I have a 94' Ranger with a 2.3. It will not start, it seems like it is firing, but not at the correct time.

I got an error code 211. Does anyone know if this is usually the crankshaft position sensor or what?

 

Have you ever replaced the timing belt? Your symptoms sound like the timing belt has slipped.

 

I did check the timing belt through the inspection hole in the timing cover and it is still aligned. I am going to replace it while I have it apart to look at the crank position sensor since it has never been replaced.

 

You've checked for spark at each of the cylinders?

DTC 211 is associated with the PIP (crankshaft position) signal and is often attributable to a bad crank sensor. Like Bob said, if your timing belt were slipping or off a tooth you might also get PIP-related codes. Good idea to change the belt while you are in there.

FYI, I've also heard of 211 codes being thrown when the ignition module is acting up. So while you are at things, be sure to pull the DIS module off and clean all the mounting screws and holes, and the back of the module, as well as the area on the intake manifold where the module gets mounted. Make sure the harness connector is not dirty and/or corroded. Put a light coat of heat sink grease on the back of the module before you re-mount it. The DIS module mounting screws are used as ground, so you want them nice and clean, and the heat sink grease helps prevent corrosion and assists in drawing heat away from the module.

P.S. Welcome to FTE.

 

I took the ignition module off and had it tested at NAPA, it tested good to their machine anyway. I cleaned the contacts on the module with a q-tip and dielectric grease, the heat sink grease was still there and clean so I didn't mess with it and I reinstalled it with the screws that were also still clean.

I did check for spark out of one cylinder of both coils and they worked, but I did not check all of them for spark (it really doesn't sound like it is firing at the correct time on any of the cylinders though). I did check the primary (0.6 - 1.0 ohm) and secondary (14.2 kohm) resistance of the coils and they all checked very consistent, but a little higher than my manual states. The procedure for the primary coils made sense in my manual, but the secondary coil procedure did not. I measured the secondary resistance between the front a rear spark plug towers.

Do you guys know which wires to tie into to test the output of the crank sensor? The wiring diagram and repair manual aren't very clear about this.

I connected to the grey wire and blue wire and I get about 0.24 VAC while cranking. Are these the right wires and is this enough voltage?

The book that I have says it only needs .1 volts, but that seems very low to me. I have used magnetic pickups to signal governors on industrial engines and they usually require at least 2 VAC and measure more like 10 VAC when adjusted properly.>I read one post that said that you should be measuring VAC between the grey wire and ground. I did this and I get 0.06 VAC. This seems way low!?

I really appreciate your input. I have a fair amount of experience with industrial engines and controls, but not so much with newer automobiles. I probably have just enough knowledge and confidence to be dangerous.

Thanks again!

 

Does anyone at least know what the correct output voltage that the crank sensor should be while cranking.

 

On the '94 Ranger 2.3L, the crankshaft position (PIP) sensor and the camshaft position (CID) sensor are located together in the same assembly down at the front of the engine, at the crank.

- To Check PIP Signal to ICM/DIS Module. Set DVOM to 20 volt DC scale. At the DIS Module, connect a DVOM between the PIP signal wire (DB - Dark Blue) and the negative battery terminal. Then crank the engine. The DVOM reading should switch between "low" (less than 2.0 volts DC) and "high" (more than 8.0 volts DC). If not, the Crankshaft Position Sensor or its wiring/connection is faulty.

- To Check CID Signal to ICM//DIS Module. Set DVOM to 20 volt DC scale. At the DIS Module, connect DVOM between CID signal wire (GY - Gray) and the negative battery terminal. Crank the engine. The DVOM reading should switch between "low" (less than 2.0 volts DC) and "high" (more than 8.0 volts DC). If not, Camshaft Position Sensor or its wiring/connection is faulty.

NOTE: “True RMS” DVOMs should not be used with the pinpoint tests because they may display different voltage readings depending upon if the DVOM is turned on first and then the test leads are connected, or if the leads are connected first and then the DVOM is turned on. Also, they may not auto-range to the same range every time and some units will display significantly different values depending on the range selected. When using an analog meter, the polarity of the leads must be observed to prevent meter damage, and remember to turn off the auto-range function.

NOTE: To test PIP or CID, the engine is “cranked” in short bursts (without starting) for at least five revolutions while watching the DVOM. Both the CID and PIP signals are digital and should switch between "high" and "low" readings (as described below) while the engine turns. To see the signal change using the DVOM, the engine must be turned in very short bursts.

 

VDC, very interesting! All of the magnetic pickups that I have worked on in the past were to be measured in VAC since it is basically an alternating current output only a little more of a square wave. See, I told you that my past experience will only make me dangerous.

I will have to grab a manual range, non true RMS meter from work tomorrow.

I am guesing from the very low values that I got while measuring in VAC that it is bad. I think that I should have been seeing more like 4 VAC (0 to 8 sim. to -4 to +4). I am going to have to mess around and see if my theory is true.

Thanks for your help!

 

FWIW, here's something to read through if you're interested in knowing a little bit more about how the Ford DIS ignition system works:

Ford DIS/EDIS "Waste Spark" Ignition Systems

 

Good reads, very comprehensive. I see now that the Hall effect switching mechanism that is in there is a much different device than a magnetic pickup.

I measured between the blue & ground and grey & ground and I get about 10VDC while cranking. Only once after tapping the starter many times did I get my multimeter to blink about 2 volts on the blue wire only, nothing on the grey. This was not giving me any warm fuzzies about the conclusiveness of the test.

So, I unplugged the ignition coils and cranked the engine over by hand with the key on. The blue and grey wires measured 11.2 volts except when the timing mark was between about 100-105 degrees the blue wire would drop down to 0.3 volts and the grey 10.4 volts. On both the droop and the rise the fuel pump cycles. If I understand correctly the way the sensor works I would think that blue wire would switch states at every tooth.

Autozone claims that they can test it. They didn't fair so well on on my ICM, but they are over 50 bucks cheaper on that pricey little piece, so I will start there and have them test the new one as well if they claim that mine is bad.

I sure hope that it is the problem. I am ready to do something else with my spare time.


Oh, I read on a different thread that I will need a gear type puller that hooks over things to get the bottom apart because there isn't any threads to pull on like on a harmonic balancer. If this is true I will need to try to sweet talk the lab manager at work out of one for the weekend. Is it true?

 

I finally found the time to get the crank sensor replaced. It is a very time consuming and frustrating process on that engine. One of my friends came over and asked if maybe I would have been better off starting at the back.

The magnet that is in between the two switches had broken off and was traveling around stuck to the vane with the notches in it that triggers the switch. Thus the odd triggering that I was getting while testing. Now that the computer has a clue where TDC is again, it once again runs normally.