Bad Codes

Blown88GT · Dec 21, 2011

UPDATE: Ford no longer manufactures the Motorcraft distributor, which explains why it has been on backorder for a month. The next best choice was the MSD Pro Billet, which includes the TFI & cap.

Blown88GT · Dec 24, 2011

New dizzy, with cap & rotor, spark plugs & wires. Idles smoother than ever...BUT...same symptoms, dies on attempt at acceleration. However, a new code, #21, Cooling Temperature Sensor out of Specified range or ECT out of range. It's warm enough to turn on the electric fan!!

Must be 1 or more leaking injectors, a couple plugs showed signs of carbon build up.

Edit: Had new MAF conversion half installed, installed/swapped pinout wires to reman. A9L EEC. With no blower, it did not like the calibration on the new 76mm C&L meter. Idle hunted all over. The old 55mm MAF with junkyard sensor, fired up & idled fine. No time to road test again.

No KOEO codes on new A9L. Reconnected Crane HI-6, started right up.

Blown88GT · Jan 19, 2012

New Info 1-19-2012
1. New 30lb Ford Motorcraft injectors
2. New C&L 76mm MAF with 30lb calibration tube
3. New BBK 70mm Throttle Body & EGR Plate
4. New MSD ProBillet Distributor

Engine fired right up, but wouldn't idle unless accelerator pedal feathered. As engine warmed up, it started to idle better, then when warm, got worse & attempted to die.

KOEO - Code 26, MAF sensor out of range. Same MAF sensor & A9L & MSD dizzy as before. 1st time for Code 26.

EDIT: C&L said to clock MAF 90deg. It works!!
However, original problem still exists.

jrichker · Jan 19, 2012

Have you done a cylinder balance test yet?

Blown88GT · Jan 19, 2012

jrichker said:
Have you done a cylinder balance test yet?

Did it several times before any of the new parts. 1st CB Test noted in Reply #19.
Passed every time. Problem is only noticeable under load. 2nd gear, 20mph, 1/4 throttle.

Forgot to add: ACT & ECT are new. Did them the same time as the injectors, since easy to get to. Also upgraded the FMU for the 30lb injectors.

I'm now leaning heavily towards a fuel delivery problem, i.e., pressure is good but flow is restricted. Could be a weak in-tank pump or partial blockage of some kind, i.e. degraded rubber/cloth fuel line. Already found one like this in the FMU lines. They swelled internally blocking the return flow, raising the pressure to 80-100lbs, blowing through all the fittings at the rear. It has a 155 lph in-tank pump & a 80 gal/hr T-Rex boost pump.

BTW, the whole Thermactor issue was a non-issue. It was due to the fact that the Ford Mass Air Conversion does not take into account the difference in wiring. Most likely, this was a conscious decision on the part of Ford. 88's have no CEL, & the only ones with code readers back in 1988 would be Ford dealerships. They likely had a Service Bulletin to ignore certain service codes for certain models or maybe only those with the conversion kit. In my case, there was actually a bad TAD; just a coincidence. That's why the code reader was still generating a bad code after the bad valve was replaced.

The conversion kit is now removed, with a new mass air harness, new MAF & A9L computer instead.

Pumps are making required pressure. Will be testing flow rate in a few days.

Blown88GT · Jan 25, 2012

My in-tank pump is a 155 lph, installed about 20 years ago, as a replacement for the stock 88 lph. It feeds an 80 gal/hr Hypertech power Pump #4018. Can easily disconnect the relay for the Hypertech.
It should be filling a 2L bottle in 46 sec or less. It's pumping about 20 oz/min. with the 155 only, with both pumps, about 32 oz/min. This works out to about 20% of normal flow.
Walbro now has 255 lph pumps which can replace both of these. If the restriction is the Hypertech, it's coming out, & the new 255 will replace the old 155. If the restriction is the old 155, the new 255 will replace it & the Hypertech can be disconnected from power or removed. Either way, the tank will have to come out.

Blown88GT · Jan 26, 2012

Root Cause

jrichker · Jan 27, 2012

That's the nastiest fuel sock I have ever seen. How much trash & water was in to botttom of the tank?

Blown88GT · Jan 28, 2012

None at all, tank looked brand new inside. Look at the closeup of the sock; this is the way I found it, split open at the seam & some small pieces missing. I think the original color was black or dark red, the nylon mesh inside is still white. Found a small piece of the sock trapped in the cavity of the small orifice on the pump inlet. If that orifice is the pump inlet and not where the gears are shown, it might have been acting as an on-off valve. Pump could still be good. New pump is installed. It's quite a bit different from the 2 earlier ones. Instructions were bogus, following them caused more problems than not. The main pic showed some of the assembly backwards. Wouldn't go together as pictured. Pump is a Walbro GSS342 with kit (includes pigtail, had to modify & solder; rubber isolator; S-hose w/clamps, hose wouldn't fit; tank rubber seal; & some new hose clips). Ran the new pump to evacuate the air & fill all the lines with fuel, no leaks. Only awaiting a blow-thru calibration tube for the new C&L MAF, so have no working meter for the new 30lb injectors.

