So my truck is currently stranded at the train station. (86 F-150, 5.0, EFI, auto).

I turned the key and motor turns over and over but it just won't fire up the engine. I have plenty of gas and checked the schrader valve and gas squirted out at the fuel injector rail. So I assume fuel is ok. I didn't have a buddy with me to turn the key while I hold a wire from one of the spark plug boots to the spark plug to see if there was a spark.



Today I went back over there and I pulled codes but I'm not entirely sure I'm reading the beeps correctly. It seems like definitely a 22 but not sure what the others are. I recorded the audible beeps with my phone and played it back and there are 9 beeps all together. Here are the beeps based on the seconds place in the soundclip: 14, 16, 21, 23, 34, 40, 42, 47, 49.

Can anyone tell what those code #'s are and then were I should start looking to diagnose my problem?

Thanks.

 

i don't have the codes in front of me, but i would start by diagnosing the ignition system. first, unplug the coil and attach a test light across the 2 connections on its harness. then crank the engine. the light should be on when the key is on, flash while cranking slowly, or appear half-lit when cranking at normal cranking speed, as its flashing faster than you can see in the light.
if the light works as such, the module and stuff is fine, and you're likely looking at a coil. if your light doesn't work that way, the module is your most likely problem.

 

14 missing PIP pulses.

16 ignition module signal missing

21 engine coolant temp out of range-ignore this one

23 TPS voltage is not correct

34 EGR position sensor voltage is not correct

I would check for spark also. If you do not have any spark, I would change the module on the distributor. If you have spark, I would check for a wiring problem over at the relays.

 

I took the module out and brought it to autozone and they tested it. It came back fine... Gotta be something else.

I've also tested the coil for both primary and secondary resistance and came back fine. I tested the voltage at the coil harness and it's also fine.

 

New development. So I put the ICM back in, distributor back in, and hooked the coil back up. I then went to test for spark at one of the cylinders. It did get spark. So I hopped in the truck myself to try and start it. It started up for about 1-2 seconds and then sputtered to a stall out. It did this three times in a row. On the fourth attempt to start it the engine would not fire up at all. I then checked for spark again and now there is no spark at all.

I am also not getting a spark from the coil to the distributor cap.

 

Ive seen bad modules test good.

 

I went and got a new ICM. I put it in. Now the truck is starting but barely runs. I'm talking like 100RPMs and maybe for about 10 seconds until it stalls out. If I step on the gas it might slowly inch up in RPM but not much. Thoughts?

 

Pull the battery cable loose and count for 30 seconds, and put it back on. Try to start it, and then pull the codes again. I do not like that TPS error code. If it thinks the throttle is wide open, it will turn off the injectors.

 

Ran new codes.

Came up as follows:

22
14
18
14
18


Is it weird it shot out 14 & 18 twice? Perhaps the module I got is bad?



14) The electronic control assembly (ECA) has detected an intermittent loss of Pofile Ignition Pickup (PIP) signal during recent operation.

18) Loss of TACH signal to Electronic Control Assembly (ECA) or, Distributorless Ignition System (DIS) fault - primary circuit failure in coil 1,2,3,4 or Electronic Distributorless Ignition system (EDIS) fault failure in spark angle word (SAW) circuit.

 

I would check the wires going into the module. Make sure none of them are bare, and touching the shield. This wire has a shield for the wires going from the dist to the computer, and if the wire is bare, it can short out against the shield.

 

Are you sure it's not code 11 being repeated twice?

Your first codes should be the KOEO test codes. The computer tests for fault of all the components.

The second set of codes is memory codes. These are the codes that the computer sets aside in memory from the last time the engine ran. (or tried to run).

All the codes should repeat twice in order of importance.

Code 22 would sound like this. Beep... beep... slight pause beep... beep... Then it would go on to the next code if any. Then it will repeat the code sequence once.

Then it will read memory codes.

Code 14: beep... slight pause beep... beep... beep... beep...

Then it would go on to the next code if any. Then it will repeat the code sequence once.

Check all the wiring and make sure it's good as Franklin2 suggested. These can make false computer codes.

Then if it still doesn't start...

Code 14 and 18 are suggesting the profile ignition pickup in the distributor has failed. Possible defective coil, or possible defective Ignition Module or EEC.

Since code 14 is the first code, deal with that one first. Always do repairs in order of the codes.

There is test proceedures for testing coils and the PIP if needed.

 

Can you be more specific about this shield? I took a brief look under the hood tonight. After several attempts to start it it fired up after about the 5th attempt. In rumbled around 100RPM and held steady. When I tried to lightly give it gas it died.

As for the shield, I looked at the wires at the module. They come out toward the front of the motor and then are wrapped in electrical tape for a little ways until they are then covered by that ribbed plastic wire cover that's split down the side. I peeled back that in a few spots to see what's under and it appears it's usually just the unwrapped wire. These wires travel from the module, under the airbox and above the drivers side valve cover and then go thru the firewall into the cab.

It looks like the genesis of the module wires start behind the battery near a bunch of relays and what not.

