Timeserts and TFS heads experience

John3 said:

Ok so I hope I didn’t do something dumb when I installed the new intake gaskets....

I bought a code reader since I got a check engine light. It threw codes 21 31 44 94. I started looking into the 44/94 codes first. If I understand this right they have to do with the thermactor ports in the heads. I used the 1250s3 gaskets which did not have a cutout for the thermactor holes. Looking on the web it appeared it would not matter if they were covered. So I installed the gaskets as is. Did I make s mistake not cutting holes in the gaskets for those holes?

Thanks, John

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Do you need emission testing? Also do you have cross over tubes in heads?

John3 said:

Right now the car is not registered but when I do I was planning on trying to register it so I wouldn’t need emissions testing. I believe here in pa if the car is older than 25 years I can go that route.

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Doe the car have all the emission stuff on it now??

Yes the holes have to be there, I have no emission on mine and i run the same gaskets as your old ones you have in the pictures

The ones in the pictures are the ones tfs recommends per there instructions

Believe me been there done that.

Hold on a second, are you planning on having the EGR function? if not blocking it off at the head is the easiest way to bypass it. There really is no benefit to this besides a cooler intake charge [at least until the engine heatsoaks]... Many people bypass the EGR system and then wonder why the car gets worse gas mileage, IMO you should use a functioning EGR system in a streetcar.

John3 said:

I wasn’t planning on bypassing the egr system and I believe it’s all there and functioning. So the cross over holes are now blocked off by the new 1250s3 gaskets I installed. Am I right in assuming that’s where the 44/94 codes are coming from?

Unfortunately I did not scan for codes prior to doing the new intake gaskets and I did have a check engine light. Since this was someone else’s project I’m somewhat blind in what was exactly done to the car.

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Yep, know what you mean

John3 said:

Quick update, I pulled the intake and redid the gaskets with the MS95952 set. I can tell they were a better option. Still Steel core but the gasket material had more sponginess to it. The cutouts matched the cobra intake and TFS heads just as good as the 1250s3 gaskets.

All of my error codes disappeared except 94. I pulled the crossover tube but that was pretty clean and the holes in the heads were very clean. I think I’ll replaces the o2 sensors next.

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Codes 44 & 94 - AIR system inoperative - Air Injection. Check vacuum lines for leaks, & cracks. Check for a clogged air crossover tube, where one or both sides of the tube clog with carbon.




Revised 21 Sep 2012 to correct the description of the process that sets the code and include Thermactor Air System diagram.

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

Code 44 passenger side air not functioning.
Code 94 driver side air not functioning.

The TAD solenoid/TAD diverter valve directs smog pump output to either the crossover tube attached to the cylinder heads or to the catalytic converters.

The O2 sensors are placed before the catalytic converters, so they do not see the extra O2 when the smog pump's output is directed to the converters or the input just before the converter.

The 44/94 code uses the O2 sensors to detect a shift in the O2 level in the exhaust. The smog pump provides extra air to the exhaust which raises the O2 level in the exhaust when the smog pump output is directed through the crossover tube.

When there is an absence of increase in the O2 levels when the TAD solenoid/TAD diverter valve directs air through the crossover tube, it detects the lower O2 level and sets the code.

Failure mode is usually due to a clogged air crossover tube, where one or both sides of the tube clog with carbon. The air crossover tube mounts on the back of the cylinder heads and supplies air to each of the Thermactor air passages cast into the cylinder heads. When the heads do not get the proper air delivery, they set codes 44 & 94, depending on which passage is clogged. It is possible to get both 44 & 94, which would suggest that the air pump or control valves are not working correctly, or the crossover tube is full of carbon or missing.

Testing the system:
Note that the engine must be running to do the tests unless stated otherwise. For safety’s sake, do test preparation like loosening clamps, disconnecting hoses and connecting things to a vacuum source with the engine off.

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 wheel well 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 following computer tests are done with the engine not running.
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. Turning the ignition to Run 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.

The following computer tests are done with the engine running.
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 with the engine running. Power & ground supplied should turn on the vacuum flow, remove either one and the vacuum should stop flowing.

Typical resistance of the solenoid valves is in the range of 20-70 Ohms.

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

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