Ahhhhhhhh...... CA Smog with Speed Density SUCKS!

[Igofaster13]

Well, again I am having problems smoging my 88 5.0 speed density model, there books say it has a check engine light, but we all know sd cars do not. So now I am off to the Smog referee to see what they can do. I have smogged this car 2 times with MUCH TROUBLE, and this new guy even called ford to verify, and they said they don't have any records for pre 1990 cars.

THIS SUCKS!

 

[Daggar]

Yeah... there's a check engine light alright. It just doesn't DO anything.

 

[Darkwriter77]

My '89 has a little spot on the dash for a "Check Engine" light to be - on the bottom-right, below the main gauge cluster - but there's no lighting components behind it at all. Dunno if it just never had any, or if some prior owner ripped it all outta there somehow...

 

[Igofaster13]

Can anybody come up with some valid info on this subject, other then that I have to take it to a smog refree or find a shop that knows whats up.

 

[Daggar]

What kind of info are you looking for?

Yes... there is a light (or rather a connection for one). No, it does not function on an 86. What else can we help with?

 

[Igofaster13]

Yeah... there's a check engine light alright. It just doesn't DO anything.

Yea... There is a slot for a bulb on the 87-88 sd for a check engine light, I guess it was for the upcoming years MAF system.

 

[Igofaster13]

What kind of info are you looking for?

Yes... there is a light. No, it does not function on an 86. What else can we help with?

Looking for some Valid info on the 88 sd cars & the maf california cars in 1988, to help me prove to the smog shop there is no CE light on my Federal 1988 LX 5.0.

 

[Daggar]

Do you have a Haynes or Chilton manual with an electrical diagram? If I recall correctly, there are separate diagrams for the EEC pin-out for the A9L and one for the SD EEC.

 

[Igofaster13]

Yea, There are differences in the diagrams, Let me check that. Why does ford have no records or info for pre 1990 cars?

 

[Daggar]

Usually, the rule of thumb for Ford is 10 years. I have however, gone to various dealerships and found that they still have vehicle part and wiring diagrams, still on computer.

 

[Igofaster13]

Why are there smog books not coming up with the right info? Seems like there is a serious error in there books...... there should be a service bulitin addressed to this issue!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Daggar]

Dunno... Yours is the first time I've heard of this particular issue coming up. I mean... Any idiot (yes, even those that work for the DMV) should be able to look at your dash and see that there's no freaking light. lol

 

[Daggar]

Perhaps it's because all of the California 88s were mass air?

 

[Igofaster13]

Yea, ever since I bought the car 5 years ago I have had this problem here. 2 times I got through with a big hassle and having to call ford to verify the info. Now they just go by the book and thats what it shows. The Error is in the book they are all useing here. I try and explain the issue and they think I am trying to sneek by something.

 

[Daggar]

Pop your hood. Tell them to identify and POINT to your mass air meter. When they cannot, tell them to look in their book. Ask them how it is a mass air car can possibly run without a meter THEN ask them if their book might POSSIBLY be in error.

Once complete, have them refer to the 87 section of the same book. Ask them if they're able to find any similarities between the two.


After you have completed the above steps, smack your forehead with the flat portion of your hand and say something to the effect of, "Holy Chiz-Net!!!! Imagine that!"

Provided your particular DMV attendant still has SOME remaining brain cells (regardless of the amount of legalized herb and Aids medication they've taken), they should appear enlightened as their stupid asses come to the conclusion that they must be at least 20% smarter than the equipment that they're working with in order to be effective.

Individual thought is NOT required when applying for state jobs in California.

 

[jrichker]

This may help...

Copied from mustang88GT:

I have not finished it yet but I put the bulb in and it works. There are wires that you can tap into and run to the self test connector. The reason I have not run the wires yet is because I am tripping 2 codes because I did not run wires for the secondary fuel pump or speed senor yet for the MAF conversion... but it should be real easy to do here is

Adding a "Check Engine" light
Another difference between the speed density and MAF cars is that MAF cars have a "Check Engine" light in the dash to alert you to possible serious problems and it makes reading out self test codes much easier. The MAF cars have the "Check Engine" light located in the light panel on the lower right of the instrument cluster. Speed density cars don't have this window, but there is a "Check Engine" position for a light in the tachometer face, though there is no bulb installed. The wire from the EEC to the bulb (via the flex connector) is also missing.
In the '88 harness (not sure of other years), there is a tan and a black/blue wire connecting up to the 'Check Engine' circuit on the instrument cluster flex circuit. For MAF models, the tan wire hooks to the EEC STO/MIL line and the black/blue is for the lamp test out when you start the car. I don't know what these are connected to in an '88, but the test out feature does not work, and the STO/MIL line at the EEC-IV and self test connector is yellow/black. The wires connected to the check engine lamp probably end at some open connector somewhere, but I couldn't track it down, so I cut the tan and black/blue wires off the flex connector and ran a new wire to the STO/MIL wire on the self test connector under the hood (you could also tap in by the EEC-IV, but it was easier for me to go through the firewall. You can get a bulb socket from the HELP! rack at the local parts store, put in a N194 bulb, and voila, you now have a working check engine light.

 

[dgollem]

I am the original owner of an 88 GT speed density car (Sold in AZ) . No check engine light. I looked in the owner’s manual it states “On all vehicles with 2.3L engines and vehicles with 5.0L engine sold in California, the CHECK ENGINE warning light will indicate malfunctions of the Electronic Control System.
It does not specifically say cars sold outside CA don't have the lights but we all know in 1988 cars sold in CA had mass air the 88 models sold everywhere else were speed density systems. In 1989 all cars went to mass air. The check engine feature is tied to the mass air cars. I can e-mail you scanned copies of my manual if you think it will help you.

 

[Igofaster13]

some good stuff keep it coming..........

 

[RYC CUKR]

As others have stated I think that the reason they are so damn insistant on the CE light is that all Mustangs sold in 1988 in CA had the MAF system. Since yours wasn't sold in CA it doesn't have the MAF but rather SD and no functional CE light. Yes there is a place for one but it doesn't work. I would imagine that you could wire it in like in jrichkers post and have it will work and hopefully get you past the CA smog nazis. I also makes it much easier to check codes without the reader.

 

[Igofaster13]

This is the CA smog shops FAULT, I don't want to install a light when there was never one in the first place. I am going to the New local ca smog referee right around the block from me. I will post results monday.