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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 1994 - 1995 Specific Tech

PIP circuit fault

  • Thread starter Thread starter reject5.0
  • Start date Start date Sep 11, 2005
R

reject5.0

New Member
Jul 25, 2005
153
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0
Round Rock, TX
Sep 11, 2005
#1
  • Sep 11, 2005
  • #1
I was driving down the interstate and my car started to sumble. I took the nearest exit and then the car died. I put it in neutral and cranked it over and it restarted right away.

The car then ran fine all the way home. I hooked it up to my ghetto "beeping" code reader and it gave me code 211...which my book says PIP circuit fault. Is this the dreaded PIP inside the dizzy going bad?

About a month ago my car wouldn't start. A very long story short, i put on a new coil and then it started fine. Everybody was saying to check and see if it was the PIP, but the coil seemed to fix the problem that time.

Where do I go from here?
 
R

reject5.0

New Member
Jul 25, 2005
153
0
0
Round Rock, TX
Sep 11, 2005
#2
  • Sep 11, 2005
  • #2
I just went outside again and cleared the codes. I ran a check again and it came back clean.

Will it only throw a code after somthing goes wrong? I figured the code would be there as long as I was having problems.

I knew as soon as i bought a code reader, id learn all kinds of things I didn't want to know LOL
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
33
129
Sep 11, 2005
#3
  • Sep 11, 2005
  • #3
The PIP is inside the dizzy. It is also called the stator.

When a PIP goes south, one loses spark and injector firing. So a noid light can be used to check the latter. If there is injector firing, that indicates the PIP is indeed ok, and that another component is at fault (i.e. coil TFI, etc).

Also keep your eyes peeled for an IDM code, though a bad PIP alone very well might not toss that code.

Good luck.
 
R

reject5.0

New Member
Jul 25, 2005
153
0
0
Round Rock, TX
Sep 11, 2005
#4
  • Sep 11, 2005
  • #4
I just went for a drive, and it was fine again. No codes, nothin. I think my car is haunted.

What would cause a PIP circuit falure?
 

BPA

Founding Member
Aug 5, 2000
159
0
16
S.F.
Sep 11, 2005
#5
  • Sep 11, 2005
  • #5
Like the other guy said its eather ur tfi module or dizzy sence u replaced ur coil a month ago as you previously said. If you dont want to throw down for a dizzy or stator and tfi module, buy a noid light for when it does fail. Assuming u have competely ruled out a fuel problem issue . A lot of the time you will not get a code if ur stator is failing ( i didn't)here are a few test u can run when its failing that i found.......
1. Check for power to the ignition module. Using a voltmeter, probe the red/light green wire (terminal 4) to the module. With the ignition ON (engine not running), there should be battery voltage.
2. Check the PIP signal from the stator (Hall Effect switching device) in the distributor to the ignition module. Backprobe the dark green wire (terminal 1) on the ignition control module with an LED test light, crank the engine over and confirm that the test light flashes. If there are no flashes, check the distributor.
3. Check for power to the stator. Probe the red/light green wire (terminal 4) to the module. With the ignition ON (engine not running), there should be battery voltage. If battery voltage exists and there is still not response (LED Flashes) from the distrbutor (see Step 2) replace the stator.
4. Check the SPOUT signal from the ignition module. Backprobe the pink wire (terminal 2) with an LED test light, have an assistant crank the engine over and observe flashes on the test light.
5. Check for the GROUND for the ignition module. Disconnect the ignition module harness connector, install one probe of the ohm-meter onto the negative battery terminal and probe the black/light blue wire (terminal 6). There should be less than 5.0 ohms resistance. If the resistance is excessive, repair the ground or the Hall Effect switching device in the distributor.
6. If battery voltage is not reaching the ignition module or distributor, trace the circuit to the ignition switch and battery and check for open circuits or a damaged wire harness. If any other test results are incorrect, replace the ignition module with a new part.
 

mo_dingo

20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 26, 2003
3,031
2
58
Tucson, AZ
Sep 12, 2005
#6
  • Sep 12, 2005
  • #6
If there is a problem at all times, it will take 10-20 miles of driving to trip the CEL minimum. That I know for sure.

As for the rest, I think BPA covered it pretty well.
Scott
 
R

reject5.0

New Member
Jul 25, 2005
153
0
0
Round Rock, TX
Sep 12, 2005
#7
  • Sep 12, 2005
  • #7
Like i said, it runs fine now, and no codes. It seems to happen every few weeks or somthing.

Thanks for the help.
 

WhiteDevil

New Member
Feb 4, 2003
2,717
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0
San Diego
Sep 12, 2005
#8
  • Sep 12, 2005
  • #8
reject5.0 said:
Like i said, it runs fine now, and no codes. It seems to happen every few weeks or somthing.

Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
What exaclty are you symptoms? Buckings, and stumbling from time to time?
 
R

reject5.0

New Member
Jul 25, 2005
153
0
0
Round Rock, TX
Sep 12, 2005
#9
  • Sep 12, 2005
  • #9
My tack doesn't work...so im not sure what my rpms look like. The car just lost all power. I still had oil pressure, so I assume the car was still running. then it shut off.

It just starts to stumbe and then it shuts itself off.
 

94Blue302GT

Member
Oct 20, 2003
704
3
19
Chicago
Sep 12, 2005
#10
  • Sep 12, 2005
  • #10
Mine did the same thing, it was the PIP. It would start sometimes, and not others. Didn't make sense to me either. I figured if it was broke, it'd be broke and not start, but it would still start sometimes.
 
R

reject5.0

New Member
Jul 25, 2005
153
0
0
Round Rock, TX
Sep 12, 2005
#11
  • Sep 12, 2005
  • #11
My car always starts. It just didn't that ONE time when the coil died.

I don't want to take my distributor apart...ill probably just get a rebuilt one. A reman. dizzy is only like 80 bucks. Ill probably just get one to be safe. Ill just subtract it from my beer money.
 
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