help on engine code 14

[overthehill]

I could use a bit of help here from those more experienced than I. My '89 has begun running rough, hesitating and sputtering. I did my best to run the codes with the paperclip test. On the engine off portion I got a code 14. I did a search on "engine code 14" and did not come up with any usable information.

I followed the instructions to the letter several times on the engine on portion and keep getting the 77 code which says I did not blip the throttle but I did blip it, still the same outcome. But the engine balance test came out fine with a 9.

Code 14 says the ignition pickup is erratic. Does that point to the CPS or maybe the cam sensor?

Any shared experience along this line would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[rubydist]

PIP is the crank sensor. Every time I have seen this code, the crank sensor was bad. A crank sensor will eventually leave you stranded on the side of the road - usually at night, in the rain/snow, at a time you really must be somewhere.

So, you should change it asap.

 

[tery]

Hey Fred, and others...What would you say is a reasonable or average number of times that a person may have to replace the cps in a SHO, say in a ten year period....I mean on average?? Do some not go bad and/or do they all go bad with in a few years?? I've read so many times on the forum here about that part being a culprit, I was just wondering how often I might expect that part to give me trouble or, as you say, have me sitting waiting for a rescue...
T

 

[Fordlover96]

I'm pretty sure they don't go bad unless your water pump goes bad. But take that with a grain of salt.

 

[rubydist]

not very often at all.

my red 94 had the factory crank sensor its whole life until it met an untimely end due to an engine fire in 2009.

I have had the crank sensor fail without an associated water pump leak, in 2 cases. In one case, the car started to randomly die (like the op described above), which got worse and worse over the course of a week or two until it would die as soon as the engine got warmed up. In the other case, one day it just died as I was driving it. I had to let it cool overnight before it would start again so I could limp it home. Both of those crank sensors were over 10 years old afaik, so I would expect a crank sensor to last a minimum of 10 years based on my experience with these cars.

 

[overthehill]

not very often at all.

my red 94 had the factory crank sensor its whole life until it met an untimely end due to an engine fire in 2009.

I have had the crank sensor fail without an associated water pump leak, in 2 cases. In one case, the car started to randomly die (like the op described above), which got worse and worse over the course of a week or two until it would die as soon as the engine got warmed up. In the other case, one day it just died as I was driving it. I had to let it cool overnight before it would start again so I could limp it home. Both of those crank sensors were over 10 years old afaik, so I would expect a crank sensor to last a minimum of 10 years based on my experience with these cars.

Mine has not had a problem with dying. It starts up promptly and runs but I am now getting a rough idle, a bad miss under load and popping on initial tip-in. Almost like a lean condition. The car has the original crank sensor and cam sensor with 175K.

 

[rubydist]

please re-read post #2.