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Early January fire er up and go to run some errands, barely make it home after 1.5 hrs of driving as battery is not charging.
Crusty old battery leads replaced, no charge.
Alternator replaced, no charge.
Voltage regulator replaced, charge!
Van runs well, only visible issue is temperature & oil pressure gauges pointing at the passenger (my wife)
Driving & running well until last week. Temperature & oil pressure gauges slowly return to almost normal.
All of the sudden on a short drive.. circuit burning smell & smoke from passenger area, running very rough.
Intensity of lights, wiper speed etc. following RPM.
Gauges pointing at my wife again, parked the van.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
My friend, If you smelled burning wire and saw smoke, then you are going to have to find out what got how. Now your van has quite a few "fuse links" that are designed to burn out in case a circuit is shorted or overloaded. A fuse link is basically a wire with a smaller piece of wire spliced into it and the whole piece of wire is insulated. The idea is that the small er wire will burn up like a fuse would. They will smoke and the insulation will bubble up over the link area in the wire. Is there anything that has stopped working?
AS to the gauges pointing to the passenger side, that may or may not be related. The oil, temp, and fuel gauge all work through a "voltage panel regulator" or "instrument cluster voltage regulator" If the IcVR goes bad then you will get erratic readings o those 3 gauges.
You need this FORD electrical - vacuum troubleshooting manual specifically for your van. and this one is really cheap compared to ones i have seen in the past for a 1990 econoline https://www.ebay.com/itm/38521457801...RoCpU8QAvD_BwE
This service manual below is also a Ford service manual and the two manuals work together as there are sections in the EVTM that will tell you to reference page so and so in the manual for more information https://www.ebay.com/itm/16268000358...Bk9SR6q686bHYQ
These are Ford manuals and much better then any book you will buy at a parts store.
They are full of high ly detailed illustrations and instructions on any subject you might need to know and they are tailored to your exact year van instead fo a 10 year span.
It will show you how to dissemble the dash for inspection.
Where exactly did the smoke come from? Did it come out a AC vent? From under the dash? ECT.
If you have a burnt wire then it should have blown a fuse. If not a fuse then it was a fuse link. Either way there should be something that does not have power. Get a test light and check all of the fuses on both sides. Fuse links are something else. Between the service manual and EVTM, they will tell you the location of those.
Hopefully you get lucky and find something that has stopped working and can trace down the wiring and repair it. Hope some of this helps.
Not sure if this is from my 85 or 88 manual but believe it to be from my 88 the 88 and 1990 are not all that different.
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This is info from my 81 EVTM but still applies to this issue.
Thank you so much for your detailed & thorough response, as well as the multiple links and uploaded schematics. Looks like I have a bit of work ahead of me.
I am in Canada and the ebay shipping costs for those items are astronomical, however I was able to track them down locally on craigslist and will be picking them up later this week.
I have not noticed anything specific that has stopped working, apart from the van running very poorly. Could this indicate that one of the multiple engine sensors or corresponding fuse links has gone?
The smoke that I saw came from the passenger side dash area. Seemingly not from the vents as it was hovering for a moment and the heat was turned on high.
Also, looks like a new “instrument cluster voltage regulator” might be a little challenging to track down.
You are very welcome !
Once you get your manuals, it will show you detailed instructions on removing the dash pad so you can have a look down inside there. I am not sure what if anything uses a fuse link on that side of the dash. There is a log going on behind the instrument panel as well as the radio and hvac controls but a you move towards the rt side, there is very little. Under the hood on the rt side there is a log going on and if you were running the heater at the time, some smoke could have come in through the fresh air vent but then you would have seen it come from the vents.
between both manuals they will show the wiring inside under the dash as well as outside under the hood.
As to the ICVR, here is a thread where I was trying to adapt an older ECVR to my 88. I have not done it yet but it will happen this spring as I now have several issues to take care of such as replace turn signal switch, replace bulbs in IC, lube odometer cable, replace ICVR, and finally re-clock the steering wheel after replacing all the tie rod ends. Your 1990 steering wheel centering is adjusted with the tie rod ends. my 88 isn't. I have to get an alignment and then clock the steering wheel.
Thanks for the info and link about the ICVR, good luck with your upcoming spring projects!
