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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

codes 12,33 & 44

  • Thread starter Thread starter my2foxes
  • Start date Start date Jul 15, 2007
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my2foxes

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Jul 8, 2007
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#1
  • Jul 15, 2007
  • #1
I have an 89 gt that is stock except fms pulleys, flowmaster catback and a hurst short throw shifter. Yesterday I did the engine running test with me new scanner and pulled codes 12, 33, & 44 .
according to the book that came with my scanner 12 is rpm at idle out of range / high. but while searching stangnet everything i read is saying idle out of range low and to fix this check and clean IAC . Is this a misprint in my book? Also where is the IAC located at ? ( told you I am a noob )

code 33 did a search and printed off diagram from previous post of jrichker . Where can i find a good vaccum pump and how much do they usually cost?

code 44 thermactor air system fault ( smog pump??) what do i check to clear this code .

thanks for the help as I am 100% green when it comes to diagnostics .

also my scanner was reading 4 for # of cylinders under test , should'nt it say 8 ?
 

93 LX

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Jul 15, 2007
#2
  • Jul 15, 2007
  • #2
The IAC is located on the trhottle body. Its the can looking thing with a plug on the bottom. These get gunked up with carbon and will stick. You can clean them but its easier to get a new one. I used WD40 to clean it and it worked for several months but the idle was sticking once again so i just bought a new one.

I got my hand pump from harbor freight.

33 and 44 are pretty common to mustangs and ford products. I have it but was able to get it to go away for a bit. However its back now so what the hey!

These are the 2 solenoids on the right strut tower. You can replace them if they are bad. Mine worked but no vacuum was going through them. I guess they get clogged. Anyway for the most part it does not effect performance and I am not sure how these effect smog tests. So far i am good with that!

Late
Allen
 

cjones

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Jul 15, 2007
#3
  • Jul 15, 2007
  • #3
for code 44 (AIR system inoperable): check all vacuum lines and air hoses for the AIR(smog system).

code 12 (unable to achieve SelfTest upper limit): fix problem with code 33 first.
 

jrichker

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Jul 15, 2007
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  • #4
For the code 33, I would try to cheat and borrow vacuum from someplace on the engine. The vacuum tree usually has a spare unused port on it. Pinching or kinking the hose helps to regulate the vacuum.

A more elegant method is to use a vacuum pump like this one:


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92474

Code 12 -Idle Air Bypass motor not controlling idle properly (generally idle too low) - IAB dirty or not working. Take it off and clean it thoroughly with throttle body cleaner. Clean the electrical contacts with non flammable brake parts cleaner at the same time.

Codes 44 & 94 - AIR system inoperative - Air Injection. Check vacuum lines for leaks, & cracks. Disconnect the big hose from smog pump: with the engine running you should feel air output. Reconnect the smog pump hose & apply vacuum to the first vacuum controlled valve: Its purpose is to either dump the pump's output to the atmosphere or pass it to the next valve. The next vacuum controlled valve directs the air to either the cylinder heads when the engine is cold or to the catalytic converter when the engine is warm. Disconnect the big hoses from the back side of the vacuum controlled valve and start the engine. Apply vacuum to the valve and see if the airflow changes from one hose to the next.
The two electrical controlled vacuum valves mounted on the rear of the passenger side wheelwell turn the vacuum on & off under computer control. Check to see that both valves have +12 volts on the red wire. Then ground the white/red wire and the first solenoid should open and pass vacuum. Do the same thing to the light green/black wire on the second solenoid and it should open and pass vacuum.

Remember that the computer does not source power for any actuator or relay, but provides the ground necessary to complete the circuit. That means one side of the circuit will always be hot, and the other side will go to ground or below 1 volt as the computer switches on that circuit.

The computer provides the ground to complete the circuit to power the solenoid valve that turns the vacuum on or off. The computer is located under the passenger side kick panel. Remove the kick panel & the cover over the computer wiring connector pins. Check Pin 38 Solenoid valve #1 that provides vacuum to the first Thermactor control valve for a switch from 12-14 volts to 1 volt or less. Do the same with pin 32 solenoid valve #2 that provides vacuum to the second Thermactor control valve. Starting the engine with the computer jumpered to self test mode will cause all the actuators to toggle on and off. If after doing this and you see no switching of the voltage on and off, you can start testing the wiring for shorts to ground and broken wiring. An Ohm check to ground with the computer connector disconnected & the solenoid valves disconnected should show open circuit between the pin 32 and ground and again on pin 38 and ground. In like manner, there should be less than 1 ohm between pin 32 and solenoid valve #2 and pin 38 & Solenoid valve #1.

If after checking the resistance of the wiring & you are sure that there are no wiring faults, start looking at the solenoid valves. If you disconnect them, you can jumper power & ground to them to verify operation. Power & ground supplied should turn on the vacuum flow, remove either one and the vacuum should stop flowing.
See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host)

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91eecPinout.gif

See http://forums.stangnet.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=50636&d=1180923382 for a very nice drawing of the Thermactor Air System (smog pump) plumbing

If you have a catalytic converter H pipe, you need to fix these codes. If you don't, then don't worry about them
 
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