Running on 2 cyl, codes 81, 82, 83, 84

[merkurhardlyknower]

Hello,

I am in the middle of a '86 Merkur to '87 Mustang swap, and I'm running into some difficulties.

Turning the engine on, occasionally it will stall immediately. When running, it sounds like a lawnmower and makes the car shake worse than I've ever seen a car shake, and eventually dies. I managed to get it to idle at 1.5k by adjusting how the distributor was clocked, but it still wants to die after a while. Naturally, I moved to check any codes I had, and got codes 81, 82, 83, and 84.

Doing some research, I found another post here where another guy had a similar problem and it turned out it was the ECU, so I pulled my LA2 processor out and opened it up to find nothing immediately unusual at all. No leaky capacitors, black spots on connectors, etc. I am not familiar with circuit boards so I cannot tell. Will post pictures on request. Earlier compression tests show that 1 and 3 definitely have compression, though 1 may have some sticky valve issues (engine measured 90-120-120-100 dry 95-?-?-150 wet) but I should at least be able to run it I imagine.

I suspect I have a timing issue of some kind. In attempt to diagnose the problem, I pulled spark plug wires and tried to start the car. It would not start if 2 or 4 were unplugged, but would continue to run exactly the same if 1 or 3 were unplugged. Frankly I don't know if my distributor is aligned correctly or if I even have my wires on right, at crank and cam TDC my rotor was pointing towards what was supposed to be 2, bottom left when viewed from driver fender. I simply put 1 there, then 3, 4, 2 in clockwise order. Otherwise, I have a good spark on all wires, tested by sticking a screwdriver in the wire, setting it close to a ground, and turning the car over.

In terms of things done, I have my car rewired to the tech article's specs for my year model, deleted EGR with a plate and removed solenoid, installed a gillis boost controller according to their instruction sheet, left knock sensor unplugged, and have a temporary hot air intake and no intercooler because I bought the wrong one from the junkyard (oops). In terms of things not done, I plan to install ACT sensor in EGR hole, not sure what to do with the sensor that plugs into the single wire with a 90 degree red connector, and no idea what that sensor is on the lower intake manifold with the half-moon shaped connector nor a plug for it.

I tried to cover everything, if more information is needed I will be happy to answer. Thank you!

[Stinger]

You need a timing light to set timing. Can't do it any other way.

Those compression numbers are not promising, 95 and 150 wet is "engine is toast" territory and needs a rebuild or a new headgasket or something.

You need to run it for a short time and then pull the #1 spark plug and see if there is wet fuel on it, or if it's dry.

Single wire senders are oil pressure and fan/coolant temp.

[merkurhardlyknower]

You're right, I was just trying to make the engine a bit happier with micro adjustments. I plan to borrow a light once I get it firing off right.

They really aren't, but right now a rebuild seems a bit over my head. My old engine was 100/100/60/100 and ran like hell, so if I could pull some life out of this one before I either find a shop or build the nerve to do it myself I'd be happy. May be a bit too hopeful on my end, but the story goes that the engine has been sitting for 25 years so maybe with some running, MMO, and an oil change or two it'll ungum a valve or something. I read this engine has hardened valves, is that the only difference in the valvetrain between this and the NA version?

Good idea. Looking back trying to find TDC to confirm my mechanical timing after failing to start I smelled #1, and it only smelled like the oil I dumped in there. I'll give it another look today after work. Could the computer be broken in a way that keeps injectors 1 and 3 from firing? Plan on grabbing some noid lights from AutoZone later.

If I recall correctly, I have three single wire senders. One in the oil pressure bulb, one on the side of the head behind the intake, and a third one that came from the intake on the NA if I recall correctly. Will I need this one?

[merkurhardlyknower]

Update: Grabbed a noid light set from Autozone, and I've got pulse to 1 and 3. I then assumed it was timing, so I checked my mechanical timing and found my aux shaft a tooth off. Fixed, removed and reinstalled distri so the rotor is pointing towards 1 while engine is at TDC, but its still running on 2 cylinders, albeit a bit smoother. After trying to get it to run for a minute, spark plugs 1 and 3 are wet with a fuel/exhaust/oil smelling fluid, while 2 was dry. Not sure where to go from here, since I'm getting a fuel injector pulse on those two I assume my next step should be to inspect the injectors themselves? Any new ideas?

