Bank 2 sensor 2

I did the Isolator/plentum fix last year. I also replaced the MAS, all the O2 sensors, and even one more today being sensor 2 bank 2 for a lean code.

What could be causing this? I hate these freaking lean codes with this windstar, they are so broad and could be so many things??

Check engine light is still on after erasing it from the shop..
Any suggestions?? Inspection is due this month:mad:

The O2 sensor 2 bank 2 is a dowstream sensor (after the catalytic converters no 2). It's the cat converter connected to front exhaust manifold. This sensor monitors catalyst efficiency.
It could be the O2 sensor, the wiring or the catalytic converter of front exhaust manifold.
Depending of which specific code for the sensor.
Do you have water drip under the exhaust system?

Haven't noticed any dripping water, well it is snowing everyday so there is driping slush everywhere when we park.. But did not notice anthing dripping before it was snowing.

I put a new O2 sensor in today...

The code is P0161, the sensor i think is fine, i checked #19 fuse, that was fine.. I put a new one in just becasue i had it out and had new ones..

Called a few mechanics and they have no clue, so i quess the last straw is chek the wiring.. I will have to have a shop do it.. It is supposed to be -25 tongiht, and it is 3 degrees right now...

Any other suggestion!!!!

Have you cleared the code after replacing the sensor?

If code come back, disconnect the O2 sensor harness, turn on engine and test the harness by checking for ~14V on two pins of supply voltage. There's 4 pins, so you should find them by luck. This electric supply is used to heat the sensor. It's important that the engine is running, otherwise you will not have negative supply from PCM.You may have another code because of disconnect, so you should clear it.

I did clear the codes, 3 times now!! I will check that tomorrow, well my mechanic. I try to do all my work but it is 2 degrees and i'm not playing around in the cold and get frost bite.

Need to perform a Smoke Test to check for unmetered air leaks.

Bad upstream H02 sensors could cause lean codes, but not downstream H02 sensors.

Of course it's not a lean code.
P0161 is : Downstream Oxygen sensor bank 2 HEATER circuit malfuntion/low voltage
It's not a lean code.
But when O2 sensors are not enough hot, because a bad heater supply, they don't produce sufficient voltage, so a scan tool (not a simple code reader) detects a lean output. PCM don't like to see high oxygen after cat converter.

We checked the wires yesterday and we have the correct power going to the sensor, so it is not a bad wire there.

I went to a different mechanic, it is my buddys girl friend's dad. I usually don't go there because of the distance 30 miles 1 way but he is good, I went there yesterday but ran out of time so i have to go back.

They check the connection to the sensor and hooke it up to a meter and it was in specs. they were thinking that maybe it was a bad line going from the sensor to the PCM, Could it be a bad PCM?

I don't know where to go, the stupid OBD will not link so it is shoot in the dark.

They did find a second code, i beleive it was a p0460. They said it was a sendor in the fuel tank.

No it's not a bad line going to PCM nor a bad PCM. Because you don't need a good line to carry the power, only for the signal. It's not the PCM, because PCM is sending supply voltage to the sensor.
I think you have a false code. Which scanner brand and model are you using?
Often, cheap scanner pull false codes. I know many Windstar drivers (me include) that pulled P0180, P0181, P0182, P0161 and find out after scanning with another scan tool that the actual code is P0171 and/or P0174.

For the P0460, it could be the fuel sender unit or the instrument cluster if your fuel gauge don't operate properly. Or it's a false code.

Between 2 different shops they have tried 5 different scanners. The snap-on (large red scanner with handles on the side) read it and a cheap small one also read the code and the scanner at autozone. 3 different scanners all came with the same code.
I see ford has a TSB for the 460 code

My check engine light is on and the inspection is due. The codes have been cleared and the engine light always comes back on..

I wonder if i just need to bring this to the dealer

I did do the isolator bolt fix last year, could they be bad again? Last year it was scanning the 171/174

I recommend you to have the live O2 data stream monitored with the pro scan tool. Ideally with a graph scanner. So you will know what output voltage you have after each four O2 sensors. With the four graphs data comparison, you'll have a clue of the problem.

I know this is a LONG shot, but in your other thread, it was mentioned about a ABS module causing a issue with reading the code(s).
Wonder if you might disconnect the ABS module and see what you get with a scan?

Another thing, again a long shot.
When you changed "all the oxygen sensors" did you have more than 1 unplugged at the same time?
It is possible to plug them into the wrong connector down there, and I recall reading how crossing the plugs can send the best of mechanics in circles.
On my '96, I recall different color plugs, but they were identical, and could be plugged into the wrong sensor.

