2 things I need advice on.

[mattging94]

So the first thing I need advice on is some ignition stuff. I'm getting codes 223 and 224, which suggest either the coil packs or ignition control module are bad. So far both coil packs and the ICM have come up as ok. I'm still suspicious of the ICM, but I don't want to just start buying parts until I know for sure whats tripping the codes. Anybody have advice you can give me on where to go from here? I can take it to the AAMCO where I had the codes scanned and they can work on it for $90 an hour, which is more than I want to spend, but at the same time I'm starting to think that this issue is beyond what I'm comfortable working on.

The second thing I need advice on is my catalytic converter. I just realized it's leaking right out the bottom of the heat shield. It sounds kinda crappy where the leak is, so I'd like to either replace the cat or delete it all together. Thing is, while just deleteing the cat will be way cheaper and easier, I'm gonna be spending six months in the Sacramento area in the future, and I don't want to get ticketed for busting California smog-laws. So does anybody know if they check emissions in the Sacramento area a lot, and if I would even be subject to them living there temporarily? How much are the fines for breaking emissions in California any ways? What are the odds I'd get caught running without a cat around Sacramento?

 

[shane96ranger]

If you suspect the Ignition Control Module, pull it out and take to Autozone. They can test it there for you.

Also, talk of eliminating catalytic converters is forbidden on here, and strictly monitored. Just an FYI.

 

[mattging94]

I did have the ICM tested at autozone; the guy tested it about 6 or 7 times and about the 5th try it got some kind of fail but the guy seemed to think that the connectors to the test machine had come loose, so he checked all the connections and ran the test two more times and it came back clean after that. He also said he wanted to compare it to a new one, but they didn't have any new ones in stock so that wasn't possible. I also think this guy was fairly new, so for those reasons I still have my doubts about the ICM. Do you think the ICM could show a fail on the tester and then go back to coming up clean, or would it show a fail every time after the first fail?

And my apologies on the catalytic converter thing; I had no idea that was agaisnt the rules of the forum.

 

[shane96ranger]

I did have the ICM tested at autozone; the guy tested it about 6 or 7 times and about the 5th try it got some kind of fail but the guy seemed to think that the connectors to the test machine had come loose, so he checked all the connections and ran the test two more times and it came back clean after that. He also said he wanted to compare it to a new one, but they didn't have any new ones in stock so that wasn't possible. I also think this guy was fairly new, so for those reasons I still have my doubts about the ICM. Do you think the ICM could show a fail on the tester and then go back to coming up clean, or would it show a fail every time after the first fail?

And my apologies on the catalytic converter thing; I had no idea that was agaisnt the rules of the forum.

It took somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 tests for mine to fail on my Mustang. He told me it was because it needed to heat up first. They gave me a new one because I have a lifetime warranty on it.

EDIT: I looked up the price on yours ($140 here). Holy crap, someone is proud of that thing!

 

[mattging94]

Yeah, the guy did say he was testing it a few times so it would warm up, and when he handed it back to me it was warm to the touch. What other possible things could be causing the 223 and 224 codes? When I tested my coil packs, both of them showed 0 ohms for the primary resitance and about 12.75k ohms for the secondary resistance; those are both good numbers, right? Could the PCM be the problem? When I had the codes ran it also came up with a code 543 which is "fuel pump ciruit open: battery to PCM" according to my Haynes manual. It also got one other wierd code that the AAMCO guys didn't know what it was and they didn't print it out on my service report, so....maybe the PCM is making up problems that aren't really there...

 

[Bryan22]

if the ICM failed at try 5 i would still be suspicious. The numbers on the coil packs are good.

as for the 543, ive never had any experience with that one. but heres what the tech library showed for it...

(O) Fuel pump monitor circuit shows no power - Power / Fuel Pump Circuits
(M) (Service 556 code first if present) Fuel pump relay or battery power feed was open - Power / Fuel Pump Circuits

the O is key off test and M is memory. either way, first thing id be looking at is the relay. good luck.

 

[mattging94]

Thanks. I'm gonna look and see how much a junk-yard ICM is; If it's not too bad I might just go for it and hope that solves the problem. Sounds like that would be the most likely culprit.
I havent looked into the 543 code yet, but thanks for giving me an idea of where to start.

On another note, I popped the heat shield off my catalytic converter to see where it was leaking; found a thin crack running from the left side to the right side accross the bottom. I should be able to get my hands on a welder monday and seal up that crack. Right now this leak sounds like a growling chihuahua when the engine is running, so sealing it up should make the truck sound way better!

 

[Bryan22]

either take it off and gut it for now if you can't afford a new one or go get a new one. if it's cracked it's probably ready to come apart if it hasnt allready. then it'll plug the muffler and the truck wont hardly run. ask me how i know. haha. i would have the ICM tested again somewhere else before buying a new one. hope it all works out.

 

[mattging94]

Wow, sounds like you had a heck of an experience! I think for now I'm still gonna weld up that crack until I can get a new catalytic converter. I'll try and get a magnaflow one! Thanks for the warning though, I would've never thought about that happening! What did you to get your muffler unplugged? Or did you just have to put a new one on?

I'll see if I can find some other places that can do ICM testing.

 

[Bryan22]

I ended up just getting a new cat and muffler. I was going up a grade and the sound changed a bit and the truck just started slowing down, 2nd gear on the freeway back to town sucked.

any luck with the ICM?

 

[mattging94]

No, I haven't been working on it much this week. (I've had a slight case of lazyness lately!)
I did find some other tests I can try for locating the source of the 223 code from an old thread on here; I just need to get a buddy of mine to be my second set of hands. Hopefully I can figure out the problem from those tests.

 

[dorough]

Did you ever get this 223 & 224 code issue figured out? I just bought my son a '93 Ranger & it has the same codes, so I need to get them cleared out too.

 

[Frank The Tank]

Stay away from California. Theyll turn you liberal.

 

[kryptonitecb]

I was stationed in California and as long as your out of state tags are current they shouldn't bother you. I knew people that would drive to neighboring states to avoid California emissions.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[mattging94]

I did end up figuring out that it was infact the ICM tripping the codes. I figured it out when I installed an explorer guage cluster and the tach was only reading 1/2 of what it should.