No power to ECM?

[DirtDonk]

Same here. Maiden voyage of a friend's newly installed EFI back at the first batch of Ryan's harnesses. Ran great. Went to get gas, and when I got out of the passenger side, on the way out I kicked the panel with my big boots (hey, it's called a kick panel, right?) right next to the switch.
Of course it would not re-start. Luckily only took us about 15 minutes with two brains to figure it out. But the sweat was starting to build up!

Paul

 

[stretch]

I do like the idea of using it as an anti-theft device. Hell if it takes me an hour to figure it out, it would have to take a good thief at least 10 min.

 

[Timmy390]

Well it's labeled as wire #2 on the diagram. I totally missed it. Getting old I guess

Tim

 

[Timmy390]

I do like the idea of using it as an anti-theft device. Hell if it takes me an hour to figure it out, it would have to take a good thief at least 10 min.

I also pull the rotor if I'm going to be out of town. It's about slowing them down to the point they walk away. If they really want it they will get it.

Tim

 

[Bumper]

Ok, so I checked my inertia switch...it is properly connected to the harness and the red button on top is depressed...the ground wire for the RF harness is secure and in its proper location and is secured with one of the bolts that hold the lower intake to the block. I WAS able to get the ORANGE wire from the RF harness off the back of the fuse block, connect it to the white wire coming from the ignition switch, and VERIFY that I have voltage thru that wire in the ON and START positions....regretfully........there was no change in outcome when I attempt to start. Still no fuel pump and no crank. I checked my connections to the fuel pump and they are secured, in the correct locations and the ground on that circuit is screwed to the frame. The search continues for resolution to this issue......but I took the day off today and have friday, saturday, and sunday to figure it out. Just hope I dont have to tear it all back apart to get it going. My next step is to check the connection of the purple wire from the RF harness. It is currently connected to the back of the fuse box.

 

[Bumper]

I have now connected the orange wire directly to the white wire coming from the ignition switch and the purple wire from the RF harness to the purple wire coming from the ignition switch based on Jdgephar said in his two posts. I have voltages in those wires based on key position and they are correct but I still have no fuel pump......I do here some clicking noises coming from the engine when the key is on after an attempted start......which is new.....but I have no idea what it is. I guess I must have a bad ECM. I did, after all, but it on eBay a few years ago so it wouldnt shock me if it is bad.

 

[Bumper]

So I took off the A9L ECM and tested to see if I had voltage coming in on 57 and 37 from the harness. They are allegedly the places that power would input to the ECM with the key in the ON position. I have power there so it is looking more and more like I will be looking for a new ECM. Does anyone have any recommendations on where a fella might find one that is for sure a good one?

 

[Timmy390]

Sounds like you need to pop the ecm open and see how the caps look.

There are several repair services out there. A member here just had one repaired and the turn around was quick. I don't recall what service he used.

Tim

 

[EPB72]

So I took off the A9L ECM and tested to see if I had voltage coming in on 57 and 37 from the harness. They are allegedly the places that power would input to the ECM with the key in the ON position. I have power there so it is looking more and more like I will be looking for a new ECM. Does anyone have any recommendations on where a fella might find one that is for sure a good one?Did you also check all your grounds at the ECU connector for as well as all your powers , ? If you you like I can get an OE connector pin out view

 

[Bumper]

Sounds like you need to pop the ecm open and see how the caps look.

There are several repair services out there. A member here just had one repaired and the turn around was quick. I don't recall what service he used.

Tim

After some help from YOUTUBE....that is exactly what I did. At least one of the capacitors in there has some green looking "gradu" where it connects to the board........looks like it is the ECM. Sure was hoping to get it cranked this weekend, but now it looks like I will be entering another process of shipping and waiting. Oh well.....its all part of the process. I do really appreciate all of yall's help though. I LOVE this forum.... I have learned a tremendous amount from just reading things here. If anyone knows or has any recommendations on what I should do about either getting this ECM fixed or gettting a "new" one, please let me know. At this point, money is a relative thing! LOL!

 

[DirtDonk]

The problem with new/refurbished ones form the auto parts houses, is that they don't seem very consistent except in the fact that many of them don't work either!
It's not as bad as new parts like condensers and starter relay/solenoids and voltage regulators, but it's common enough to worry about.

The alternatives for the performance crowd are things like the PimpX from Stinger Performance and a few others. I bring theirs up because I like some aspects of it. They take a Ford ECM case and install the guts from a FAST (or was it one of the other companies?) to give you a fully programmable and brand new performance computer to run your engine and transmission if needed. Can be set up to run Speed Density, Mass Air Flow, distributor OR distributorless ignition, and a few other things.
Then there are the offerings from Holley and such that are coming up and looking pretty good.
So things are looking up for Ford EFI folks like us. You just have to pay to play, with most of them at the over-$900 price range I think.
There are certainly cheaper ways of getting it done, but some of the other benefits make the price start to look pretty good for those that need the features.

