[sonicblue]

here are a couple of codes i got. 15-failure in electronic control assembly-problems with keep alive memory.
51-engine coolant temperature sensor-signal voltage is too high.

the car is progressively getting worse. before it was just intermittent. now whenever i start the car it will barely idle and everytime i hit the gas it will stall out like its starved of fuel. i think the computer is shot. what do you guys think? anyone know of good computer repair shops?

[89LX347]

wait till tengram reads this ...hes freakin amazing at this computer stuff...he will know what to tell you(this is not sarcastic in any way tengram

[sonicblue]

lol....i have found a couple places that will test the computer and if it is good i will just have to pay the shipping back to me. but i would like to hear some other peoples inputs first before i send it off.

[FoxHoss]

it sounds to me like the computer... a lot of times the keep-alive memory is in the ecu and if that is having problems then it sounds like time for a new ecu. good news is that its only bout a 100 bucks from advance auto, kind of a good hit on your wallet but may be more efficent than sending yours out to be tested and what not

[TENGRAM]

Originally Posted by sonicblue here are a couple of codes i got. 15-failure in electronic control assembly-problems with keep alive memory. 51-engine coolant temperature sensor-signal voltage is too high. the car is progressively getting worse. before it was just intermittent. now whenever i start the car it will barely idle and everytime i hit the gas it will stall out like its starved of fuel. i think the computer is shot. what do you guys think? anyone know of good computer repair shops?

do you have a chip installed? 15 is most commonly because of that.

as for the 51: disconnect the ECT sensor and measure the resistance across the 2 terminals on the sensor. the resistance should match the appropriate temperature in this chart (if you do this before you drive it for the day it should match the outside air temp. if you do this right after driving it figure about 180-210*F):



if that checks out ok than you should measure the voltage between the harness connector's terminals. should be about 4-6 volts.

let us know

[sonicblue]

yea i have a chip in it, so hopefully that is why it is throwing code 15. i will def try that in the morning. would the ect sensor really cause the car to run and idle so shitty?

[TENGRAM]

Originally Posted by sonicblue yea i have a chip in it, so hopefully that is why it is throwing code 15. i will def try that in the morning. would the ect sensor really cause the car to run and idle so shitty?

depends on what is wrong with the sensor, but probably not. might be a good idea to run the engine running portion of the test along with the cylinder balance test. that will give us alot better idea of whats going on.

[sonicblue]

sounds good i will run those checks tomorrow and post up what it says. thanks for the help.

[sonicblue]

well i ran the engine running test and it threw codes 98, 51 and 76. when i was doing the cylinder balance test...not sure if i did it right anyways it stalled out, not sure if it was done with the test. the light blinked once right after it stalled. my buddy has my multimeter and i havent been able to get ahold of him yet to get that back. hopefully sat i can do some of the other checks you suggested. any thoughts about what it did during those tests? thanks again

[sonicblue]

also on the check engine timing section it was bouncing from 20ish to 30ish. my base timing is set at 10 degrees.

[TENGRAM]

Originally Posted by sonicblue well i ran the engine running test and it threw codes 98, 51 and 76. when i was doing the cylinder balance test...not sure if i did it right anyways it stalled out, not sure if it was done with the test. the light blinked once right after it stalled. my buddy has my multimeter and i havent been able to get ahold of him yet to get that back. hopefully sat i can do some of the other checks you suggested. any thoughts about what it did during those tests? thanks again

98 means there was a "hard fault" present...it had to go into Failure Management Effects Mode (FMEM). this may be because of the code 51 or possibly because of the chip.

76 is an invalid code, might want to check that again. that code is for other fords that have Vane Airflow sensors (i think the older 4 bangers have those).

it may not have finished the cyl balance test because of the hard fault so after you clear up the 51 it would be worth trying again. if however the cyl balance test ran for a while before stalling its possible it finished and then stalled. if this is the case i would check the #1 cylinder spark plug for signs of fouling and cracks in the porcelain. also i would check that cylinder's plug wire, and if all that looks ok i would suspect the #1 fuel injector.

as for the timing....honestly i've never checked the timing during the self-test. i would check it like normal with the spout plug pulled and verify that it is still at 10*. keep us updated

[sonicblue]

well when i got to checkin on the car today....it didnt have an ecs sensor at all. it was plugged off. so i bought one put it in and it is still running like crap. hopefully i can get to theend of this this weekend. i am about to go look at my buddys stock mustang to see how everything is set up to make sure its not something stupid that the previous owner fucked up.

[sonicblue]

another thing...the map sensor wasnt hooked up either. i am going to hook this all back up, clear the computer and give it a shot. also i am changing the distributor cap and rotor cause they looked nasty. hope this works. got my fingers crossed

[TENGRAM]

Originally Posted by sonicblue another thing...the map sensor wasnt hooked up either. i am going to hook this all back up, clear the computer and give it a shot. also i am changing the distributor cap and rotor cause they looked nasty. hope this works. got my fingers crossed

[sonicblue]

i think the car is just possesed. what should the map sensor be reading with ignition on and then the car running? the car definitely ran better after i put the distributor cap and rotor on. but it still stumbles even with all the new sensors hooked up. i took the chip out to see if that did anything. with the chip out the only code i get is the maf reading is off. i think thats because the car has 24lb injectors and its calibrated for 19. the car does run better,but would the maf being calibrated for the wrong injectors cause it to run this bad? i would imagine so. just want to make sure its all good before i bring it back to the dyno to have it retuned.

[TENGRAM]

Originally Posted by sonicblue i think the car is just possesed. what should the map sensor be reading with ignition on and then the car running? the car definitely ran better after i put the distributor cap and rotor on. but it still stumbles even with all the new sensors hooked up. i took the chip out to see if that did anything. with the chip out the only code i get is the maf reading is off. i think thats because the car has 24lb injectors and its calibrated for 19. the car does run better,but would the maf being calibrated for the wrong injectors cause it to run this bad? i would imagine so. just want to make sure its all good before i bring it back to the dyno to have it retuned.

before, when you mentioned that the MAP (BAP really) wasn't hooked up, you meant that the harness connector wasn't hooked up, right? because the BAP should not have a vacuum hose hooked up to it. it needs to read atmospheric pressure so the port on it should be open to atmosphere.

IIRC the BAP should read about 2.7 volts with the ignition in the "on" position. it recieves a 5 volt reference voltage but the voltage indicated is the smaller 2.7 value because the BAP sensor signal is actually a frequency. special tools are needed to read it and to verify correct reading.


BTW, sorry i didn't notice before, but you didn't have any codes for the BAP so it was functioning correctly.

reset codes and see if the ECT code 51 comes back and if driveability improves.

[sonicblue]

yea code 51 didnt come back on. the only code i am getting is for the maf not being calibrated for the injectors now since the chip is out.or atleast thats what i think that is whats causing code 66 to come on. the car runs ok but it stumbles a little. i would imagine its from the maf/injector combo.

[TENGRAM]

Originally Posted by sonicblue yea code 51 didnt come back on. the only code i am getting is for the maf not being calibrated for the injectors now since the chip is out.or atleast thats what i think that is whats causing code 66 to come on. the car runs ok but it stumbles a little. i would imagine its from the maf/injector combo.

yep. so you're gonna put the chip back on right? let us know how it turns out.

[sonicblue]

i will have to get the chip retuned cause it is all messed up cause when it was tuned it didnt have the ect sensor hooked up so he must have tuned around it. he said he had to do some weird shit to make it work. but with the stock tune it runs much better. just gotta get back to the dyno. thanks for the help