ten miles) I have to say that the truck jsut seemed a little "happier" to be on the road. I will report on any gas mileage change after my next fill-up! Thanks to everyone who had posted about changing the APP sensor...you saved me about $500!!!