Anyway, should this cluster of wires have some kind of metal shield within the wires from the module to inside the cab that I'm not seeing? Does it run the whole length or is it only near the firewall?


EDIT: found this thread. looks helpful: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ng-issues.html

 

OK, performed some of the igintion diagnositcs in the Haynes manual. Here are the results I got so far. Seems like there's gotta be a wiring issue screwed up somewhere. Perhaps a ground?

By the way, I noticed my negative battery cable that runs to the frame has some of the black rubber insulator around the outside has worn off and I can see oxidized copper wire. I doubt this is my problem at the moment but I should probably change it at some point soon. What is the little wire that also comes off the battery terminal that has a connector maybe 1 foot from the terminal for?


Here are the test results:

So I started with the TFI-IV system checks on page 5-10 of the Haynes manual.

I hooked a test light up to the battery ground and tach terminal on the coil harness. The light was on brightly before the engine was moved to crank and then dimmed a little once the crank started. From what I've read this is normal.

I then moved on to check primary coil resistance. This came back at 0.7ohms. Acceptable specs is between 0.3ohms and 1.0ohms. So ok here.

Secondary coil resistance: This came back at 8.02ohms on 20K ohm setting. The reading was the same at both the + and - terminal of the coil even though the Haynes manual says to test only the negative. I'm not sure this matters. I would think resistance should be the same at both of these. Acceptable specs are between 8,000 to 11,500ohms. So it looks to me that I just barely make it here. So should be ok here don't you think with the same reading at both terminals and the just making the resistance minimum?

Next was primary circuit continunity check. This is where stuff gets really squirrely. There are several checks here so I'll list each based on step # in the Haynes manual:

17) Check resistance from coil harness connector terminal TACH (coil negative) to module harness connector pin 2. Measurement should be less than 5ohms. If greater, service open circuit in harness and perform general ignition checks.

I then connected the meter to the coil tach negative and pin 2 harness and didn't get a reading until I turned the multimeter up to the 2000K setting and then got a 275. So this is way way way above the acceptable resistance.
For comparative purposes I hooked up the the pin 2 harness to the positive side of the coil harness connector terminal TACH and it got a 0.4ohms reading on the 200ohm setting. This doesn't seem right.

18) Check resistance between coil harness connector terminal TACH (coil negative) to ground. Measurement should be greater than 10,000 ohms. If the resistance is lower, repair the short in the harness and perform the general ignition system checks (see section 3).

I hooked up the meter to the TACH negative at the coil harness to the distributor housing (ground) and it got a 538ohms reading on the 2000 setting. Thus it's below the resistance tolerance level.

19) Check for stray voltage at module harness connector pin 2. No voltage should be indicated. If voltage is indicated, service short to power in harness and perform ignition checks (see section 3).

I hooked up the meter to the battery negative and module pin 2 harness. It moved the meter to read -0.01V on the 20V DC setting. I used a needle to stick into the pin 2 connector to attach the meter. Interestingly when I took the other lead off the battery negative and and attached it directly to the needle in pin2 it moved the meter to 0.00V so no signal was picked up. It's a very minimal reading but could this be an issue?

Last test I did so far was the Ignition coil supply voltage. Again, things seem squirrely here.
23) Measure the voltage at the positive terminal (coil +) of the ignition coil. Voltage should be 90% of battery voltage. If correct voltage is indicated, check coil primary circuit. If voltage is less than 90% of battery voltage, repair the circuit between the ignition coil and the ignition switch.

I hooked up the meter to the battery negative and to the positive side of the coil TACH harness connector and it read 1.55V on the 20V DC setting.
I then hooked up the meter to the battery negative and to the NEGATIVE side of the coil TACH harness connector and it read 11.95V on the 20V DC setting.

This can't be right either. The positive side should be reading the 11.95 V and the negative side should be reading 0.0V I would think. Some wire somewhere has to be open. Perhaps the ground is bad?

 

I took out the airbox to get a better look at the wiring going from the distributor and module area into the cab. I've found the stranded uninsulated ground wire for the shielding and it seems to be connected. I pulled back some of the plastic sheathing around the 3 wires that are covered in foil in a few spots and everything looks ok. I didn't pull back any of the foil because I see no evidence of rodents getting in there or any reason to suspect a wire insulation could have worn away and it now grounding to the shielding. Ugh this sucks.

 

Here is an absolute rookies experience- sometimes even they can help. I ran into similar problems with ignition coil difficulties. I pulled the harness off the coil and the wires where corroded slightly. I replaced with good wire and this fixed the problem momentarily- turns out the wires and connectors inside the black plastic harness were also rusty and flattened making for a poor contact with the coil pins. I put new connectors on the new wire and the problem was solved.
Then the starter went. Bench test failed so I bought a new one- only to have it die again. Turns out the ground wire insulation from batt neg terminal was split near the motor harness that runs to the starter. Inspection showed white corrosion had traveled down into the wire past the shrunken and split old sheath. Replaced it and never had trouble again.

Hope this experience helps for what its worth.
Good Luck