I have chased an intermittent run problem for a couple months and was very surprised to find that it was an O2 issue. 2001 1500 5.2 van. I had a bad bog(LEAN LEAN LEAN) that would occur during A heat soak restart. Would happen for about 30 sec. to 1 min. It progressed to doing it on cold starts and FINALLY set a PO138 code. This after chasing all the other NORMAL stuff(vac leaks, fuel pressure, intake troubles, computer, grounds, among other stuff) To finally get a code that GM, Ford and about all the other makes would have set immediately and repeatedly is an education of the stupidity of the engineering staff on this one. Plus I couldn't access voltage or cross-counts with my scan tool. It set the code once. That's all. Anyone else as uninpressed as I am? Installed a couple of NTK O2's and all is now well. This is something that I normally diagnose in about 10 min. instead takes 2 or 3 hours total??

 

With every Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep ... Mopar, just turn the key on/off/on 3X and look at the digital odometer. It will display the code. With older vehicles, it will blink a series of times to show you the code. My ScanGageII does this too while plugged into the OBDII port. I've been getting the P0138 for over a year. It comes and goes. Nothing really happens with the van outside of normal. I had already replaced the down-stream O2. The front one is too hard to get off. Already have a Delphi O2 for the upstream purchased. RockAuto has them at a really great price. WRANING ... Do NOT get the Bosch O2 for our vans, they are junk and will give the van crappy MPG. Plus, you will have to re-wire them to get the connector to work.

 

There should be a sticky thread with things like this in it. Just tricks like the odometer P-code readout or the panel check by holding the reset and turning the key. Any other tricks you can let us in on? Please?

 

Yeah stev I heard about the bosch O2's. Not impressed on GM apps I've seen them on either. I pretty much understand that the regular Dodge trucks would be much "smarter" computer wise than the vans and would be more on par with other makes.

 

[storytime]
Not too long ago, I had an Corvette. I got p0138 also, but what was perplexing was the O2s were not that old...
So I took it to a friends shop. He was a good welder, so he dismantled the exhaust system. We found my cat had begun to clog and a piece of it was lodged infront of the rear o2.
[/end of storytime]