Note to future turbo engine swappers:

[scotts90ranger]

CHANGE ALL VACUUM HOSES! and all hoses while you are there...

I have had several issues over the last couple years, many of them have been vacuum lines, these things are VERY picky about metered air leaks

just trying to help out...

 

[Insanejughead]

Sh*t... Three years too late for me... Hahaha!



+1 for that idea on top of replacing timing belts, though.

 

[scotts90ranger]

that's a given... that I thought of

 

[scotts90ranger]

ok, I'm perplexed.

my truck runs GREAT on a cold start, idle vacuum is 20-22" HG, handles 10psi on regular gas without pinging. On a hot restart it runs BAD, idle vacuum 15-18" HG after a couple minutes and only handles 0-5psi boost without pinging, also I have to clear flood to start it on a hot restart also

what the heck is going on? it's a PC1 computer from an '86 tbird, I'll pull the codes today. I replaced the VAM with a good used one a few months ago, but before the old one died it ran like it does now. stock '89 ranger harness modified to add the VAM and so forth keeping the DIS. I also recently replaced the coolant temp sensor thinking that would help.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[forzda]

If you are running any kind of boost at all , along with changing the vacuum hoses , use zap straps (plastic locking wire ties) on the hoses, they really help in preventing leaks . Also dont use gearclamps on the pressure holes , use the T clamps instead , there is noting worse than a pressure hole hose blowing off at the most incovenent time .

 

[scotts90ranger]

ok, add to the list tripple checking your wiring changes... I had a couple wires in wrong places...

 

[Hahnsb2]

Did fixing those fix you problem Scott? Have you thought about running Megasquirt?

 

[scotts90ranger]

yes, other than the fact that when I took the intake manifold off to check for leaky injectors (that's another story) the EGR gasket was SHOT so I went to replace it a couple days later (bad vacuum leak without a gasket) one of the ears on the EGR broke off, needless to say I have an even worse vacuum leak now... since I'm still at work that's a job for tomorrow.

but, before the vacuum leak got worse, I ran the truck around and the hot restart was perfect, good idle speed, etc. It still had a couple little quirks but ran much better, I think I'm just going to unhook the boost controller though as when working properly it's kinda annoying... I think my pinging was caused by the wire in 24 that is a fuel pump relay check for the ECM was most likely putting the thing in high octane mode...

My starter was starting to short out (I don't blame it, I put it together from parts from 3 starters), which seemed to cause a extra high battery drain on starting which seemed to steal the ground for the ECM and somehow flooded the HECK out of the dang engine, spent $60 on a lifetime replacement one from Napa, turns over much better

the moral is: PLAN AHEAD, AND DON'T CHEAP OUT!

I'll say that it's quite a difference jumping from my Justy to my turbo ranger on 35's...

 

[scotts90ranger]

ok, I take that back! that wasn't a cure all!

still having a hot restart issue but this time somewhat different. Now on a hot restart it starts right up but floods out so I have to keep my foot into it, and it spits and sputters and generally runs bad... I'll pull codes tomorrow but what the heck? a new ECM is just over $100 at Napa (unless someone has one for an '86 TC handy they don't need) I can't really afford to get one for a couple weeks...

Also, on a cold start it runs decent but on boost it hesitates and pops a little unless I hit the throttle then let off and get on it again (haven't quite figured out what it wants yet), also getting about 13mpg as best as I can figure, drove it to work today and took about 1/3 tank (~5 gallons) to go 70 miles...

 

[Hahnsb2]

Have you considered Megasquirt? Ford EFI stuff seems like it can be a huge pain sometimes, my 4.0 swap has always had a few quirks. 13MPG is pretty awful, I'm averaging 15MPG mixed with a turbo V8..

 

[scotts90ranger]

ok, the code that came up is 54, IAT or VAT sensor open which sorta makes sense... I just realized one of the diagrams in the tech library is labeled wrong, but in a good way for me , going to check out the wiring one more time make sure the VAM is wired right...

 

[scotts90ranger]

had pin 25 in 27, code 54 is now gone. Attempted a KOER test but didn't have the engine warm first so it stalled... got 34 and 76, 76 makes sense as it stalled before it gave me the flash to goose it... now 34, what's that about? Everything I got with the engine is installed, there wasn't a EGR position sensor so it can't be that, any ideas?

I'm going to Sand Lake tomorrow, we'll see how it does then, if it wasn't getting the air temp it was probably in a limp mode of some sort, maybe it was why it was getting bad gas mileage...

The wiring is harder to find for the '85-86 TC than the '87-88 so things got a little confusing...

 

[scotts90ranger]

that wasn't it ether, still runs like CRAP on a hot restart.

the mix up between 25 and 27 was done last sunday when I was working on it, some of the diagrams are very confusing. On the code 34 that I was getting earlier, after looking around a bit I'm guessing there's supposed to be some EGR solenoids that I never got in my setup, so I'm not going to worry about it.

My guess is either ANOTHER bad VAM, or a bad ECM unless someone has any bright ideas. I have a week and a half to get it running before my trip across the state for some wheeling! Any ideas are GREATLY appreciated. If the ECM is fried now would be a great time to go an LA3... anyone have any spare parts sitting around?

I've thought about megasquirt but just want the thing to work as it should, not to have to do a bunch of work on it.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I believe I have a solution in the works:

I SERIOUSLY SCORED today on craigslist, that's only half of what I'm getting from the guy, and for only $200, he's got another engine, two complete wiring harnesses with computers and all the sensors and stuff, I believe it's short exhaust manifolds... There's supposed to be an auto and a manual ECM and were supposedly intercooled so '87/88 which I've been wanting to do ever since I've ran into the little quirks!

The truck cooperated today, I think it was telling me to stay home from Sand Lake to get this deal...

 

[Lynx_Gen]

ok, I take that back! that wasn't a cure all!

still having a hot restart issue but this time somewhat different. Now on a hot restart it starts right up but floods out so I have to keep my foot into it, and it spits and sputters and generally runs bad... I'll pull codes tomorrow but what the heck? a new ECM is just over $100 at Napa (unless someone has one for an '86 TC handy they don't need) I can't really afford to get one for a couple weeks...

Also, on a cold start it runs decent but on boost it hesitates and pops a little unless I hit the throttle then let off and get on it again (haven't quite figured out what it wants yet), also getting about 13mpg as best as I can figure, drove it to work today and took about 1/3 tank (~5 gallons) to go 70 miles...

is that a turbo coup ecu you're talking about? well heck if i'd known that.. save me some grief, and i can hold off on the mega squirt until the time is neccessary..