New member, trying to revive a Gen 1 SHO. Code 15

[tamadrumr88]

Hi everyone, just bought non-running '90 SHO (no spark, fuel pressure is good though). High mileage (184k) clean AZ car, no accident history or body work/previous repairs.

Has Key On Engine Off code 15 (O) No Keep Alive Memory power to PCM pin 1 or bad PCM (Memory Test Failure). Confirmed connector to PCM has 12.7v at pin 1, and ground to PCM is good. Separately tried swapping with another spare LOS ecu, swapped crank sensor, cam sensor, DIS, CCRM, etc and confirmed power at all the connectors, but no luck.

Cranks and sounds healthy, but not getting spark. Thoughts? Couldn't find any other threads with this code, or a fix. Can't wait to get it started, so I can move on to fixing the minor oil leaks. Spent all day yesterday swapping out known good parts individually but no luck!

 

[luigisho]

I can hardly find anything. https://www.justanswer.com/ford/2gez5-does-ford-eec-iv-fault-code-15-mean-please-answer.html

My repair books are in boxes somewhere since I moved. I've been looking but no luck so far. Hopefully someone has access to troubleshooting procedure for that code.

 

[zoomlater]

Welcome! Did you try swapping out the coil pack or was part of the etc part of your message. What fuel pressure did you measure or did you just check if it was shooting out of the Schrader valve. At first, I was thinking to check the **** switch in the trunk, but you mentioned fuel pressure was good.

How long has it not been running? Old gas? Did you try starting fluid in the throttle body

 

[Irish Pride]

When this car was for sale on CL did it have a battery in it? If not, that might be why you are getting the code 15.

I would go ahead and assume Crank Sensor right now. Seems to be pointing in that direction in my opinion. You won't be able to get current codes on it until it's up and running. I would try to find another SHO in a junk yard local and pull the crank sensor off to see if that does it.

Oh yeah, moved to a more appropriate section.

-Chad

 

[tamadrumr88]

When this car was for sale on CL did it have a battery in it? If not, that might be why you are getting the code 15.

I would go ahead and assume Crank Sensor right now. Seems to be pointing in that direction in my opinion. You won't be able to get current codes on it until it's up and running. I would try to find another SHO in a junk yard local and pull the crank sensor off to see if that does it.

Oh yeah, moved to a more appropriate section.

-Chad

Has new battery and crank sensor was replaced with known good crank sensor. Spent all day yesterday replacing it.

 

[Irish Pride]

Could be as simple as a bad ground. Double check the connections running to the back of the intake on the passenger side. Make sure you have good connections at the crossover tube where the DIS is mounted. The 2 12mm bolts that hold the crossover tube to the intake are grounds for the DIS. I had a no start situation once and removed those bolts, cleaned them, then it fired right up.

 

[tamadrumr88]

Welcome! Did you try swapping out the coil pack or was part of the etc part of your message. What fuel pressure did you measure or did you just check if it was shooting out of the Schrader valve. At first, I was thinking to check the **** switch in the trunk, but you mentioned fuel pressure was good.

How long has it not been running? Old gas? Did you try starting fluid in the throttle body

Less than two years, for sure because it still has valid emissions (and to pass it would've been <2 years ago) can't say with any certainty more recently than that because I've not owned it during that time and I bought it not running.

I have a fuel pressure gauge, was reading around 35-40psi just by cycling key. Pressure does bleed off slowly (if I remove vacuum hose on regulator I can see fuel seeping out of FPR vacuum ******, so fuel is leaking through FPR diaphragm). Bought Standard #PR90 replacement from RockAuto and although it looked visually similar, it did not want to thread into fuel rail so I returned it and reinstalled the leaking stock FPR. I put a new Delphi fuel pump assembly in since purchasing it, gas in tank smelled fine.

 

[tamadrumr88]

Could be as simple as a bad ground. Double check the connections running to the back of the intake on the passenger side. Make sure you have good connections at the crossover tube where the DIS is mounted. The 2 12mm bolts that hold the crossover tube to the intake are grounds for the DIS. I had a no start situation once and removed those bolts, cleaned them, then it fired right up.

Yes, I've confirmed that DIS is grounded and crossover bolts are clean and grounded to chassis by ground wire on intake manifold bracket.

I'll try to bypass all of that and run an extra ground wire from bottom right DIS bolt to chassis (I believe that bolt is the ground for the DIS)

 

[HyperMikeD!]

I'm reviving a '91 tomorrow so I'll see if I can recreate your issue...

