I having a problem with my 92 f150 5.0 dying. I was driving home a couple nights ago truck was running fine when it just died. I could get it started and it would drive about a few miles before dying again, eventually wouldn't start anymore so I had it towed.
Had it pressure tested & has good pressure. The truck will start and run from 10 - 30 min. before dying. KOEO codes are 211 & 625
If I pull the spout plug it will run for hours w/ no problems. While it was running I ran a KOER test & got codes 213 & 225. Code 211 can be a spout short, so I unwrapped the wire assy around the spout & checked for bare wires & shorts w/ a continuity tester. The ones I checked were: the pink wire from the spout to the PCM, the short wire from the spout to the ICM & a gray/orange wire from the ICM to the PCM. Couldn't find any bare spots or shorts.
I don't know what to check or look for from here any help is appreciated.

 

Code 211 may be the key error here. Anytime you see a drop out of the PIP signal you should be concerned. Given the error codes you have received in KOEO and KOER tests I would replace the PIP sensor or get a NEW replacement distributor.

As far as Code 213 goes check for continuity from the circuit to ground. Many times the foil shield rubs a hole through the insulation of the wires then shorts the SPOUT signal to ground.

 

Agreed, but might be worth swapping the TFI first, if only because that's easier to do. You should always carry a spare regardless, so no harm in having a backup if it turns out to be okay. For that matter, I always recommend carrying a backup distributor, seeing as how a roadside swap-out of the PIP isn't really feasible.

 

That is a good point I did overlook. The TFI can also be the cause of the missing, shorted, PIP signal.

 

Thanks for the quick response! I had the TFI tested today at Oreilly's and they say it's ok. So I guess my next move is to replace the pip sensor. I haven't replaced one of these before, any suggestions or guidelines I need to follow?

 

Measure the resistance of the SPOUT pink wire to ground. Make sure it is not shorted by something else.

 

You'll need a press of some sort as the gear needs to be pressed off the shaft to R&R the PIP. More often not, the whole distributor is just replaced.

 

rla2005, I will plug the PCM & TFI back in tomorrow and test the resistance.

 

You would probably be better off starting with those disconnected.

 

The pink wire runs from the spout plug to the PCM. Without the TFI & PCM plugged in, how do I test for resistance to ground? And ground as in the neg. battery cable or the truck body?

 

The PIP sensor and the ICM is good for a check but I have feeling on this one that you may wind up buying a new PCM computer or replacing the filter caps in it..

 

Is there a way to tell if the source of the problem is the computer going bad?

 

You would have to remove it from the truck and then open it up and look for leaking or bulged electrolytic capacitors.
With a 92 I think you still have three electrolytic capacitors to check, my 95 only has two electrolytic capacitors.

Here is a photo of a 1990 with three electrolytic capacitors, yours may be in different places on the board but the caps should look the same. Some posters have replaced the electrolytic capacitors themselves.


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Place one probe of your meter on the pink wire, place the other on a vehicle ground such as the body where one of the grounds is secured or the negative terminal of the battery. Both points are effectively the same because they should be tied to each other.

If the resistance is high, that means it is an open circuit (which it should be) If not you probably have a pinched wire or the shield has rubbed through on the cable bundle.

 

My guess is that you WILL find leaking capacitors - ALL of the ones I've checked so far show evidence of leakage. That said, the PCM seems to work okay (for some time?) with failed capacitors, although I imagine there's a point where it fails.

I would target the PIP first. Like I said, I carry a spare distributor with me all the time and would encourage others to do the same. That's the quickest way, by far, to install a new PIP.