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Horror Story!

5K views 24 replies 14 participants last post by  jw89sho 
#1 ·
Ok so who is ready for a long story (maybe someone can help) ***lesson learned: you get what you pay for***

I recently purchased a 2000 ford taurus 3.0 ffv. The guy i bought it from said it needed the head gaskets done so he would sell it to me for 400 bucks..SOUNDS GOOD because i had a mechanic that was putting another engine in for 1100 with that, change the brakes, fluids, and inspect... well a week after being in the shop, the car comes out and the mechanic says everything is all done, but i couldn't inspect it because it threw the code P1633.. he said he thought it was a tranny code.. so i left, but before i left, he said that the car has fluid in the exhaust and that it would take a day or 2 to clear out...if not i have to replace the catalytic converter..($800 :eek: ) THE CAR ALSO HAS NO HEAT AT THIS POINT :angryfire: ... So i go home to due some research and i found out that the code was a KEEP ALIVE MEMORY LOW CODE. Basically the battery had died and the computer freaked out... so now after driving it i came to park the car and as i turned it off the car kept running :angry: .. So then i looked under the hood, and realized that the dummy who had the car before me HOTT wired the radiator fan and it stays on for about 10 seconds after i turn the car off!!! Digging a little deeper i realized he hott wired it because the wires to the plug were fraid and corroded.. to i replaced the plug and the wires and now the car turns off and on perfectly ...the engine temp is perfect... and both FANS WORK!!! :mj_banana: ..YAY! But still no heat... so i brought the car to another shop because i wasnt bringing it back to the other mechanic (you'll know why in a second, aside from just thinking he was a moron he actually was). Sooo the new mechanic said, that there wasn't anything in the exhaust, it was a missfire.. so we checked the coil and there it was, #5 wasn't firing..so i went to the local junkyard and picked up a coil for 40 bucks. pulled over on the side of the road and popped it in.. VOILA!! runs smooth as silk, so now, i fixed the misfire, i fixed the fan and the ignition.. (oh and throughout all of this i got a flat)... :dunno: ...Now the car runs fine, but no heat...none whatsoever...blows ice cold...changed almost every fuse in the car.... no heat.. and the code p1633 is still showing.. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO RESET THIS CODE OR DRIVE CYCLE THE CAR CORRECTLY...AND CAN ANYONE HELP WITH THE HEAT??? --- THE CAR TEMP IS FINE, THE ENGINE RUNS SOLID THE FUSES ARE GOOD, MY LAST STEP IS TO TAKE APART THE DASH AND CHANGE THE BLEND DOOR MOTOR, BUT THATS A PAIN AND I WANTED SOME IDEAS THROWN AT ME... please!
 
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#2 ·
On the code, clear it. You'll need a scan tool to do this. Alternatively, disconnect the Battery (-) for 60 minutes.

On the heat, drive/ idle the car for 15 - 20 minutes. Find your heater core hoses, and feel them both. Are they both the same temperature, or is one or both cold/ lukewarm?
 
#4 ·
$800 for a cat!!!!!!!!!!!!! get a new mechanic, and punch the cat out for free or get one on ebay for $100.
[/b]
Shut the fu ck up MORON, keep your expert advice to your self.
 
#7 ·
Do a coolant flush and change the thermostat. Make sure any air is burped from the system.

Sounds like it might be a plugged heater core.

Shut the fu ck up MORON, keep your expert advice to your self.
[/b]
??..............was that necessary?
 
#11 ·
Rock Auto has Universal Cat for under $ 100.00. Direct fit for under $ 300.00. [/b]
Out of the 3 cats on the car, the universal will only work for 1. The other 2 are ~300 each. (rockauto only has the rear). And installation isnt free.



With Knott's constant going on about exhaust systems, you would think he would realize this by now.
 
#12 ·
Wow.....3 Cats for one car? I didn't know that.

But they show one for under 300.00 that has a "Y" pipe and looks like maybe 2 Cats connected to it Plus another one that says direct fit that is a single pipe for under 230.00.
 
#13 ·
Wow.....3 Cats for one car? I didn't know that. Thanks for the info. [/b]
Yup. There is one on each bank folowed by one after the y-pipe comes together. The ones on each bank are shaped funny, so you can't just drop a "$100 ebay cat" in
 
#14 ·
More specifically, he flat out told the guy to "punch out" the cat. I'm willing to assume that by that he meant to "gut" the cat, which is HIGHLY ILLEGAL. So, if you'd like to follow advice given by someone like this, feel free. If you've got a problem with the way I post, then PM me and we'll discuss it. That's not saying I'll change, it's just saying I'm willing to hear your opinion, in which you are entitled.
 
#15 ·
More specifically, he flat out told the guy to "punch out" the cat. I'm willing to assume that by that he meant to "gut" the cat, which is HIGHLY ILLEGAL. So, if you'd like to follow advice given by someone like this, feel free. If you've got a problem with the way I post, then PM me and we'll discuss it. That's not saying I'll change, it's just saying I'm willing to hear your opinion, in which you are entitled.
[/b]
Not to mention, gutting the cat with a stock exhaust will clog up the muffler.

Also. Gutting the cat wont get rid of the code. Only make it worse.

@knott
Dumbass.

