Finally found a prolonged unexplained problem with my expedition.

[FordGirl1983]

I wanted to share this with everyone in case you ever fall into this situation I had with my 99 5.4 expedition and know what to look out for. This has been going on for about a year with the codes popping up which is P0171 and P0174, service engine light on and everything.

Symptoms that we had all this time.

-Long cranks two to three times.
-Low fuel pressure.
-It acts like it's going to cut off when making sharp left turns including when at 15 to 20 miles to empty.
-Hearing hissing sounds coming from behind the drivers side dash, sound occurs when accelerating.

For a long time, we couldn't figure out what the hissing sound is coming from behind the driverside dash. The hissing accurs when it accelerates. Couldn't figure out why is acting like it's going to cut off when making sharp left turns, it happens also when it's at 15 to 20 miles to empty (doesn't happen on a full tank of gas). Can't figure out why the fuel pressure is very low to nothing. We can hear the fuel pump kick in. We checked to see if we have a spark which we do. Spark plugs has been changed about 3 months ago. Checked all the fuses, relays and the fuel switch. Two to three hard cranks (no one turn key start up). There's no sign of cracked, damaged joints and hoses around the throttle body, we checked everything, all is connected, undamaged. Months back we also cleaned the parts (throttle body, iacv, etc). Changed and sprayed the mass airflow sensor. The light gone away but later returned. Fuel filter is not clogged (changed a year ago). Nope it's not the brake booster making that noise. It came to found out that the fuel pump clamps (two places) has came loose, somehow released into the tank (pics below).

Please note that we installed the fuel pump only including changing the fuel filter, reused the original sending unit over a year ago after we removed the original pump that came with the truck. The gas didn't come out of the shader valve is because it has lost pressure due to the pump being disconnected so basically the hissing sound is coming from the that issue not allowing for the pump to pump gas up into the rails.

If you have that problem like I had which to the point that your expedition cranks over many times but wouldn't start, hear the pump but no fuel coming out of the shader valve. Even after a fuel filter change, nothing come out of the valve. Fuses and relays are not broken. It's most likely is the fuel pump that was loose and disconnected at the suction hose area.

I hope this helps. This is just for a future reference based on our experience with our beast. Lol man all that trouble on a dismantled fuel pump that made the service engine light stay on. Very weird how the way it all goes.

After the whole new installation of the fuel pump including sending unit and the fuel filter, it's started right up with one crank of the key! No more service engine light!

Pics below of the old and new items shown there.

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[Bedrck47]

Just a observation and comment. You have been a member for over 2 years now with a total of 44 posts or replies to posts. I went back and read most of them and I could not find any reference to your "prolonged unexplained problem" that "has been going on for about a year with the codes popping up which is P0171 and P0174"
Just maybe had you posted about that problem and the codes you would have solved the problem months ago. The lack of gas not coming out of the Schrader valve should have told you something was wrong and also a check of the fuel pressure would have said the same.

Hopefully something has been learned from this and that would be not to wait till the problem has been solved but rather to post about the problem when it first appears and ask for help from other members. Can't say this for sure but had you posted about the problem and the codes the people on this forum may have pointed you in the right direction and the problem would have been resolved much sooner.

Anyway glad you finally resolved the problem.

You mentioned about

 

[FordGirl1983]

Just a observation and comment. You have been a member for over 2 years now with a total of 44 posts or replies to posts. I went back and read most of them and I could not find any reference to your "prolonged unexplained problem" that "has been going on for about a year with the codes popping up which is P0171 and P0174"
Just maybe had you posted about that problem and the codes you would have solved the problem months ago. The lack of gas not coming out of the Schrader valve should have told you something was wrong and also a check of the fuel pressure would have said the same.

Hopefully something has been learned from this and that would be not to wait till the problem has been solved but rather to post about the problem when it first appears and ask for help from other members. Can't say this for sure but had you posted about the problem and the codes the people on this forum may have pointed you in the right direction and the problem would have been resolved much sooner.

