Dealer says replace it? What do you think?

I am giving a lot of info so you guys can help figure out this problem. You guys that put in after market chips usually know more about the ECM than the average wrench turner!

Vehicle:

1991
E350 15 passenger van
351 V8
overdrive trans
rear antilock brakes
54000 original miles


Problem:

Drives fine usually but occasionally it looses power, wont idle, and has black smoke with strong fuel odor.

This seems to happen whether it is cold or hot.
In other words when first started in the morning or after driving 15 miles.

When it occurs at idle, a stop light for instance the motor just quitly dies. If I notice it quickly I can keep it running by pressure on the throttle.

When it occurs at highway speed I just loose a lot of power and have black smoke, but it can stay running.

If it ever does actually die I can usually just start it back up without a problem. Sometimes it even starts normally after dieing and the problem is gone, other times it starts but still wont idle.

Twice it has refused to start after it died. Both times it started and ran fine after about twenty minutes.

I did check the trouble codes and gave up after writing down almost thirty codes. Many codes cotradict each other.

I tried to clear the codes to see if any codes are newly reset but they wont clear.

I took it to the dealer for diagnosis and they say replace the ECM ( $ 400 ) then see if anything else is wrong.

I don't want to throw parts at it but I don't know.

By the way, the "Check engine" light comes on when this problem occurs.

Has anybody had these problems?

 

What are some of the initial codes?

Ken Payne
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These are some of the codes I wrote down.

KOEO test (The only one I did before I pulled out my hair)


118 638 126 122 112 565
621 513 553 552 556 622 631
629 626 624 638 and others I can't find them now.
Also 324? (not listed in my book but I got it twice so I know I wrote it down right)
65 (cars only? except pre 1988 trucks according to my book)

I also forgot to mention that the light on the overdrive dissable button blinks at regular 1 second intervals occasionaly.
That may be what the code 631 means? maybe?


The dealer says they got about 28 codes and can't communicate with unit. They also say that there is no removable PROM on this unit but Autozone sells a replacement without a PROM and say I have to buy the PROM seperately. I would be interested in a PROM that would improve fuel economy more than one that improves power. I mean it IS a FIFTEEN PASSENGER VAN you know. :-)


Thanks for any help.

 

If you're looking for more mileage from an aftermarket chip, give up. Their function is more power. Any mileage increase is offset by the fact that you have to run premium. I'll see what I can dig up on the codes, but I suspect your dealer is right and the computer is bad.

Ken Payne
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Follow up.

The dealer replaced the ECM.
It took 10 days due to waiting for a part.

All codes are gone and now the van runs good.

Also I met a tech from Ford at church and he said that the Ford Econoline vans up to 1991 had a problem with water getting into the ECM and coroding the contacts. There was no recall as far as he knew.

 

Good to hear that they resolved it! :-)

Ken Payne
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