Dude, you really need to learn up on cars. If they are running a code.. punching out (gutting) the cat wont do jack **** except make matters worse, especially if their state has EPA testing. And it absolutely annoys the hell out of me whenever people say "gut your cats" Around here thats all these dumbasses do to their trucks.. all it does it add an empty resonator to add more noise to their exhaust. And it pisses me off because they will drive up to your car, if your window is down they will rev up the engine to deafen you. I got one guy with his pipes at 122dB.

1. Its annoying.
2. Get a high flow Y-pipe.


Back on topic...Those ebay cats and those "universal cats" wont work on our cars, you have to buy the Y-pipe, get a magnaflow one from SHO Source.. its only 300 bucks.
 
#17 ·
<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
$800 for a cat!!!!!!!!!!!!! get a new mechanic, and punch the cat out for free or get one on ebay for $100.
[/b]
Shut the fu ck up MORON, keep your expert advice to your self.
[/b][/quote]


At least your mature about it.

you know what they say about people who act tough on forums....
[/b][/quote]
Bobby, having met Rudy, I can safely say without any reservation that you would definitely be at the **** end of that stick. I would strongly suggest that you keep your e-thuggery to a minimum.

That said, I will concur with Rudy's assessment. You are a moron, and I too will ask that you do us all a favor and STFU.

On the OP's (Original Poster's) issues, joayers65 was right on with that topic on how to clear the P1633. On the mention of the catalytic converter....

...one thing at a time here, fellas. The cats on my '92 SHO lasted over 15 years before they required replacement. Let's correct that P1633 code first before we start throwing (expensive) parts at the problem rather than diagnosing the issue properly.

If you don't have heat, but the temp needle is rising into the normal range and not overheating any longer, start with the heater core hoses. If one is hot and one is significantly cooler, your heater core is plugged and requires replacement. If they're both hot, then it's likely your Blend Door Actuator (BDA). From what I've read (I think), the BDA on the Gen 4 is replacable through the glove box.
 
#18 ·
<div class='quotemain'>
More specifically, he flat out told the guy to "punch out" the cat. I'm willing to assume that by that he meant to "gut" the cat, which is HIGHLY ILLEGAL. So, if you'd like to follow advice given by someone like this, feel free. If you've got a problem with the way I post, then PM me and we'll discuss it. That's not saying I'll change, it's just saying I'm willing to hear your opinion, in which you are entitled.
[/b]
Not to mention, gutting the cat with a stock exhaust will clog up the muffler.

Also. Gutting the cat wont get rid of the code. Only make it worse.

@knott
Dumbass.

Dude, you really need to learn up on cars. If they are running a code.. punching out (gutting) the cat wont do jack **** except make matters worse, especially if their state has EPA testing. And it absolutely annoys the hell out of me whenever people say "gut your cats" Around here thats all these dumbasses do to their trucks.. all it does it add an empty resonator to add more noise to their exhaust. And it pisses me off because they will drive up to your car, if your window is down they will rev up the engine to deafen you. I got one guy with his pipes at 122dB.

1. Its annoying.
2. Get a high flow Y-pipe.
[/b][/quote]

You get like, mabye 5 HP if even in a N/A SHO running catless, but with F/I that can turn into ~30 HP lost if you use cats. On my SHO I plan on having gutted cats to pass inspection, they dont emission test here, just visual.

Doesn't really create any problems, Most gutted cat cars you see probally also have no muffler, creating alot of noise. Gutting the cat honestly doesn't do that much to the noise, it will make it raspier for sure, just not automatically making it over 100 db.

+ I think its cool to watch someone shoot flames out of a F/I SHO (havnt seen it personally, just been talking to people and said they have done it)

But on OBD-II wont it screw up the downstream sensor's with "punched out" cats?
 
#20 ·
I can't understand a design that needs 3 Cats. Man couldn't one work?
[/b]
CAFE Standards are a bitch, the original design still leaves some trace amounts that CAFE didnt like, they added the 3rd cat for that.

You get like, mabye 5 HP if even in a N/A SHO running catless, but with F/I that can turn into ~30 HP lost if you use cats. On my SHO I plan on having gutted cats to pass inspection, they dont emission test here, just visual.
-------------------------
But on OBD-II wont it screw up the downstream sensor's with "punched out" cats?
[/b]

Thats understood, but most of the people that suggest that you gut your cats are N/A to begin with. They insist that its a "Instant 30 HP" Which it isnt. Its all the Butt Dyno Effect.

As for the OBD-II sensors, I wouldnt think it would muck them up... i think it would do more to just trick the computer into thinking its running richer than its supposed to, leaning the fuel tables and negating any gain.
 
#23 ·
01 Vulcan Ford Posted Today, 03:13 PM

QUOTE
(rudedog @ Jan 19 2009, 08:23 PM) *
Shut the fu ck up MORON, keep your expert advice to your self.[/b]
Cant we all just get along?? smile.gif [/b][/quote]


I'm getting along quite well thanks. :thumb:
 
#25 ·
The OBD2 cars don't like having the cats gutted, or removed (off-road Y-pipes). They tend to throw a P0420 (catalyst efficiency) code. However, there are products known as MIL eliminators that will correct that issue. Also, any HP gained would be at the top end, at the expense of low-end torque. My $.02, FWIW.
 
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