93 4.0 code 341 what the heck is an octane pin???
 

Hey all,

good to be back. I sold my 93 aero (the beach bomber) with all the funky deerhunter lights and huge safari rack on top (2wd too :-) )

short story: Bought it for $2000 when it was worth $4k from a boss who gave me a deal when the baby was new. Drove it for 6 1/2 years with little problems and/or repairs needed. P/S pump and the front rack was the worst trouble it gave me. Monsterized the hell out of it (I think some of you remember a photo I either emailed or posted once) and was hooked on aero's for life. Near the end she needed shocks, bushings, A/C work and etc. Instead of doing All that work we just decided to finally sell it (it became a mexcan paint truck {sniff} sold for $1000 without the safari rack and lights.

We flipped that $1000 into another 93 Aero off Craigs list here in NC. I bought for $1k a 93 that looked the same as mine, although a lighter green. All the things I wanted to do to mine were already done...new A/c system, bushings, brakes (complete, including calipers and rear cylinders) and the list went on. Had a bad alternator and the Dr. selling it just didn't want to pay the $700 (huh?) to get the dealer to fix it. It was dealer serviced it's whole life.

So now I'm back....I took a bit of a break from here cause nothing has gone wrong.

until:

check engine light and bad pinging. Turns out the Mass air flow sensor.

"you're ass" I say at $120 for the part. I have the "special tool" so I took it apart and serviced and cleaned it (KI have done before)

Codes are clean, runs much better

Question:

Got a code 341 Octane adjustment service pin in use

???

Never heard of such an animal. ALl other codes are gone (yay)

so, what is 341? googleing it says it is an information code only, meaning it was installed.

So where is it?
what is it?
Is it broke?


and how the heck has everyone been?


dave in NC
93 aero

Same Bold refreshing taste
new lighter green color

The octane adjustment plug sets the timing slightly advanced compared to running without it. If you have bad knocking problems, you can try pulling it to retard the timing to see if it helps. It is usually taped to the wiring harness near the brake booster chamber.

Are you talking about the SPOUT plug? Pulling that out will give you no spark advance at all and the car will run like a dog and get horrible gas mileage.

Check this..................
http://rogueperformance.com/Timing.html

Disregard the location info....on the 'Star its up near the firewall just to the left of the brake booster.....the main info here is how to adjust your advance.....

DTC 341 indicates OCT ADJ shorting bar is not in or the OCT ADJ circuit is open.

means that someone aka Ford shop tech removed the Octane Plug shorting bar which reduces timing by approx 4d. done to reduce engine pinging.
Ford has TSB on problem and their own special expensive combustion chamber cleaner

use a can of Berryman B12 and search Aero forum for cleaning combustion chamber
spark plug selection is also critical in this engine, only MC or Autolite plugs double plats or iridium and correct heat range

or the Octane Plug wiring or connector are corroded or damaged, opening 1 wire circuit to PCM...
plug on 2 wires, dk grey/red and dark grn

the SPOUT connector is not involved with this fail code but can be physically confused with Octane Plug....the SPOUT plug is on 2 pink wires

Cookkd,

There are indeed 2 plugs (at least), one is the octane (timing) adjustment, and the other is the SPOUT. On my 91, there is a third plug with yellow wires right in the middle front. I haven't figured that one out yet.

Well, I looked at my 91 3.0 and compared everything with the EVTM. Here is the skinny:

The 3.0 does not have the octane adjustment. The plug is not there.
On the 3.0 the other plug is known as the SPOUT plug. That same plug on the 4.0 is The SAW plug.
As for the third plug, my 91 has a gray one hanging there, so I checked on my 90, and that plug is used for the light that comes on when you lift the hood. My 91 does not have the light (but the plug is there).

I pulled one plug (SPOUT) on my '92 3.0 and it got rid of the knock, but then when you revved it to high rpm it would sputter, pop and lose power. I though my book said there is a pin in the actual distributor that physically changes the timing but it looked too hard to get to. Finally just had the distributor turned to retard 4 degrees. No more knock. Not as peppy, but runs good at all rpms.

TallPaul:

Did you check the modulator on the tranny? Maybe the diaphragm ruptured. That will make your engine knock.