I know this is a LONG shot, but in your other thread, it was mentioned about a ABS module causing a issue with reading the code(s).
Wonder if you might disconnect the ABS module and see what you get with a scan?

Another thing, again a long shot.
When you changed "all the oxygen sensors" did you have more than 1 unplugged at the same time?
It is possible to plug them into the wrong connector down there, and I recall reading how crossing the plugs can send the best of mechanics in circles.
On my '96, I recall different color plugs, but they were identical, and could be plugged into the wrong sensor.

I am going to try the ABS module (disconnecting)

When i changed all the O2 sensors last year was reccomneded by a local shop to fix the 171/174 code.. Then i found out about the isolator bolt fix.. There were no codes for about 7 months and then the P0161 code came on. We replaced the bank 2 sensor 2 sensor 3 weeks ago with no luck getting rid of the code.
So if it was a sensor in the wrong plug it wouldve shown up before and i asked the new mechanic to double check the connections on saturday and they said it looked correct.

I am wishing it was something simple..this is killing me

I also would think that you would not have gone 7 months without a code if they were plugged into the wrong connector.
Let's see what happens with the ABS unit disconnected......worth a try since it is a easy check and no parts to buy.

I am going to try the ABS module (disconnecting)

When i changed all the O2 sensors last year was reccomneded by a local shop to fix the 171/174 code.. Then i found out about the isolator bolt fix.. There were no codes for about 7 months and then the P0161 code came on. We replaced the bank 2 sensor 2 sensor 3 weeks ago with no luck getting rid of the code.
So if it was a sensor in the wrong plug it wouldve shown up before and i asked the new mechanic to double check the connections on saturday and they said it looked correct.

I am wishing it was something simple..this is killing me

Here's my two cents worth. I had exactly the same problem. I was unable to connect to my PCM with my code scanner. It kept saying link error. After tons of research, I decided to disconnect the ABS module and try to scan the codes. It didn't work just before I disconnected and it immediately worked after. That could have been a fluke, but it was pretty convincing to me. When i reconnected the ABS module, I was still able to read codes, but disconnecting it certainly allowed me to start reading codes. It's worth a try and pretty simply to do. (Other than the stupid ABS module connector. It slides sideways before it pulls off)

Mark

Still not connecting... even with the module disconnected

So now that i feel stupid let me explain.
Lets start from the beginning, last year i had a local shop change out all my O2 sensors becasue that is what they told me was wrong to fix the 171/174 issue. That didn't work so they said the MAF sensor, and after that didn't work it was the PCV valve and after that it was the fuel filter and then i was getting ticked so i found this forum and saw that it was the isolator bolts, which i did myself. As soon as i did the isolator fix then it was the plug ditributor (forgot the technical name)

So for 7 months all was good and then the engine light came on, i had it read and they said just an O2 sensor. So i waited to the beginning of this month becasue money has been tight, my wife and i adopted our son and let's just say it is not cheap, but worth it. So i did procrastinate.. So i bought the O2 sensor and went to the new shop where my work vehicles go and he put the O2 sensor in and didn't charge me (barter for pest control services). Didn't work

Went to new shop becasue last one couldn't figure it out, new shop couldn't get their OBD scanner to work (hence my other post) so they went blind and was checking everything, including disconnecting all the modules and checking voltage and yadada.. They get a different scanner and it worked, they mainly own Mack scanners and a freind of his owns another shop close by and he came to look at my van, his scanner connected and they did a live scan and found that the new o2 sensor wasnt working. They pulled it out and they learn that the sensor is an OEM sensor.

I paid a local shop to replace last year and they didn't, bought the part again 2 weeks ago and the last shop put the new sensor in the wrong location..So it turned out that is was a bad sensor but i was under the impression that it now has been replaced twice in the last year..

Thank you to all who responded. This was so frustrating.. The shop owner felt bad for me and only charged me 80 bucks plus the sensor for 5 hours or work..

It is really good that you got the problem resolved.
It is very easy to get turned around while trying to chase a problem down.....but the main thing is that it is now fixed.
Hopefully it will stay fixed for a long time.

Light is back on, to the dealer it went.. Will let you know what they find... I am soooo tired of this van and all these codes.. Every month i am fixing something on it..

A Windstar without the check engine light is not a real Windstar.

A Windstar without the check engine light is not a real Windstar.

Such a true statement, it ended being the end of the wire harness that connected to the O2 sensor. The outside plastic was fine but the wire inside disintegrated for 3 inches.

Also, as goes with your statements, the OD light started flashing on my way home! and the speedo is not working right.

That's could be the VSS (vehicle speed sensor). Also called OSS sensor.