Crank but no start...at wits' end

[zekew64]

Hey all...sorry I've not been back until now.

On to my problem:

Back in April, my timing belt stretched, resulting in a badly timed engine. Long story short, mechanic replaced the belt -- but the truck ran like crap, then completely quit.

I got it back in a non-running condition, as the belt was done as a favor for me by a friend of the mechanic.

What I found:

When I got the truck back, found out that the secondary coil had a badly corroded tower for cylinder #1, and the other coil had high, out of spec resistance. Replaced them. Next, had to remove and replace the DIS CKP sensor shielding, due to a bad wiring job of the bare silver wire that wraps around the CKP sensor signal wires. Next, replaced the ignition harness (ICM, CKP, coils) because of corroded wiring. Put in a tested '93 harness; matched up and attached wire colors to the proper wires at the harness plug. Was given, and tested, three different ICMs; all pass both AutoZone and Advance Auto off-vehicle testing (AutoZone's tester even cycled the test three straight times for each ICM -- no fails). Replaced spark plugs since 6 of 8 were carbon-fouled.

What I have done and tested:

Using easyautodiagnostics.com, checked and verified that the CKP sensor is working and sending signals (both CKP and CID) to the ICM, as well as verifying that both the CKP sensor and the ICM has both power and ground. Replaced the lower intake manifold, since the mounting bolts provide ground to the ICM, and the mechanic broke off both bottom bolts to remove the ICM for testing.

Now, after everything, truck still won't start. I have literally scoured the internet, looking for a list of ground locations, as well as a diagnostic procedure to check the PCM/EEC-IV (computer).

My thought is, since the system uses grounds to run everything, my truck won't start due to the PCM not "talking" to the ICM, which means the ICM can't tell the coils to fire the plugs.

How do I check the PCM? With the computer self-diagnostic check, using a jumper wire?

Where are my ground locations? I know of the negative terminal on the battery, the one for the head on the engine to the windshield wiper motor mounting stud, and the one on the intake side of the engine, on the fender. Also, my negative battery cable attaches to a starter motor mounting bolt -- but there are two smaller wires that go to a connector, and then the wires they plug into disappear in a harness. Where does this harness go, and where are the grounds for this harness?

Also, because of a bad fuel sending unit, I am also replacing the original, 1992-OEM fuel pump assembly (Tank gauge was 1/4 tank off: Basically said there was a 1/4 tank of gas, when there was no gas.).

I want to double-check all electrical items and the PCM before installing the new fuel pump assembly. Any advice, given my issues, would be appreciated.

 

[zekew64]

I also forgot to mention the following:

When I got the truck back, on the driver's side, in the passenger compartment, under the dash near the fuse panel, there was a box with two connectors disconnected. I plugged them back in. But another question I had was this: Under the dash, what is that box, and what does it control? Also, on my '92, there is a white box directly over the transmission hump, but directly under the radio/ash tray. What is this box, and what does this box control? I was told the connector that goes to this box, if jumpered correctly, allows the DTCs in the computer to be read with CEL flashes.

 

[RonD]

In pre-1995 Rangers then ICM(ignition control module) runs the spark, computer "suggests" spark advance and retard timing but that's all it does with spark.

The CKP sensor connects to ICM, ICM passes on the CKP pulses to computer for fuel injector timing.
ICM will run the spark without computer connected, but computer won't start fuel injectors without ICM connection
(in 1995 and up the ICM was moved into the computer, so not a separate unit, that's the start of the new EEC-V computer and OBD2)

First thing I would do is a 50/50 test
Spray ether(starting fluid) or gas into intake and try to start engine
If it fires and dies, then fuel is the problem
If it doesn't fire then spark is the issue

The dual spark plug 2.3l has an odd thing, only the exhaust side spark plugs are used when starting, intake side spark plugs don't work until engine is running.
So only test for spark on passengers side spark plugs when starter motor is turning.

Have you tested compression?
New timing belt can be put on incorrectly, and gasoline won't ignite if compression is under 100psi, 2.3l should have 160+ psi


Do you hear the fuel pump running when key is first turned on?
Ford computer runs the fuel pump for only 2 seconds when key is turned on, after engine starts fuel pump will run all the time, but ONLY after engine starts.
So listen for fuel pump with Key on, it isn't quiet.
Cycle the key on and off as much as you want, it won't hurt anything.

Look here for OBD1 connector image: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/OBD_I.shtml

Second drawing down
It is usually located in engine bay hear firewall drivers side, it is just part of wiring harness not attached to anything
Have seen it on passenger side as well, also under battery one time.

The slot on this connector labelled Fuel Pump on drawing can be used to turn fuel pump on by Grounding this slot, it is connected to Fuel Pump Relay, if key is on then use a jumper from this slot to a Ground and Fuel pump Relay should "click" and you should hear fuel pump running.
Computer does the same thing, it Grounds this same wire to close fuel pump relay and start pump.

