Thunderbird motor

[jeepfreek]

I have installed a 1993 5.0 engine and wiring harness from a 1993 thunderbird in a 1989 Ford ranger using a A9L computer. My question is will the distributor and the ccd tfi work with the a9l computer.

The truck has a crank , no start issue, have checked fuel pressure ( 38 psi at fuel rail ), has spark at all plugs, check injector harness with a noid light ( all pulse).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!![

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

sparkplug wiring order?

 

[jeepfreek]

I'm using the HO firing order. And double checked a few times.

 

[RonD]

TFI system is self contained as far as starting spark.

It sends the A9L computer the PIP signal from the sensor in the distributor, so computer knows what injectors to open.
The computer sends advance and retard spark "suggestions" to TFI via the SPOUT wire, but engine will still run without SPOUT from computer, in fact you need to disconnect SPOUT wire to set base spark timing at 10-14deg BTDC

So only two things come to mind, as alwaysfloored said, firing order and distributor timing.
Remove #1 spark plug and turn engine in its normal direction of rotation and when air starts being forced out of #1 spark plug hole that is the start of compression stroke.
Watch for the TDC mark on crank pulley/balancer, when it gets to 10deg BTDC stop moving crank and pop the distributor cap.
Rotor on distributor should be pointed at #1 spark plug wire on the cap, if not pull out distributor and turn rotor until it is then put it back in.

The 1993 T-bird should have the 5.0l HO engine so uses "the other" 5.0l firing order:
5.0l HO = 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

regular 5.0l = 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

They have the same "Matched pairs" on the crank, (pistons at TDC at the same time)
1-3-7-2
6-5-4-8

1-5-4-2
6-3-7-8

1/6, 3/5, 4/7, 2/8

Distributor turns Counter-clockwise

but they have different cams so firing order is different

 

[bobbywalter]

you have to use the dizzy from the stang with the harness and tfi on the dizzy....sorry bud, not keeping up to well lately. there are a few other variances with the controls from the bird ho...it is not the same as the a9l is looking for in terms of flow and load. but it will work ok with the right dizzy setup....you can push start mod the remote setup but its a pia if your stang harness is unmolested...if you dont have a stang harness, then your stuck modding it to work with the diagrams on the last page.



on edit,
theres another issue with the o2 power loop that can blow the bridge in the processor if that is not mirrored to the a9l pinout.

 

[Elutheros]

I'm no expert on this--what I read when wiring mine using the A9L and the TFI that was mounted on the distributor is that the "remote mounted" TFI in either gray or black would not work because of different wiring. Maybe something got confused in the combining of two systems????

 

[bobbywalter]

I'm no expert on this--what I read when wiring mine using the A9L and the TFI that was mounted on the distributor is that the "remote mounted" TFI in either gray or black would not work because of different wiring. Maybe something got confused in the combining of two systems????

this is easy to fawk up.

i went thru it back in 92 thiking they were the same thing....hard to remember what i ate two days ago....92 was a little farther back...

 

[jeepfreek]

Thanks getting the mustang dizzy and gray push start TFI now.

 

[Snoranger]

FYI (not that it will help you in anyway): The 93 T-bird 5.0 has the "Cobra" cam used in the 93-95 Cobras.

 

[jeepfreek]

This truck is killing me. It still won't start, doesn't even want to start.

(1) checked compression, all 8 cylinders over 100+

(2) used a spark tester and checked coil ,wires and plugs.

(3) checked fuel pressure at rail 38-40 psi and holds

(4) checked fuel injector harness with noid light ( all pulse )

(5) checked resistance of each injector (19lb) 14.8 ohm

(6) disconnected all injector wiring, pressurized fuel rail and pulsed 1 injector at a time to make sure fuel pressure would drop.( it did )

(6) Replaced distributor and installed grey ( push start ) TFI

(7) TFI is connected
1 PIP out to pin 56 on ecm
2 spout out to pin36 on ecm
3 12 volt crank only
4 coil + 12 volt
5 coil - ( tack) to pin 4 on ecm ( using the 22000 ohm res.
6 Ign ground to pin 16 evm

I'm using the 5.0 HO firing order. Double checked my timing marks on my cam an crank gear ( dot to dot )

Rotor bottom pointing at #1 on cap with piston up on compression stroke and timing mark on 0.

