Codes 212 and 214 Need Help

I have a 92 auto super coupe. I have been having problems lately with it not wanting to start and every now and again the tach don't work and check engine light comes on then goes off and then the tach might start working again. This has been going on more now than ever, some times I can go 2 days with no problems then all of a sudden it will happen. I'm completely stupid to any wiring on the car so any help will get me started to finding out what the problem is so I can fix it with small cost. I have read some other posts about this problem and I kind of have an idea what to look for but not for sure if this issue is like all the others. So any of you guys or girls have any good advice for the "clueless" please help me out as best as you can. I do have the how to do everything to the car book so I have some guidance on this but it's all above my head.

Thanks
Josh

Does the car ever buck or jump?
How does the car start? Explain.

The car starts fine sometimes but other times it acts up thats when i notice things like the tach not working then it starts to work sometimes and other times i don't have a tach the whole time i'm driving. It drives awsome once it is running it's just when it startes it's like something isn't just right and it acts up. When it has givin me problems starting i have opened it up and it drives like there was nothing wrong with her. Aslo i have noticed that when i have problems starting it after awhile i lose my oil display inside. It just shuts off like the switch was fliped off. I don't understand that but it's odd. Does any of this make sence to anybody?????? It sure dosen't for me.

If you get a shift light as you crank the engine its probably the crank sensor.
If you dont get the shift light when you crank it its probably the cam sensor.

MIKE 38sc said:

If you get a shift light as you crank the engine its probably the crank sensor.
If you dont get the shift light when you crank it its probably the cam sensor.

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Hey Mike, I hate to hijack superbird's thread but I'm having almost the same kind of problem except mine is a 95 auto. I don't see a problem with the shift light and the tach seems to be working fine. It seems the three of us have something in common, I'm in electronics also...

My engine light just comes on and goes off at will, I pulled and cleared the codes the other day and had a 214 and a 129. I am having an irritating idle problem without the air on, it idles pretty smooth it's just too low, about 500 RPM and everyonce and a while it will faulter and die at a light in gear W/O the air on.

Do you think that it could be a cam sensor as well, I guess I'll stop by tomorrow and pick one up from FORD??

RJ

129=Insufficient Mass Air Flow (MAF) change during Dynamic Response test.
214=Cylinder Identification (CID) circuite failure.

129 was created during the performance of the KOER test, it is probably an error. Dont worry about it right now.

214 is a continuose code. Cam sensor is probably gone.

I dont think your idleing problem is related but it might be. Replace the cam sensor first and see if the idle changes.
If after replacing the cam sensor the engine idles no differently then unplug the IAC while the engine is runing and see what happens.
If idle does not change when you unplug the IAC check all related wiring going to the IAC. If the wiring checks out allright your IAC is shot as well.

Thanks Mike, I'll check it tonight when I get home. Already did all the reseal and test for vacum leaks and so on, so the IAC was where I was headed with idle problem. The young man that had it before me put one on off something else I believe and it kind of gets me when it idles fine with the AC on and not without. I'll pick up a new Cam sensor today, is it like the IAC nothing but Ford will work, or can I get it somewhere else??

Thanks again,

RJ

As far as I know the Ford IAC is the only one that works right for sure. I have heard that Advance Auto Parts sells on that works properly but I cannot confirm this.
The part # for the Ford IAC is E9SZ-9F715-E if your local Ford dealership wants over $70.00 for the IAC call 1-800-266-6049
ask for Dan Newman and tell him I sent you. He will take care of you.

we're in similar boats

I also have a code 214, along with a 211 > PIP cicruit fault.

I was thinking i had a bad cam sensor as well, but here's what's funny. My car don't start at all. She up and died on me. And that was it. My crank sensor is still intack, didn't break it off like last time. My tach kicks around when trying to start, and shift light on starting, don't recall, think it was on.

Crank sensor is new from last year, again.

Any ideas, or do you want the whole story of how my problems started?????

Can't change or get ahold of a cam sensor till monday or tuesday, so let the options fly.

thanks
james
edit: just for fun, and lack of other tools to check more things. I swapped out the DIS, and Coil Pack, but not difference.

James yours sounds more like the crank sensor. Check your HB to see if its wobbling, if it is wobbling the reluctor vanes that trigger the crank sensor have probably hit the sensor and messed it up.
When I say hit the sensor I dont mean hit it with such an impact that it breaks the sensor off. The reluctor vanes actualy shave the sensing portion of the sensor like a lathe and the damage usualy isnt visable until you remove the sensor and take a look.

