Code P1128 - Paper Towel Destruction

Hi all,

Made a big oopsie when wrenching on my truck this weekend. Had to replace the tensioner pulley assembly as the bolt head snapped off. Got it all put together and she ran good - I'll be doing a write up on this job actually. HOWEVER, it looks like when my old man and I were putting the air intake back on between the intake box and throttle body, we forgot to take out the paper towels that we stuck in the throttle body to prevent stuff from getting in.

The truck turned on today, and died about a half a block from home. We pushed it back into my driveway. I had a feeling it was something in the intake because it was almost as if the truck wasn't getting air to go kaboom. I took the intake tube off, and our stuffed paper towels were still right where we put them in the throttle body. I played a fun game of doctor, and it looks like about a 1/3 of a paper towel is missing(just regular paper towel, not cloth) - presumably inside the engine. Just wondering if yall have any advice on this rookie move of ours. The truck is throwing a P1128 code, and it turns on, but then dies just about instantly. I'm guessing the paper towel is stuck somewhere. I ordered an endoscope, which will be here tomorrow, to see if I can peek inside.

Heeeeelp meeee I can't believe we fudged up like this lol

 

Pop the throttle body off and make sure nothing is jammed in it. Then clear the code and see if it’ll start. An actual paper towel will be shredded and burned up rapidly in an engine and won’t cause any damage. The cloth ones will mess stuff up.

 

get an intake gasket and pull the intake, see if theres paper towel in the valves or blocking a valve; that code is for Bank 1 so check that side first

 

yeah need a little clarification here @evanhmn yall put the paper towels in front of the closed throttle body? Meaning on the outside of it and not inside the intake? Or did you open the TB and stuff them under it?

But regardless if you haven't already unbolted the TB, do that first and see if there is a piece behind it; if not its time to pull the intake

 

Check the throttle control motor. Some of the paper may have it jammed.

 

The paper towel was placed in front of the closed throttle body. We pulled the air intake hose to gain better access to the pulleys and just put the paper towels there to ensure nothing got in there while we were wrenching. I'd be real nuts for opening it and stuffing towels INSIDE it lol

 

Why do you need a paper towel in front of a CLOSED throttle body?

 

Got myself a $20 endoscope on Amazon to check it all out - didn't see squat. And welp, she started up this morning, musta had a paper towel for breakfast, and kept on chugging along. Went easy on the gas and drove around town for a bit before returning twice just to do a smell test and look things over, all good. Drove about 25 miles with no issue. No light, no nothing. Perhaps I will feed the ol beast one paper towel a year to please her.

 

Stupid, looking back on it. BUT, my old man sat a socket down in it and I just knew I needed to create a barrier. NEVER AGAIN AHHH

 

Not stupid. Good practice. I do the same thing.