Spout Circuit question

[buechine]

My car runs a code of a continuous 49 Spout off 10 degrees, Could this mean that the gap in my spark plugs are not set right or what other things can I look at to determine what that code is. The car seems to run fine but CE light comes on after a while but still runs good. Thanks for any input.

 

[sdpatt]

I have never seen or heard the complete answer to this situation, but I know of two shorting plugs in the engine compartment. The one that I thought was the SPOUT plug is located near the EEC TEST plug aft of the number one cylinder. The second I just found today. It is a larger shorting plug that is located below the ABS module and coil pack near the driver side front of the engine compartment. Each of these plugs should be checked for their presence and their electrical continuity with a multimeter.


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Scott

1991, 254K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, SHO Shop front & rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
Class II hitch, Silver award at the SHOklahoma Car Show

 

[SilverSHO]

I've been getting that code too, but I haven't been able to find out how to correct it. I promise I'll get this figured out one day

The rear plug, I think, is the one that's right up between the starboard strut tower and the firewall. As for the one under the ABS module & coil pack, I didn't know about that...I'll be checking it out as soon as I get out of my New Testament Survey class at 3:45 (gotta love core classes

).

Oh, and I never get a CE light. I can't recall it ever having flashed on while I've been driving, even with all the problems I've encountered. Weird.

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Nick
Lt. Titanium 90 136k
Coneless, ACCEL 8.8 stainless steel wires,
SHO Shop torque limiters, Cherry Bomb Turbo II mufflers, snazzy blue valve caps
AIM: loudog6491, TitaniumSHO; feel free to IM me about anything SHO-related

 

[SilverSHO]

I think I found it. A large connector with a sort of metal clip or bracket on the outside of it, right? It's almost directly between the coil pack and ABS pack, looking straight down at it. I didn't have time to check it out, but I will this afternoon.

 

[av8r567]

FINALLY, someone else who can confirm that there are TWO shorting plugs. Only one of them is actually called the SPOUT (SPark OUTput) though.

The "Ford 1991 Car Wiring Diagrams" shows TWO shorting plugs - one at D-26 and the other at D-70.

#1 @ D-26 has two yellow/green wires (#324 - transmission overdrive switch to heat module)

#2 @ D-70 has a pink (#929 - spark output signal from TFI module) and a gray/red wire (#359 - sensor signal return)

I am also getting the code 49 - bad SPOUT circuit. I pulled the shorting plug back by the cam sensor (the one we assume is the SPOUT conn) and cleaned the electrical contacts yesterday. While I was back there I pulled back the wire loom so I could see the wires, and to my amazement both were YELLOW w/ light GREEN stripe ?!?!?!

The "Ford EVTM" shows the GRAY/RED wire going to the EEC test connector - SIGNAL RETURN pin. I have this 'correct' color wire at my EEC connector but the YELLOW/GREEN at the shorting plug by the cam sensor doesn't jive.

The "Ford EVTM" also shows SPOUT #2 as being down low behind the ABS controller - near the trans (page 151-6 @ grid F-8 for those of you following along at home) just as you describe it. I looked but I couldn't find mine yet.

Could someone do me a favor and check the wire colors for this 'new' shorting plug down by the trans. I'd like to know if we were wrong by assuming that the real SPOUT was the one back by the cam sensor OR if the Ford Wiring Diagrams are wrong.

Thanks.

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Jim Ryan - Wayne, NJ
91 Plus - all white
FPS 96 brakes, Carbotech pads, LPM and 80mm MAF w/ K&N and SHO Shop can & horn, KONIs with SHO Shop linear springs, f&r strut tower braces and poly bushings all around, HiRevs Jr clutch and lightweight flywheel, underdrive pulleys, torque limiters, Cincy SHO reinforced engine mounts, Bridgestone Potenza RE730 tires (excellent), and police grille.

 

[sdpatt]

Originally posted by av8r567:
FINALLY, someone else who can confirm that there are TWO shorting plugs. Only one of them is actually called the SPOUT (SPark OUTput) though.

While I was back there I pulled back the wire loom so I could see the wires, and to my amazement both were YELLOW w/ light GREEN stripe ?!?!?!

The "Ford EVTM" shows the GRAY/RED wire going to the EEC test connector - SIGNAL RETURN pin. I have this 'correct' color wire at my EEC connector but the YELLOW/GREEN at the shorting plug by the cam sensor doesn't jive.