 

[zekew64]

RonD:

I have compression. How much, I don't know, but hand-cranking the engine, when I was checking for CKP signal, there was compression. Second, the fuel pump is being replaced because of the faulty sending unit -- I thought I had 1/4 tank of gas; in reality, the tank was bone dry.

About the spark plugs, I know about that. But, I have a question regarding firing order: From the pics in the TL, it shows two FOs for the 2.3, but one pic is with both coils together, the other is with each coil on its respective side. I'm thinking that this pic is showing the difference between '89-91 coil packs vs. the '92-up setup. Ergo, on the pic with the coils separated, it shows sequential numbers:
4-3
1-2 (going counterclockwise)

For the '92-up FO (with coils together, PS of vehicle), it looks like this (non-sequential):
4-2
1-3

Which order is correct?

Other info:

When the mechanic had it to replace the timing belt, it ran very poorly (quit on a test run), but it ran. Now it doesn't run. Could this have been due to a lack of gas in the tank, since the fuel sending unit -- and hence, the gauge -- being 1/4 tank off, and in reality, having no gas at all in the tank?

Thanks again.

PS: Taking the initiative, I ran ground wires from the ICM mounting bolts on the bottom of the ICM. One goes to the negative on the battery, the other goes to a DS ground bolt with other grounds. Good? Bad? Otherwise?

Note 2: Tried to pull codes today, got none at all, not even a Code 11 (indicates a Passing System check). Should I be worried about a fried brain box? The battery has been pulled because of discharging, due to repeated attempts to start the truck.

 

[RonD]

Ford uses Waste Spark system, so your coil pack has just 2 coils inside not 4, each pack has 2 coils.

Firing order for Lima is 1-3-4-2
With waste spark "matched cylinders" both get spark whether they are on compression stroke or exhaust stroke.
On the Lima 1 and 4 pistons are at Top Dead Center(TDC) at the same time, and 2 and 3 are at TDC at the same time
matched pairs are
1-4
2-3

On the coil packs there is a low voltage connector, thats the divider for the coils
[1] | [2]
[4] | [3]
connector

Or
connector
[2] | [1]
[3] | [4]

or

connector[1] [4]
.............. [2] [3]

Doesn't matter if the wires are hooked up 1 4 or 4 1, both get spark at the same time.

So connector determines wiring

 

[zekew64]

But how does that determine the plug connections on each coil individually? I get what you're saying about the paired cylinders. However, in actual operation, when #1 is firing (primary coil), #4 is firing on the other coil.

What I want to know is, since the pre-'91 coils are sequential in the plug connections, did that change for the '92-up coils? If it did not, then you can use the firing order to simply attach the plug wires on the coil, going counterclockwise on the coil, using the tower for #1 as the starting point to attach the rest of the wires.

In other words, if the spark on a coil hits in a counterclickwise direction (on each coil), from the signals given to it from the ICM, then the spark hits each plug in its cycle in a sequential, counterclockwise circle.

 

[RonD]

1 and 4 spark on both coil packs at the same time, so 4 spark plugs are firing at the same time, when engine is running

The the Waste Spark system the 2 spark plugs on 1 coil are wires in Series, so one spark plug sparks from center to tip(normal), the other sparks from tip to center(reverse).
On the dual coil pack set up Ford has one spark plug as "normal" and the other as "reverse" in one cylinder, which is why they "look" different.

Technically is doesn't matter, in reality, the tip on the normal spark will wear more than the center, and the center on the reverse spark will wear more than the tip.
This is why you should use either regular copper spark plugs or Double Platinum, single platinum is a waste of money, sine 1/2 the spark plugs would wear out before the other 1/2, lol.

Not sure how your counter clockwise would workout, it would depend on where you start
Firing order 1-3-4-2
Connector
1 2
3 4

^^^ that doesn't work, 1 and 3 share a coil, and 2 and 4

connector
3 1
4 2

3 and 4 share a coil and 1 and 2

You need 1 and 4 to share a coil and then 2 and 3 on the other coil in that one coil pack.

Nothing changed, as far as I know, in the system ford uses, and the Firing Order hasn't changed, look at where the ICM connects to the coil pack that decides the cylinder wiring.

In the dual setup on the same side of engine you have this:
Connector
3 1
2 4
----
4 2
1 3
Connector

If you flip one so connectors are on the same side you will see the same coil match for 1 and 4, and 2 and 3

 

[zekew64]

RonD: I'll show you what I'm speaking of.

In the Tech Library, when you look up the 2.3 firing order, you get two pictures. One looks like this:

3 1
2 4
-----
4 2
1 3

The second picture looks like this:

2 1 | | 3 2
3 4 | | 4 1

As you can see, on the second picture, the plugs on both coils are sequential, going from #1, counterclockwise. In the first picture, it is the same, but instead of going by simply the numerical order (1, 2, 3, 4), the plug rotation (counterclockwise) is the firing order (1, 3, 4, 2).

Do you get what I'm trying to say? I was asking if the counterclockwise rotation is simply true firing order, rather than numerical sequence, going around the coil (in a circle).