ECC FAILURE?

[kyle1468]

okay so I've been battling a no start issue on my 88 Ford Ranger with the 2.9L. I've replaced distributor ignition module plugs wires and cleaned everything even checked timing chain. i have fuel pressure at rail 35psi. weird thing is when i unplug SPOUT i have spark and truck starts off of starting fluid. when i plug SPOUT in i have no spark. i have ohm tested SPOUT wire to ECC checks out I've uncovered it to visibly make sure its good. i don't have anymore ideas i am puzzled as to why when its unplugged it will start but when SPOUT plugged in i lose spark. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[franklin2]

Can you talk to the computer and get any codes from it?

 

[RonD]

If fuel injectors are not working then yes it is most likely a Computer issue
Computer gets the PIP signal from TFI which the computer uses to time the injectors, actually just tells computer to wake up, engine is spinning, lol

Rangers all used the Grey colored TFI modules
Black ones were later models

SPOUT is spark advance from the computer, it serves the same purpose as Vacuum Advance did on older distributors
With fuel injection only the computer has "engine load" data, TFI just has RPM data

On the grey TFIs there is a START wire, this wire will have 12v when key is in START
This disables SPOUT connection inside the TFI module so base spark timing is used to start the engine, before spark advance is added

So you should have cranking spark regardless of SPOUT being connected or not

Article on TFI below, it has this quote

The early TFI system, which Ford calls the "Push Start" TFI system, uses a gray TFI module.
Originally, the module was mounted on the distributor. In the late '80s Ford began to relocate it away
from the distributor on some vehicles to provide better protection from the effects of engine heat, but
system operation remained the same. It uses a Hall effect pickup (stator) in the distributor, which
generates a battery voltage, 50% duty cycle square wave, called the PIP signal, to the EEC-U PCM
and the TFI module. The PCM processes this signal and sends out another battery voltage, 50% duty
cycle square wave, called the SPOUT signal, to the TFI module. As long as the TFI module is
receiving a SPOUT signal, it will fire the coil at the rising edge of that signal (except during engine
cranking, when SPOUT is ignored) and the vehicle will run with the amount of timing advance
commanded by the computer. If the TFI module does not receive the SPOUT signal, it will fire the
coil at the rising edge of the PIP signal, and the vehicle will run at base timing. This is true on all TFI
systems.

What's the spark timing when warm engine is running/idling without SPOUT connected?
Should be 10-12deg BTDC

And if you connect SPOUT, with engine still idling, spark timing should go to 20-22deg BTDC

 

[kyle1468]

I can’t get it to stay running with spout disconnected just to fire and idle for about 10 or so seconds. With spout connected no spark while turning motor over at the plugs. I still have spark coming from coil with it connected and disconnected.

 

[kyle1468]

Can you talk to the computer and get any codes from it?

When I try to do that the check engine light freaks out flashes super fast then stops flashing

 

[RonD]

Computer is faulty then

Try: https://www.car-part.com/

1988
Ford Ranger
Computer Box Engine
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[kyle1468]

Okay thank you very much I will respond back when I put in new computer thanks for all the help.