Welcome to the Forum. The Chilton's manual diagram shows a yellow wire w/light green stripe to both terminals of the shorting plug near the CID sensor. One of these conductors routes to the DIS module. The other end routes to the EEC. It makes sense that they are the same color since the shorting plug really just maintains the continuity of the conductor.

The shorting plug by the ABS module shows to have a gray wire w/red stripe and a pink wire connected to it. The pink wire routes to the ECC. The #359 gray/red wire looks to be a signal ground from several components to the EEC: air charge temperature sensor, power steering pressure switch, EEC test plug signal return, throttle position sensor, engine coolant temp sensor, exhaust gas recirc pressure feedback sensor, BAP, etc. This is a VERY key shorting plug, but it looks like the other plug has more relevance to spark output.

Scott


[This message has been edited by sdpatt (edited 01-12-2002).]

 

[av8r567]

Scott,

Thanks for the welcome. I've been eavesdropping on you guys for a while but haven't posted. I'm the original owner of my '91-plus, but for the last 10 years it has been my daily driver, and as such I had to keep it in running condition. I've done lots of mods, as you can see by my sig, but messing with the engine was a no-no. I recently purchased a Jeep Grand Cherokee and now the SHO is my toy.

I know the shorting plug by the cam sensor is working properly. If it wasn't the timing would be 10 BTDC and it would run like crap. My question is, if the shorting plug/circuit by the trans is bad would it also set a code 49?

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Jim Ryan - Wayne, NJ
91 Plus - all white
FPS 96 brakes, Carbotech pads, LPM and 80mm MAF w/ K&N and SHO Shop can & horn, KONIs with SHO Shop linear springs, f&r strut tower braces and poly bushings all around, HiRevs Jr clutch and lightweight flywheel, underdrive pulleys, torque limiters, Cincy SHO reinforced engine mounts, Bridgestone Potenza RE730 tires (excellent), and police grille.

 

[sdpatt]

Probably not a code 49, but there would be many others from all of the sensors that were disconnected.

Scott

 

[sdpatt]

After doing a little more investigation into the SPOUT circuit, I have found that the shorting plug near the CID sensor IS the SPOUT shorting plug. The yellow with light green stripe conductor, number 324 in the schematic diagrams, runs from the second pin from the bottom on the firewall side connector on the DIS module to the EEC. With this shorting plug removed, the ignition timing is defaulted to the physical setting of 10 degrees before top dead center. This setting is dictated by the mounting position of the crankshaft position sensor. With the SPOUT plug out, the EEC is not able to advance the timing beyond the 10 degree setting. You would have no trouble determining if that is happening.

The error code you are receiving indicates that there is a discontinuity in the number 324 conductor. The description of the 49 code assumes that the shorting plug has been removed. But if your engine is running normally and not like the timing is defaulted to 10 degrees BTDC, then maybe you are receiving a bogus code. Either that, or the connection is experiencing intermittent continuity that is triggering the CHECK ENGINE light. Is there a noticeable drop in performance when the CE light comes on? If not, I scratch my head (figuratively).

Scott

 

[SilverSHO]

I think that's what I'm looking for. Ignition timing defaulted to 10 deg. BTDC would partly explain the way my car is running. Feels like it has power, but feels kind of labored, almost like the compression is bad in a couple cylinders (now that I think of it, the EEC's cylinder balance test did tell me that cylinders 1 and 3 were weak). I'll definitely check it out next time I can get to my EVTM (it's at home, and I'm at school). I've got about a dozen pages in that thing marked...I love it.

 

[buechine]

Originally posted by sdpatt:
But if your engine is running normally and not like the timing is defaulted to 10 degrees BTDC, then maybe you are receiving a bogus code. Either that, or the connection is experiencing intermittent continuity that is triggering the CHECK ENGINE light. Is there a noticeable drop in performance when the CE light comes on? If not, I scratch my head (figuratively).

Scott

In my case, I recently replaced the DIS and CID sensor. I took another look at things this weekend the car has a slight stumble very hard to notice, then the CE light comes on and still runs fine. I checked the connections again and I saw that the clip on the DIS was not fully engaged it does not snap. I tied it down with a nylon strap and ran a ground wire from one of the bolts that hold the DIS to the motor directly to the - battery and so far no CE light--but it has only been about 25 miles since I did this.