Yeah Mike,
I kinda dismissed the crank sensor after I saw it was still intact. I guess I was expecting it to be broken off like the last time. However the HB is still in good shape. The belt was on but i gave it some good heaves, and its not budging.

I'm having a slight problem lately cause i'm not near the plethora of tools i used to have access to. I'm going to check for fuel pressure after breakfast, because i can.
I still am kinda thinking i have a cam problem, even though with the cam bad, it should still run, at least a little.

Can you tell me how to check the Cam and Crank sensors, with the multimeter.

Also, just so i know, isn't it the cam that controlls fuel input.

thanks
james

Well to test the crank and cam sensor you need a test light. Backprobe the signal wires on the sensors while the engine is being cranked. Youre looking for the light to flash or pulsate when engine is cranked, if it does the sensor is good.
If the light doesnt pulsate make sure all wiring related to the sensor is good and working properly before declaring the sensor bad.

The test light is not just an ordinary 12 volt test light. You need one that will work for 5 volts to test sensors.
This is a test light that tests from around 3 volts all the way to over 13 volts. Not all test lights will do this but this one will and only costs about $10-$15.

thinking is slow going

i guess i'm loosing my brain, - trying to relax before school starts up again, or something.

I was doing something and thought that i should check to see if the bolt head was still there for the HUB. NOPE, the head was clean off.

Talk about mad. More like confused. Its the second balancer in just under a year. Luckily the crank sensor wasn't screwed up. I've gone through 3 of those in the past 2 years.

I somehow managed to pop the bolt head, slip the hub out and miss the crank sensor. all in one night. Last time the bolt broke like 2 days before the hub moved out enough to miss getting read by the crank sensor.

But maybe i'm lucky. The sensor, obviously was still intact, and like i said before, there was no wobble from the balancer, so maybe this time it didn't break in half, and make for a terrible mess to get the pieces out.
I guess its time to save up for a BHJ, or what ever the acronym is.

later guys, thanks for the help. Probably won't be around much for a while, I finally transferred to UCSB and am leaving in about a week, with NO CAR. I have an SC suspension to finish (my brothers) and an air ride issue to fix with my mom's Lincoln, and .. and ... and.. then at christmas i can fix my car, hopefully.

on to the next one.

jim

How did you install those HB's?
Thats a pretty high failure rate?
Somethings going on. Is your car a 5 speed?

well i did it like this

lets see.. the last time i did it.
I bought two bolts and washers from ford.

put the hub up to the crank, slightly tapped it on so it would stay, all lined up and everything, then i put the one washer bolt combo on and pulled it in. got it just about torqued down, then i took that bolt and washer out, and put on the new set, and torqued it up all the way.

No i don't have a 5 spd. i do have, 5% pulley, intake and exhaust.
5% pulley could be the only thing really affecting the hub. If by having the smaller pulley the belt tensioner wasn't putting as much force on the belt, then the two belts acting on the hub aren't matching designed tensions. therefore off setting the hub. But i recall the last time i took off the SC belt, it was still tight as hell, even for being a smaller pulley.

let me know what you think.
jim

Test light

Mike where did you buy it at? / What brand?

MIKE 38sc said:

Well to test the crank and cam sensor you need a test light. Backprobe the signal wires on the sensors while the engine is being cranked. Youre looking for the light to flash or pulsate when engine is cranked, if it does the sensor is good.
If the light doesnt pulsate make sure all wiring related to the sensor is good and working properly before declaring the sensor bad.

The test light is not just an ordinary 12 volt test light. You need one that will work for 5 volts to test sensors.
This is a test light that tests from around 3 volts all the way to over 13 volts. Not all test lights will do this but this one will and only costs about $10-$15.

Click to expand...

Found out the problem

I changed out the cam shaft sensor and that seems to have fixed the tach and all starting problems. Thank you guys for all your help. That cam shaft sensor is not the worst thing to change but it's not to much fun.

Josh

Re: Test light

casexxhemi said:

Mike where did you buy it at? / What brand?

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I bought it at advanced auto parts. I dont remember the brand, but its the only one they sell.
Hey..glad you found the problem!

sc problems

Car died again, went back to O'Reilly and the new module was bad. Had them test it before leaving store. All of there new modules rattle if you shake them. I told them that this was not acceptable, since we have been threw 3 of them. All wiring has been checked; eec, dis, coil pack. What wiill keep knocking out a DIS, OR are they crappy DIS units. Borg Warner?