Blown88GT · Feb 1, 2012

It's alive!! Problem solved. Still have some tuning to do with all the new parts.

Boydster · Feb 1, 2012

Cool! Glad to see ya got it.

Blown88GT · Feb 2, 2012

Thanks! It ran pretty good even with the SC belt removed, only went 2 miles around the neighborhood. It ran a bit rich because of the "blow-thru" MAF calibration tube. Exhaust sounded mean. Intake plumbing is a very tight fit, difficult to get a long enough straight run to the MAF. Probably will keep it clocked, so it will idle.
Not many original owners, like us.

Boydster · Feb 3, 2012

Original Owner... awesome! No, there's not many of us.

You aint kidding that intake plumbing is tight! You've changed where a few things sit in that compartment, haven't you.

So after all this, did you end up getting the codes all cleared up?

Blown88GT · Feb 3, 2012

ProCharger mounts on driver's side, battery goes to passenger side, same as the 4cyl. Mounting holes are all there, battery box gets trimmed a bit. Air-to-air intercooler sits vertical in front of AC condenser. Conical air filter is located where washer reservoir used to be.

Codes were an anomaly unique to '87-'88's with FRP Conversion Kit. Kit does not remap thermactor components or fuel pump relay to proper pins. Code reader will report this as a problem. Coincidentally, there actually was a bad TAD valve. After replacement, still had same bad codes. Ditched conversion kit for MAF harness & A9L. Had no codes & was still not running right even after new dizzy. Nothing wrong with Ford Kit, but no reason to put it back in, will try to sell it.

Then moved to fuel. Installed larger injectors (old ones looked fine), new MAF; same problem. TB & EGR, & upper intake were damaged by incompetent machine shop. Repaired intake, put on new larger TB & EGR.
Prior to all this, had fuel pressure problem (aka, 80 lbs at idle), installed new FPR until noticed fuel leakage thru old FMU lines caused by degraded poor quality rubber lines. Replaced lines with newer version of & fuel pressure problem was solved (at least at low flow conditions, but who knew?).

Am now re-engineering the intake plumbing from the intercooler outlet to the TB, with silicone hose instead of the molded rubber ones which don't have much give. The current surge valve (hidden inside the fender) is a bit small, only 1/2". The new setup (1") will fit inside the fender. These items have changed a lot in the past 20 years due to the huge increase in turbos & superchargers. Engine compartment hoses are on the way. The remaining surge valve components can wait a bit. New plugs & wires can go in when the intake plumbing is removed. I've waited 4 months, what's another couple weeks? No job to go to any more.

Boydster · Feb 4, 2012

It just never stops, does it...

I get the Thermactor codes with my 20 yr old FMS MAF conversion kit, but thought it was because all that stuff has been cleaned out.

Blown88GT · Feb 4, 2012

Seeing as I didn't do much to it the past 15 years, it's not really that unexpected. Who had code readers in the late 80's besides the dealer? They likely had a service bulletin saying to ignore the codes on converted cars. Not sure about the '88 CA cars. Maybe that's why there is no CEL? The conversion kit uses a CA EEC-IV, A9S. That had me chasing "bad codes" for a while. Even thought the A9S was bad. I have all the blue service manuals & the factory wiring diagrams & the EVTM. Wiring diagrams are not in 100% agreement regarding the thermactor. Whether you've cleaned it out or not, you will still get the same codes. The adapter harness only remaps 1 thing that I can see. I could ohm it out, but I don't care anymore, & have better things to do. It's pretty easy to remove the pins/wires from the connector to move them. No special tools required.
http://www.stangnet.com/2002/01/23/mustang-mass-air-conversion/

Boydster · Feb 4, 2012

Mine's running pretty good right now, and like I said, the only codes I get are emissions related which have all been cleaned out. So I'm gonna let it ride.

I did have the same A9S in my conversion, have since changed to an A9P (AOD) and it actually made the car run better. Starts faster and idles better, and I think it runs better overall.

Blown88GT said:
[snip] ...but I don't care anymore, & have better things to do.

Me too. I have a heater core to plan...

Blown88GT · Feb 4, 2012

Boydster said:
...Me too. I have a heater core to plan...

That's no fun at all. I've heard don't buy any replacement except the Ford one. Don't want to do it over again.
BTW, this is what's getting replaced down below.

Boydster · Feb 5, 2012

Thats really tucked up in there, aint it. Fun stuff! OTOH, you'r car's pretty clean up in there for being 24 years old.

Yeah, the heater core is going to have to wait till Spring cuz me and the '87 don't have a garage. Kinda strange... it's winter, so I need the heater, but have to wait till spring so I can get the heater going...

Blown88GT · Feb 5, 2012

I got a garage 12 years ago, car sat outside in the FL sun for the first 12. Went through a car cover every 2 years. It's become somewhat of a trailer queen without the trailer.

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