New here; son w/SHO 300 mi. away with trouble....

[SeanMc]

Auto Zone won't be able to read the codes for this car. It's easier for him just to do it himself. But he's better off just swapping the DIS module and calling it a day. When he goes to the part store, tell him that he wants one from a taurus with a 3.2 dual overhead cam. that way he's certain to get a SHO part.


The only cam sensor failures I've seen involved severe bucking of the whole car, so I personally would rule this out.

Bingo. On my ATX the tach would go crazy as well.

Change the DIS.

 

[ManySHOs]

Cam sensors usually run between $35-$50 for the SHO. If there's an Autozone in the area, they should be able to get it easily. If you're stuck with ordering online there are tons of places to get it.

SuperHO, why did you make the comment about AZ not being able to read the codes? It's a free service that they offer. There's nothing special about our EEC that they can't be read.

I second (or third) the heat sink compound. If the back of the DIS was cleaned off and heat sink compound was not reapplied, that DIS probably overheated.

Did your son do any recent work to the car? Is the intake manifold painted or powdercoated?

Ian

 

[whiteman_01]

I know that all of the parts places around here will only read OBD2. Also, i got my last cam sensor for 36 bucks from O'Rileys.

 

[DennisT]

trouble

OV3RC10CD3D: Thanks. He is about 50 miles north of you virtually at the Whatcom county line, just off of I-5. But he has to leave tomorrow to drive, (another rig probably), here to E. Washington. And he might be working part of today. We may end up buying a couple of parts by mail if this gets away from us today. That would mean another trip back to the Coast where he and I can both work on the Ford. You might drop me a note at: [email protected] regarding your DIS.

Thanks for your offer. I'm going to post to the Yahoo group looking for other SHO folks both in the Mount Vernon, WA., area and here between Spokane and Moses Lake, WA. We live in a somewhat remote area in wheat country, so I don't expect to find a lot of SHO's next door, (grin).

Thanks, Dennis

 

[average sho]

Where does your son live?

Someone close to him might be able to help him out, or talk to him over the phone.

He needs to pull the codes.
check out this site it will tell you how to pull the codes.

http://www.shophoenixproject.com/eec/eec.htm

 

[stangeater]

I would agree with the DIS diagnosis, but I wouldn't rule out the Cam sensor. My aunt's sho was just having these same problems.....runs fine one minute, spits, sputters the next.....sits for a while, runs fine again. Turned out to be the cam sensor was going bad.
SHO=Super High Output (from your wallet)

 

[jthod]

I know that all of the parts places around here will only read OBD2. Also, i got my last cam sensor for 36 bucks from O'Rileys.

X2, most places I have found can only do 96 and up. O'reiliey is the only place I found and it was a lender with a $200 deposit. It was a kit that had cables for about every car (normal, no Ferrari) with a computer.

 

[SuperHO]

Yeah...what they said. I ain't found anyone yet who'll pull the codes (auto parts stores, that is). I've found plenty of shops that'll charge me an arm and a leg to do it, of course.


Back on topic, I seriously doubt it's the bolts for the crossover tube. If those were loose (or off completely), the car would have a VERY hard time revving past 2krpms....ask me how I know....

 

[DennisT]

thank you

Whew. What a thread this turned out to be. Thank you everyone. Jason has to return tomorrow in another rig, (darn), for an appointment here. So the SHO will sit at his brother's place until we return to rescue it. Will probably be at least two weeks, so we'll have time to scrounge a few of the critical parts to take with us. If needed, I'll take my truck and trailer it home here to Eastern Washington state.

Jason is age 35, and has successfully maintained his other vehicles so I think once he, (we), learn about SHO's, we should be able to handle some of this. Meanwhile, I'll contact a few of you who have offered specific assistance and will be searching for a few affordable spare parts.

I am sufficiently interested myself now in SHO's to want to see this darned thing for myself.....in good condition!

I also need to read and compile some of the maintanenace references mentioned here. I did locate the Phoenix site that explained how to pull the codes right on the car without accessory test equipment. I haven't read enough to understand it yet, but will.

At this point, I'm looking for a list of, "what spare parts to stock/carry for a 1992 SHO." And, perhaps, the best places to find them.

I'll be watching this forum for anything else that comes up that will help.

Thanks again; we expect to be lurking for a bit, but back here in full force as soon as we put a plan together.

Dennis & Jason
Odessa/Ritzville, WA

 

[ManySHOs]

Dennis (and Jason),

Knowing how to read the codes without a scanner is helpful but you can find a digital scanner for under $40 these days. I have an Eqqus digital scanner that I bought with the extension cord. Reading the codes is a breeze now. Counting CE light flashes is a bit of a pain.

Good luck!
Ian

 

[rick-ng]

This is an the exact systoms of a bad CPS(Crank Position Sensor)

Replace this part and stop driving with all these issues!!!


CPS______like 40 bucks, and change the timing belt at the same time along with the water pump

99% sure!!!
-Rick

 

[projectSHO89]

This is an the exact systoms of a bad CPS(Crank Position Sensor)

Replace this part and stop driving with all these issues!!!


CPS______like 40 bucks, and change the timing belt at the same time along with the water pump

99% sure!!!
-Rick

Rick,

I suspect that you either failed to read the WHOLE thread or that you didn't take several key clues into consideration.

Generally, crank sensor faults do NOT cause poor running or "coil fault codes". Every faulty crank sensor I've ever seen has caused a no-spark condition, whether solid or intermittent.

If I were you, I'd greatly lower that "99% sure!" assessment.

Steve

 

[DennisT]

1st code report

Finally.

Jason got a chance to go back to the Coast driving a truck, so he's overnight there. I armed him with the, "how to pull codes," text from your suggestions. He just called to report the Ford shows a code 114. No others, just 114. He said the paperwork I sent along said this was a common code.

I'm off to try to locate that code around the forum here, but I thought I'd post this first.

Back later.

Dennis

 

[DennisT]

code

OK. Code 114 appears to be Air Charge Temp, and only means the car's engine is cold. Ignore. Another Ford site lists code 114 as IAT sensor out of range.

I suspect the former is correct. I left a message for Jason to look for more codes. Unless no codes are in there because the Check Engine Light is not currently on.

(If CEL is on, then it and the symptoms go away for a while, does the computer erase the stored codes? )

Dennis

 

[DDakRT]

No. The intermittant connection caused my car to sputter/run like dookie. It didn't completely knock the connector out until my subframe was nearly a roadside ornament...it had been running poorly(intermittently) for a while...

Anyway...it's worth ruling out...if just for safety reasons.

You don't need a broken subframe to **** a DIS, it can die simply from being old. I would take everyone's recommendation and swap the module out. Find an extra that someone has laying in their garage, will probably cost about $10.

 

[millhouse913]

Dennis,

I was recently in the same boat your son was in. I bought my 94 ATX SHO in January and it started experiencing the same symptoms your son is experiencing. Bucking, running like crap, then it would seem like the problem fixed itself, then back to square one. At first i thought i bought a lemon, but i found a mechanic that works on SHOs in my area. After many frustrating weeks it turned out to be a vacuum leak, a bad Idle Air Controller, and CPS. If i were in your shoes I'd definitely change the CPS first and go from there. It's part of the 60k service and probably needs to be changed anyway. Also, after reading these forums without past knowledge of service history of the car this seems like a common problem with these engines. Since changing these sensors and also the 02 sensors my car is running perfectly. Idles and runs better than my fiancee's 03 new beetle. Hope this helps.

Chris