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Finally solved the dreaded 224 code


macx

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1993
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Ford
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Long story short, a few months ago bought what turned out to be a badly neglected 93 2.3 5 speed. Not that many miles at under 80k, but lots of things not working right after I started digging into it to cure what at first seemed to be a minor road-speed driveability problem.

Have seen a lot of posts about 224 & similar codes, lots of hair pulling and agony, so hope this might help somebody with that problem.

Ran the codes, WHOLE bunch of them. Followed the codes. Started with the ECT, IAT & TPS. That helped, still didn't run right. Then an 02 sensor.

Added an IAC, that helped with some of the steady throttle lower rpm jerking that had developed after I changed the first batch of sensors. OH - it had also started going pretty high idle for about 20 seconds, like 3k, when I started the engine at all warm.

Ohm'd the plug wires, and the coils, OK. But had the 224 code among others, so got a new primary coil. The existing one had a questionable connector altho it ohm'd OK and had continuity. Helped, but didn't fix it. Then got a new ICM after the old one tested bad. Same story, helped, but still not fixed.

Was trying to avoid that PITA crank position sensor.

Got a used computer, that helped quite a bit but then the crank position sensor went bad, wouldn't hardly start or run, so bit the bullet and changed that. After all that, the used computer still didn't work very well, so ordered a reman.

With the new computer, FINALLY only had one code left, that 224, and a continuous check engine light. Engine ran pretty good, but I had to get that light and code cleared for re-licensing this summer.

Being 224 says erratic signal to the computer from the ICM, I took the ICM off (new one) and had it tested. Tested out fine 6 times. By then the truck ran pretty decent, none of the driveability problems, just still had the check engine light and the 224 code, and the tach read way low.

Did a bunch more reading online, that 224 can also indicate a bad coil I guess the IDM (ignition diagnostic monitor) inside the ICM can detect that. Had swapped between the 2 coils that came on the truck a couple times before. Had even swapped out the new one just to try it in case it was bad, but no change.

This morning after a couple hours of digging thru my oem shop manuals, I disconnected the wires from the coils to the ICM, and checked them for continuity. they were OK. Took the computer plug off and checked the wires between the ICM and the computer, the IDM signal to the ecu and the SPOUT signal from the ecu to the ICM. Good continuity there, too.

So as a last resort, I swapped out the secondary coil, after all the coil swapping it had ended up the one with the questionable connector.

VOILA! NO check engine light. NO codes. And the tach WORKS!

So apparently 224 can point to one of at least 3 things - the ICM itself, the crank position sensor, or a bad coil, either primary or secondary.

Apparently what was going on was that the secondary coil wasn't working right and altho the engine ran good on the primary coil, that bad secondary coil was sending erratic signal to the ICM / IDM which passed it along to the computer where it stored it as a 224 code and kept the engine check lite on.

One thing I noticed, when the crank position sensor went bad, the engine would barely start or run - - MUCH worse than with a bad coil or even a bad ICM.

That stuff sure can run a guy around in circles, though! I was real close to taking it in to a dealer and have him put his fancy diagnostic equipment on it.
Thought there might be a break or a short in one of those wires, that's why I tested continuity on them.

Thank goodness I finally hit on a good secondary coil and saved probly a couple hundred bucks by not having to take it to a dealer!
 
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alwaysFlOoReD

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It's great you posted your findings,thanks.

Richard
 

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