[Stinger]

If they smell like fuel then they are likely spraying. You can simply move #1 injector to #2 location and visa versa and see if the problem moves to #2 if you're wanting to verify function.

I don't see anywhere that said you actually set timing with a timing light. I have a hard time spending too much time on diagnosis when there is one thing that's for sure not right (ignition timing).

The engine may come back to life some, I agree with that.

The valve seats are hardened and the exh valves are Inconel on the stock turbo engines. The chamber is also D shaped while the n/a heads are heart shaped.

Oil pressure, coolant temp gauge, and fan trigger (if the engine came from a 2.3T application that doesn't have a computer controlled fan). The LA2 can control the fan so you don't need the intake single wire sender plugged in.

[merkurhardlyknower]

I actually stepped outside again to mess with it, and pulled the fuel rail (I swapped my fuel rail from my NA 2.3 instead of using the 86' Merkur one) to look at the injectors. 2 looked clean on the inside, I could see a little filter, but 1 looked terrible and I couldn't discern a filter. I hooked them up to a lawnmower battery to simulate injector pulses, and 2 sprayed what little gas it had left in it while 1 didn't. I may have found a problem. I plan to tackle spraying them out with brake cleaner/carb cleaner/something tomorrow after some chores.

That makes some good sense. I'll try to get the light off of my friend tomorrow so I can get it all done at once. I plan to reference a video by Gearjammer2300 for the process.

Head assembly sounds a lot different than I suspected, I suspect I won't be able to swap on a rebuilt NA head with hardened valves. Once I get it running we'll see if it comes back to life, if not I'll likely be back with all sorts of rebuild questions.

Awesome, I'll probably fold that wire up and tuck it away in a corner.

Thanks for all of your advice by the way, this project has been a lot easier with 2 decades worth of material to reference in the process.

[Stinger]

I said the sender doesn't need to be plugged in, I didn't say a single wire would stay unplugged. You need the oil pressure and coolant temp senders (both single wire) plugged in. Coolant sender is in the block.

[merkurhardlyknower]

I don't think I follow. My '87 Mustang 2.3 harness has three single wire connectors, a white or faded yellow/red on the oil pressure bulb, a red/white wire plugged somewhere underneath the intake on the engine itself, and a yellow/red that used to be plugged into the intake of my NA engine. Is that one the fan control and thus I can leave it unplugged, or does it now go elsewhere?

Update: IT LIVES! I cleaned my injectors, two of them were fine, one was a bit blocked, and one was clogged completely. Took some work on that one, and I know that clogged one was on 1 originally. Hosed them out with carb cleaner, reinstalled fuel rail, and started it up to the sweet hum of a happy open header turbo 4. Did not run it for long, I'm either getting that light later or buying one outright and setting timing this evening when the sun sets.

I checked my KOEO engine lights again, and I've still got 81, 82, 83, and 84. I read on the forum recently that 81 and 82 are typical swap lights. Does the same hold for 83 and 84?

[Stinger]

The LA2 ECU controls the fan without a single wire fan sender. So if you've wired it correctly, that fan sender is no longer used. I thought the 87 Mustang was also a computer controlled fan but if it's got 3 wires then it must not have been. If your temp, oil pressure, and fan all work then you're good to go.

You can rent/borrow a timing light from Autozone and other parts stores. Pay a deposit, use it, take it back and they give your deposit back.

All 4 of those codes are common for swaps. Boost control, electric fan x2, and EGR related.

[merkurhardlyknower]

Yes sir, they all seem to work. I'll confirm once it's actually going.

Managed to get my hands on a timing light, and set it to 10 degrees with the spout connector out. Seems to run pretty solidly when I can get it to run.

Glad the codes are normal, I was worried about ECU issues. Seems like the ECU is no longer in question at this point.

New problem though, when I start the car it either dies immediately, or bogs down and tries to save itself before dying. I can only keep it going with some throttle. Once I had it going and it jumped to 3k for a minute before dropping and dying again. I assume I should start looking for a vacuum leak?

EDIT: Did some reading and ensured I had spark on the way down, can confirm I do. Turns out it was a vacuum leak in my heating and ac fitting, because I had the blower box out for ECU access. It runs now. Thanks again for your help, that just about does it!