Anyway glad you finally resolved the problem.

You mentioned about

I really appreciate for your observation and comments. I very seldom come on this forum site because I'm a Facebook user (since '09) and a head administrator of the Ford Expedition Club of a group page (since 2013) on Facebook and I already knew about what the codes mean realistically posted by our members there. If I had a question, I'll ask there in that group, that's the reply I got what the codes mean. The reason why I didn't post or ask the question in this forum earlier is because I already did read over the posts and threads in this Expedition forum regarding the P0171 and P0174 (lean bank 1 and 2) and said the same thing. Originally, the service engine light came on and stayed on about few months to a year. About 3 days ago, my expedition did not start up at all due to the problem I found described above about the fuel pump. Before that issue occured, it was riding good and we did get the fuel pressure tested, it read very low (I forgot what psi), that part we thought we have a clog somewhere in the fuel filter. We cleaned the throttle body, iacv, egr etc with the throttle body spray, changed and sprayed the mass airflow cleaner on the censor. Changed the spark plugs 3 months ago. We changed the plug is because I owned the expedition for 4 years and never been tuned up since then. The coils are good, no problems with them. Changed the air filter. We used seafoam product fuel and injector additives (did that twice in a year, didn't over use). It ran smoothly and the light has gone away a while and came back on. Anyways glad to found that problem to make the light go off and stay off. Before the breakdown, we was getting ready to change the fuel pump system but ended up too late lol. We know that is not good to put things off long but just hard to fix and get the parts you need something when you on low on funds. I try my best to describe everything clearly on my post.

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[Bedrck47]

Thank you for your reply I do understand One thing I have found is that when a problem occurs after work has been done the cause of the newer problem can be and most likely be caused by the work done. So many time that is the case

I do think that you did describe what you went through very clearly.

Knowing you had very little fuel pressure would indicated many things. But also know the you had low pressure after changing the pump would also point to something that went wrong with the pump change. I am sure you would have been asked about fuel filter hoses etc. All of which could cause low pressure but just changing the pump would have told more.

Anyway good luck to you I may just have to check out the facebook page

 

[stamp11127]

It is good that you found and fixed the problem. Also it seems that no one acted on the low fuel pressure but instead just started cleaning or tossing parts at the problem. That can be costly over time.

 

[FordGirl1983]

Thank you for your reply I do understand One thing I have found is that when a problem occurs after work has been done the cause of the newer problem can be and most likely be caused by the work done. So many time that is the case

I do think that you did describe what you went through very clearly.

Knowing you had very little fuel pressure would indicated many things. But also know the you had low pressure after changing the pump would also point to something that went wrong with the pump change. I am sure you would have been asked about fuel filter hoses etc. All of which could cause low pressure but just changing the pump would have told more.

Anyway good luck to you I may just have to check out the facebook page

You're very welcome. I'm just trying to help others, showing what I have experienced with my beast in case stuff like this happen to people, including having a place for our members to exchange tech information with each other to keep our expeditions going forever, learning more about the famous Ford Expedition! That's why I run a group page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/groups/fordexpeditionclub) and of course this expedition forum is always helpful if I have any questions. Hope to have a great day!

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[FordGirl1983]

Sorry forgot to mentioned the mileage. 322k going on 323k on my beast! Ford Built Tough! Love the Expeditions!

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[GAINMOB]

i know that group on fb...I was the one telling everyone to come here for the questions they were asking cuz they were already answered here...maybe 1 or 2 are active from me doing so...

 

[FordGirl1983]

i know that group on fb...I was the one telling everyone to come here for the questions they were asking cuz they were already answered here...maybe 1 or 2 are active from me doing so...

Yes I do remember you made a post/statement about this expedition forum in the group, thanks so much. I just wanted to get the feel of each ends and scenarios on my own.

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