I ended up having a bit of time today and started to pull apart the dash, following your tip about the RT side of the dash and my nose; I was led to the EEC-IV unit down low.I pulled it out and found that connection #20 was fried, no electrical manual yet but my Haynes schematic describes it as a black wire that leads to the vehicle speed sensor.
Would following this black wire and looking for a fault be the logical next step?
Will I need to replace my EEC-IV unit? How about the EEC-IV connector?
Well I am glad that you found that issue and hope that is it. I would think that to have smoke though, it would have to be more then just the connector itself. Perhaps the PCM or the corresponding with. I know that when electrical connectors get hot enough to burn, you can not just clean and put it back together, you have to replace the connector or perhaps better said, "pin". I have never done it but read several posts about re-pinning pcm's so I know the pins have to be able to be removed from the connector. The issue would he where to find a new pin to solder or crimp to the wire. Perhaps a solution would be to go to a junk yard and find a PCM connector and pull out the a pin with the correct color wire and cut it off so that you can splice the wire together on your van.
There are several great folks here that know the electronics on these older vans very well. subford is one that comes to mind. He cold probably tell you exactly what you need to do and what to look for. You need to try to figure out what caused the failure to start with so it doesn't happen again. Was it just old and corroded? Did it get damp? Was the PCM replaced in the past and the pin damaged? If It is a ground connection, is the ground on the other end of the wire not making good contact and caused the pin to overheat? Was there a loose connection in the PCM? Those are just some possible reasons for the failure.
I say "ground" because a pin out diagram i have shows it could be a ground. I am not sure exactly where i got this diagram from, perhaps in the emissions section om my manual or from the internet but it is in my list of files. According to this diagram, pin 20 is the case ground. pin 20 is also circuit 57. Circuit 57 also connects to pin 6 and pin 6 is the speed sensor also labeled circuit 57.
I know the case ground on my 88 is part of a clip that holds the back of the PCM up. The clip does the actual grounding while a braided ground wire is connected to the clip.
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You can see the ground terminal here and I would bet your 1990 is the same?
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Here is the pin out diagram that I have. Again though I am not exactly sure where I go it from bu tit is a ford OBD1 PCM and has terminals for the E4OD transmission controls. I believe the first E4OD to go in a van was in 1989.
I hope this helps
On the diagram I posted it shows BK for Black like JWA mentions. Thanks for point that out JWA!
Also you might do well to start a new thread titled something like "how do you repair a burnt ECM pin" or "help with burnt PCM pin". That might attract the attention of some of the guys who have done this repair. I would also say that you are looking at a rebuilt ECM. Again though if you have experience with electronics and you think it is just the pin, then you might be able to replace the pin from a junk yard PCM. I bought a rebuilt ECM from RA 2 years ago and never installed it because I solved my issue changing out one of the sensors. Way past warranty or return so I hope that when I do need it, it works!
Not sure but if you have a C6 or AOD transmission then I believe the processor is called a ECM (engine control module) and if you have a E40D transmission, then it is a PCM, powertrain control module.
I would think that with the burnt ground, perhaps it was running in limp mode.
Does it run?
I agree, your processor is most likely fried
If you have traced the burnt wires to the speed sensor circuit, those wires just have milli volts on them
Maybe the VSS shorted out, but I have never seen them toast the wires either way
Easy to replace those pins in the processor connector
Pull the cover off, pull the red? plastic insert, look down in there, see a tab on each wire
Those tabs need to be lifted away from the wire then you can pull it out
We used to send good processors back to Ford (warranty repairs) and they would sometimes reject the claim
They put bulletins out about it, We learned in screwel to give them the smell test
I learned to let the smoke out of them, before sending them back, to prevent me from ever getting back flagged
Yours is classically burnt
I do not think that has any thing to do with your gauge issue
Used to replace an IVR once in a while, or you have a short in that circuit too
Pointing to your wife means exactly what? pegged hot, high ?
Here is a good video about many different Ford connectors and around 4:40 is a newer PCM but he removes the red insert like Manic mentions. If you watch the whole video it will help you understand how the pins lock in.
If the plastic connector housing itself is burnt and needs replaced, I do not know if you can buy an after market housing or if you need to go to a junk yard and get one. That will be a job replacing the housing. I would not rely on books for the wire circuits and colors if replacing the housing. I would take pics and make my own diagram with wire colors. I have ran across some errors occasionally in some documentation..
