P1301 Riley 4 Diagnostic Trouble Code

P1301 Riley 4 code definition:
P1301 is a kind of OBD-II Diagnostic P-Powertrain Diagnostic Trouble Code for Riley 4.

P1301 Riley 4 is defined as Knock Sensor Circuit Range Performance (Bank 1 or Single Sensor). This refers to camshaft timing, which in this case is over-retarded. There are two wires dedicated for each coil; one is battery feed which usually comes from the distribution center, and the other one for the coil driver circuit from the PCM. The PCM grounds or ungrounds the circuit to activate or deactivate the coil.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a P1301 Riley 4 diagnostic trouble code may include:

Poor fuel economy
Possible spark knock (detonation / pre-ignition)
Misfire
If the DPF is not cleared the ECU will revert to the "Limp Home Mode" until the situation is corrected

Possible Causes :

Fuel with a large percentage of sulfur will clog the DPF quickly
The Mass Airflow sensor will also cause this problem. Mass Airflow circuit malfunction.
A large vacuum leak would cause a massive amount of un-metered air to enter the intake manifold resulting in an overly lean mixture.

Common Misdiagnoses

Control Module Throttle Actuator Position Performance Problem
Air Conditioning (A/C) Clutch Feedback Circuit High Voltage Problem
Cruise Vehicle Speed/Set Speed Difference Too High Problem
Kick-Down Switch Failed Short Problem
Park/Neutral Postion (PNP) Switch Circuit Engine Torque Signal Circuit Problem

Repair Processes :

Look for damage to the tank indicating impact that may have damaged the fuel pump or sender. If the engine displays a miss and there wasn't a code, determine which cylinder is misfiring. If the exhaust manifold is visible, spay or pour a small amount of water on each cylinder exhaust port. Water will evaporate immediately on good cylinders and slowly on the missing cylinder. If this can't be accomplished pull the plugs and check the condition. Use the DVOM to test resistance and continuity on all system circuits if actuator and sensor resistance levels are in compliance with manufacturer's specifications.

Process Tips

Diagnostic trouble code P1301 Riley 4 is not difficult to diagnose and repair. Thus, it always pays to have a qualified technician to look after your vehicle should this error code arise.

Diagnosing this code requires the engine to be in good running shape, without unmetered air entering the engine. If other codes that relates to misfiring condition, lean running or air entering the engine is present, then you must first fix those error codes before P1301 Riley 4.

Fortunately, P1301 Riley 4 is a fairly common OBD code, meaning that it applies to all makes and models of vehicles made after 1996.