Now you've got fuel just need to get fire. The coil pack won't send spark unless the CPS, CID, and DIS are passing a good signal which involves good grounds.

Please post pics of your battery terminals and back of DIS.

 

[tamadrumr88]

I'm reviving a '91 tomorrow so I'll see if I can recreate your issue...

Now you've got fuel just need to get fire. The coil pack won't send spark unless the CPS, CID, and DIS are passing a good signal which involves good grounds.

Please post pics of your battery terminals and back of DIS.

DIS has heat transfer paste/compound on back, confirmed good ground from DIS bolts to chassis ground. Also checked other grounds in engine bay; all are good ground to negative battery terminal.

Battery terminals are in excellent shape

 

[Irish Pride]

How long did the car sit before you bought it? Have you verified the issue is spark and not fuel? Are the plugs wet after you've tried to start it? Have you tried starting with stating fluid?

 

[tamadrumr88]

Sat for less than two years, because it still has valid AZ emissions (and to pass it would've been running and passed a sniffer test <2 years ago) can't say with any certainty more recently than that because I've not owned it during that time and I bought it not running. I don't know the history on it prior to purchasing it two weeks ago.

The issue is with lack of spark, not fuel. Good fuel pressure at rail and plugs are wet and smell like fuel. Grounded plugs individually outside of the engine and I'm not getting spark. Confirmed again using timing light (which isn't being triggered while engine is cranking). Starting fluid will not help when there's no spark.

Known working PCM, DIS, cam sensor, crank sensor and CCRM have been already been swapped with no luck. Coil tested fine but I ordered a replacement anyway.

[EDIT] Code 15 was cleared, only shows code 11 now "System checks OK". Still no spark

 

[Irish Pride]

You say "known working", where did you get your parts, and more importantly, how do you know they are known working? Crank Sensors are hard to come by. Did you get a brand new sensor to install? If the DIS you have doesn't say Motorcraft on the side of it then I would try another one just to be sure. The aftermarket DIS modules can be bad right out of the box.

 

[rubydist]

the only time I recall a code 15 it ended up being due to a bad ground, not lack of power. Grounds on these engines are a little tricky, so I recommend you double check all those grounds in the engine compartment.

 

[BaySHO Performance]

No spark usually points to a bad CPS. I suggest testing the DIS:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kxsgo4m0a51fkp5/AADEWPeuPLNRyXE8TBUK6N02a?dl=0

 

[tamadrumr88]

No spark usually points to a bad CPS. I suggest testing the DIS:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kxsgo4m0a51fkp5/AADEWPeuPLNRyXE8TBUK6N02a?dl=0

@IrishPride -> Autozone has harnesses and a machine to plug it in to and test it for me. I have 3x DIS here, all three of them passed (according to Autozone's equipment). I have 2x crank sensors here, no difference with either. The other sensors (extra PCM, cam sensor, CCRM) came from running SHOs.

@BaySHO -> I'll test using the methods shown in your response. Thanks

 

[tamadrumr88]

No spark usually points to a bad CPS. I suggest testing the DIS:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kxsgo4m0a51fkp5/AADEWPeuPLNRyXE8TBUK6N02a?dl=0

During the DIS test, I noticed that the colors on the left/rear-most DIS connector don't match up with the colors described in the test procedure.

VBAT - Terminal 1 - mine is red / light green, is this correct?
CID - Terminal 2 - should be dark green? = is mine incorrect? Looks like light blue, or gray, not dark green
PIP to EEC - Terminal 3 = empty terminal
PIP - Terminal 4 = should be dark blue? looks like light brown.
SPOUT - Terminal 5 = should be yellow/light green = correct
DPI - Terminal 6 = empty terminal

 

[BaySHO Performance]

Your 1: VBAT is R/LG, not LG as stated so it is correct.
Your 2: CID is LB. Probst DG wrong.
Your 4: PIP should be GY. Probst DB wrong.

'90 Ignition circuit:



DIS pinout for a 94:

 

[tamadrumr88]

Your 1: VBAT is R/LG, not LG as stated so it is correct.
Your 2: CID is LB. Probst DG wrong.
Your 4: PIP should be GY. Probst DB wrong.

Sorry, don't know what you mean by "probst". So my colors are correct?

 

[BaySHO Performance]

Sorry, the DIS tests are from this manual written by Charles Probst:
https://www.amazon.com/Ford-Injecti...keywords=charles+probst&qid=1581454000&sr=8-1

Your colors are correct.