Any advice for 94 Ranger 4.0L lacking power?

[BillBert]

I'm a mechanic trying to help a young man from church who's truck has a serious lack of power at higher RPM. This is a 4.0 V6 with the distributorless ignition system (OBD1) and I'm reasonably sure the issue is that the timing is stuck at 10 BTDC.

It has code 211 set, which is PIP circuit fault, but I don't have the scanners to further diagnose a car from this era. Is there a way to verify if the PIP signal is reaching the EEC module without using a scanner?

 

[Shran]

Did someone pull the SPOUT connector? On older trucks that had distributors, you would pull that when setting the base timing to disable spark advance. IIRC on a 4.0 it had a different but similar function and it was called an octane shorting bar, and removing it would retard the timing.

Does it have a tach and if so is it working?

The way I read it is that the crank position sensor generates your PIP signal which gets relayed into the ignition module and the ECM. It won't start without a functional crank sensor but if there is a wiring issue or something interfering with the signal at high RPM's, or an issue with the ignition module or ECM itself, it might throw that code.

Maybe look at these:

Thread 'Starts, then dies (1994, code 211)'

Feb 2, 2008

Just suddenly started doing this...

When cold, the engine will start right up, then it idles pretty fast (about 2200 RPM) for about 5 seconds, then it drops down & dies. If I give it a bit of gas, I can keep it running.

After about 1 minute, something seems to "kick in" and then it runs & idles fine.

Code 211 says "Profile Ignition Pick-up circuit failure" in my Haynes book, but I'm a bit lost where to go with it (and of course there's not even a hint about it in the Haynes book ). It doesn't seem intermittent, the truck still runs perfect after it's been running for a bit...

• 4x4junkie
• Replies: 6
• Forum: 4.0 Liter Forum

help with 211 code Profile Ignition Pick-up circuit fault

Hi everyone, I pulled mi codes this morning and got a continuous memory code : 211 Profile Ignition Pick-up circuit fault. My truck is a 94 5 speed. I would like to know if anybody has suggestions as to fixing this and in what way it affects my engine. Thank you very much and have a nice day!!

www.explorerforum.com

 

[BillBert]

Thank you for this info I read through those posts. I will check the Octane Adjust connector during the next visit. Is it still on the driver's side near the battery? I will text him asking about the Tachometer.

The diagrams I've found for the 4.0 show the Crankshaft Position Sensor (CKP) as generating a signal which is sent to the ignition module (ICM). The ICM forwards that signal to the engine computer (ECM) in the form of a PIP signal. The ECM uses the PIP to generate the timing comtrol signal (SAW) which it sends back the ICM.

My thought was that the Crank Sensor is fine or it wouldn't run at all, but the Ignition or Engine modules might not be sending/receiving the PIP. I can do a continuity test on the wiring, but it would be nice to be able to test the Engine and Ignition modules rather than just buying new parts.

 

[SenorNoob]

I don't think I've ever heard of either of those parts failing like that. Or of a way to test them for that. The only thing I can think of would involve a oscilloscope.