AAArgh, ignition issues

[Broncobill78]

I'm working on an 88' for a friend and this truck is just wearing me out.

His initial problem was that he couldn't get the truck to crank/start by using the key. He was turning the key to the run position & jumping the solenoid to get it started. He brought it over to a 3rd party to look at and by the end of the first night it still wouldn't crank from the start position but now in addition to that the steering wheel & column shifter wouldn't unlock and there was no spark at all (good lesson here, don't stand there & watch the guy working on your ride polish off a 12-pack).

After towing it to my place I started looking at it. The ignition actuator rod looked like it had been gnawed on by a gator and it had a 60* bend in it up by the lock cylinder. After looking more closely I noticed the cast aluminum piece that the rod attaches to was broken, the long shaft part of it that rides in the column guide had snapped off. Rather than rebuilding THAT collection of watch parts I replaced it with a scrapyard column & added a new ignition switch while I had it out. At this point it still has no spark. The ign switch, coil & TFI module have all been replaced with no improvement. I can't start it for a proper KOEO test but running one anyways nets me a code 67 and since it has an AOD & not the E4OD that seems to leave the neutral safety as the thorn the PCM doesn't like.

A couple hours with the test light & multimeter came up with low voltage (1.3 volts) from the #2 (2nd one up from the bottom) TFI connector and good continuity thru the rest of the harness.

I haven't been able to score a copy of the factory manual volume H yet & I'm flying kinda blind at this point so any help or suggestions will be welcome since this thing is now becoming a personal challenge to my masculinity.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Hey Dave!

Welcome back /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Code 67 is Neutral safety circuit failure. So it seems pretty obvious that is part of your problem.

Is the engine cranking?

If no... NSS

Do you have spark?

Does it start if you jump the solinoid?

Low voltage may be related to a bad ground, did you check the little wire grounds?

Both sides of the radiator support, the one by the pcm? etc? I have a list of them for a '90 and another for 92-96 around here somewhere.

Glad to have you back.

joe

 

[Broncobill78]

Thanx, glad to BE back /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

yes, the engine cranks. It HAD spark when he brought it over to the other guys house but didn't when he had it towed over here. It started ok when he jumped the solenoid that's how he'd been running it for a couple weeks, but again, it somehow lost spark while it was parked at the other place.

The grounds I've ck'd look ok but I don't have a list of all of them. Every time I get involved in one of these projects it makes me remember why I like the 78/79's SO much more. So far all the pins & connectors I've ck'd have good voltage except for that #2 spade on the TFI connector. I'm not sure just *where* the voltage for that particular spade comes from nor do I know where that one grounds out and just *thinking* about checking that whole rats nest of a harness makes me cringe. The battery voltage is good (12.3V).

I'm pretty sure that whatever happed to it happened when the drunk was screwing with it. Before going over there it had spark, started, ran, shifter & the steering wheel unlocked. The only real problem was that it wouldn't crank from the start position (unfortunately I don't know if the damage to the column was there before he brought it over there or not) so he had to jump the solenoid to get it started.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

What color is the wire going to that #2 spade.

IF it is DG/Y it appears that it goes to the neg side of the coil.

IF it is Y/LG that appears to connect to a timing test lead and then to the EEC.

The EEC is grounded at G104 LH rear of engine compartment near the EEC module.

If this doesn't make sense, I can TRY to scan a diagram out of my '90 EVTM no guarantees though.

 

[Broncobill78]

I ck'd the voltages again and got good readings from terminals 2,3 & 4. Replaced the NSS just for good measure and still have no spark so at this point I figure I'm looking at a problem with either the PIP or SPout. I have the 88' EVTM but I appreciate the offer.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Does that truck have an EEC relay? I suspect that it does, and should be easy enough to check, otherwise You could check that the pick coil inside the dizzy is properly grounded, and then do the test light check at the coil like bidi discribed months ago.

 

[Broncobill78]

Haven't ck'd for the EEC relay yet but the coil is new & just to be thorough I ck'd it anyways w/the test light (very dim & it never flashed)

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Dave,

this links to the thread I was thinking of... gotta run

http://broncozone.com/forums/index.php?s=&...ost&p=75114