Replacing the PCM wil solve the connector issue in it.
BTW, How did you remove the connector from the PCM? specifically, how did you reach the bolt head that holds the connector on? I have had my connector loose 6 years ago when I was rebuilding the AC system. To replace the evaporator core I had to remove the housing and if I remember, the connector had to come loose first.
Thanks again, annaleigh, for your prompt, thorough response, diagrams and photos. You are a huge help!
I was able to remove the connector from the PCM by reaching below the blower motor/heater unit and loosening the bolt. Looks like I will probably have to remove that whole unit in order to have better access the connector for repair.
Thank you for the video links, repair looks very straightforward.
Will start the hunt for a replacement pin!
My PCM is held up and attached the same way as yours.
Looks like RA has a remanufactured one for me, not terribly expensive.
So the clip & braided wire act as the case ground, but my burnt pin #20 is also a case ground?
New PCM, new pin and looks like I have some problem finding to do.
I have plenty of mechanical repair experience but very little electrical.
Would it be safe to assume that the VSS is also toast?
Does it run?
I agree, your processor is most likely fried
If you have traced the burnt wires to the speed sensor circuit, those wires just have milli volts on them
Maybe the VSS shorted out, but I have never seen them toast the wires either way
Easy to replace those pins in the processor connector
Pull the cover off, pull the red? plastic insert, look down in there, see a tab on each wire
Those tabs need to be lifted away from the wire then you can pull it out
We used to send good processors back to Ford (warranty repairs) and they would sometimes reject the claim
They put bulletins out about it, We learned in screwel to give them the smell test
I learned to let the smoke out of them, before sending them back, to prevent me from ever getting back flagged
Yours is classically burnt
I do not think that has any thing to do with your gauge issue
Used to replace an IVR once in a while, or you have a short in that circuit too
Pointing to your wife means exactly what? pegged hot, high ?
Yes, the van runs but poorly.
Rough and sputtery acceleration, idle is all over the place, nearly dies when coming to a stop.
Intensity of lights, wiper speed and other electronics follow RPM of motor.
Doesn’t feel right!
Any ideas on where to find a replacement pin, other than the scrapyard?
Pointing to the wife means very hot. Past the ‘normal’ scale and as far right as the little guy can stretch.
Oil pressure riding just past ‘normal’ scale
Battery showing around the middle but bounces around.
Thanks Freefirewood for the info on the connector. With the blower motor/evaporator vase cover removed it was easy to access the connector. If your AC is working though, you may want to; see if there is any other way to access the ECM connector then dissembling the AC system as you will be opening up a who new issue.
As to the connector pins. Perhaps call these guys. about half way down the page are some obd1 parts. IST Products
Another place to call might be a shop that rebuilds the PCMs
Is the VSS bad? i have no experience with the VSS but am sure it's tied in with your speed control system, AKA cruise control. I think Ford uses "speed control". once you have your manuals they should have a section on troubleshooting the speed control.
As to grounding. I am not usre on that either but know that the PCM uses the ground on many sensors and that electricity will take the least path of resistance to ground. If you do not have a good case ground then perhaps all of the smaller ground circuits are being used instead. that would overload them. It could also be that circuit 57 is a main ground for several circuits.. Again the manuals should have all of that information. There were some changes between my 88 and your 1990 so my manual does not show the VSS. I think your VSS may be on the rear axle where my rear axle has no VSS. You may also have anti lock brakes where the 88 doesn't.
The running very poorly is probably the PCM in limp mode.
There's one more piece of literature that may help you out at some point and that is the actual wiring diagram of the whole van. It looks like your 1990 diagram is in a book where mine if 4 or 6 large fold out sheets. Mine is the complete wiring schematic. i have only used mine once and that was helping someone else!
Just for reference https://www.ebay.com/itm/383758693193
Replace the processor. Find one before you cannot
The individual pins themselves should be available in a few wiring kits that you can find new
I am surprised it runs
Make sure the vss is disconnected for the next test drive and put a DVOM on those wires
See how much ac milivolt output you have or if there is a wiring short
The temp gauge might have a short
If that wire grounds the gauge pegs
Replace the sender if you see no wiring issue
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