I have unplug the TPS and tried to start no help

I can crank this motor for 10 minutes pull the plugs out and they are pretty much dry, I can spray starting fluid in it , it won't hit. It can sit over night and first time turning over it will chug likes its going to start, the no more.

I have no idea what else to check

Smog pump ,egr are not connected, it only has one 02 sensor plugged in to the left header, don't know if any of that has any concern.

Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

 

[bobbywalter]

you need injectors....they are jammed shut from varnish or debris..


i would still run a push start setup with the a9l though.

 

[bobbywalter]

flush the rail too.

 

[jeepfreek]

Just for the hell of it , I switched the plug wires to the non HO model. Turn over the same , no chugs no backfires or misses turned over great just like with the HO firing order.

 

[RonD]

Well if you are adding starting fluid(ether) and it isn't firing then you don't have spark.
Ether is very flammable so if spark is present it will fire, may not start but it will fire.

Is the rotor turning?

Do you have an old timing light you can use to test other wires for spark pulse?

Remove the Tach wire from coil and just use the TFI wire on coil "-"

 

[bobbywalter]

This truck is killing me. It still won't start, doesn't even want to start.

(1) checked compression, all 8 cylinders over 100+

(2) used a spark tester and checked coil ,wires and plugs.

(3) checked fuel pressure at rail 38-40 psi and holds

(4) checked fuel injector harness with noid light ( all pulse )

(5) checked resistance of each injector (19lb) 14.8 ohm

(6) disconnected all injector wiring, pressurized fuel rail and pulsed 1 injector at a time to make sure fuel pressure would drop.( it did )

(6) Replaced distributor and installed grey ( push start ) TFI

(7) TFI is connected
1 PIP out to pin 56 on ecm
2 spout out to pin36 on ecm
3 12 volt crank only
4 coil + 12 volt
5 coil - ( tack) to pin 4 on ecm ( using the 22000 ohm res.
6 Ign ground to pin 16 evm

I'm using the 5.0 HO firing order. Double checked my timing marks on my cam an crank gear ( dot to dot )

Rotor bottom pointing at #1 on cap with piston up on compression stroke and timing mark on 0.

I have unplug the TPS and tried to start no help

I can crank this motor for 10 minutes pull the plugs out and they are pretty much dry, I can spray starting fluid in it , it won't hit. It can sit over night and first time turning over it will chug likes its going to start, the no more.

I have no idea what else to check

Smog pump ,egr are not connected, it only has one 02 sensor plugged in to the left header, don't know if any of that has any concern.

Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

for some reason when i went over that the first time, i thought it was running on ether, but not on the injectors.... now i see it a bit more clearly ....at least i hope.


what harness do you have?...and are you absolutely sure it is what it is supposed to be? are you positive you have a a9l processor? what codes does it give you? i have seen guys with modded sd truck harnesses before that were set up for bank fire beat their heads off the wall for months..20 seconds after lifting the hood it was readily apparent at the imposter they were sold was not gonna work with a a9l and a truck pcm fired it up.

if the injectors are strobing the pip is going out which tells me the base is rotating....that does not mean the rotor is turning or the coil is correctly firing or works at all....whether or not the rotor is turning is easy enough to see just pop the cap off and have a gawk while its off and cranking... from the information you have given the injectors are not shooting fuel out of them....or whatever liquid is in the rails... i assume you have done a pressure and volume tests and have taken a sample and made sure it was at least flamable.

a phone call would go a ways easier then typing for me....