Good luck. I'm sure someone will have the right recommendation for you.

Paul

 

[EPB72]

After some help from YOUTUBE....that is exactly what I did. At least one of the capacitors in there has some green looking "gradu" where it connects to the board........looks like it is the ECM. Sure was hoping to get it cranked this weekend, but now it looks like I will be entering another process of shipping and waiting. Oh well.....its all part of the process. I do really appreciate all of yall's help though. I LOVE this forum.... I have learned a tremendous amount from just reading things here. If anyone knows or has any recommendations on what I should do about either getting this ECM fixed or gettting a "new" one, please let me know. At this point, money is a relative thing! LOL!

For a reman.or a remanufacture of your existing ECU you can look up Flagship one ,when we run into non existent with local sources we have had good luck with them,,...Another one is Module experts have used once or twice which worked out fine ...

But if you go local and they want a core then I'd hold on to your's untill your ok with the results..

 

[Bumper]

I just really want to thank all of you for your help. It is good to know there are still folks out there in the world willing to lend a hand. Thanks again and I will let you guys know how it all turns out. May even post a video of the first start (if it ever happens)

 

[Jdgephar]

Cranking over the engine doesn't involve the computer. Just the keyswitch position, starter relay, and starter motor. Big maybe, but maybe if you figure that one out, you might find why the fuel pump doesnt work either.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

 

[Bumper]

Cranking over the engine doesn't involve the computer. Just the keyswitch position, starter relay, and starter motor. Big maybe, but maybe if you figure that one out, you might find why the fuel pump doesnt work either.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

Yea, I didnt think that the computer was involved in cranking over the engine. Since this all began the truck has always cranked the engine over....but the ECM does send a signal to the in-tank fuel pump doesnt it? In the RF harness the way I read the diagram anyway, there should be a signal sent FROM the ECM on start that sends power thru the inertia switch and then to the in tank pump through a pink wire.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yep. The ECM sends a ground signal (if I remember correctly) to the fuel pump relay and the relay sends the actual 12v signal to the pump. Thus the computer can control the pump without having any real current pass through the ECM and it's wiring and circuits.

The initial signal is of course just that short 1 or 2 second burst to prime the system. Then it shuts down until a tach signal (or oil pressure if that's the sensor used) is received to tell it to leave the pump running.
This initial burst is sometimes what lets us know there is a problem with the computer itself. When the pump runs constantly with the key ON it means (usually) that the control capacitors inside the computer are failing.
But the no-run condition is different and can unfortunately still be from multiple causes.

Back to your issue though... I still have not looked into details of that particular EFI harness from Ron Francis, but does it still have the old TEST plug with the oddly triangular shape that they all had from Ford? Pre-Explorer of course, but since yours is set up for an A9L and TFI distributor I thought it might have it.
If so, you can connect two pins (#2 and #6 I want to say? But don't quote me!) and that will literally bypass the ECM and energize the fuel pump directly from the fuel pump relay.
If it still does not pump, then either the wiring or the pump is suspect, but at least it no longer means the computer itself is at fault. You might still have a bad ECM, but it's not the root of your fuel pump issue.

Do you know which connector I'm talking about? Do your instructions for the EFI harness include any mention of that?

Paul

 

[Bumper]

Yep. The ECM sends a ground signal (if I remember correctly) to the fuel pump relay and the relay sends the actual 12v signal to the pump. Thus the computer can control the pump without having any real current pass through the ECM and it's wiring and circuits.

The initial signal is of course just that short 1 or 2 second burst to prime the system. Then it shuts down until a tach signal (or oil pressure if that's the sensor used) is received to tell it to leave the pump running.
This initial burst is sometimes what lets us know there is a problem with the computer itself. When the pump runs constantly with the key ON it means (usually) that the control capacitors inside the computer are failing.
But the no-run condition is different and can unfortunately still be from multiple causes.

Back to your issue though... I still have not looked into details of that particular EFI harness from Ron Francis, but does it still have the old TEST plug with the oddly triangular shape that they all had from Ford? Pre-Explorer of course, but since yours is set up for an A9L and TFI distributor I thought it might have it.
If so, you can connect two pins (#2 and #6 I want to say? But don't quote me!) and that will literally bypass the ECM and energize the fuel pump directly from the fuel pump relay.
If it still does not pump, then either the wiring or the pump is suspect, but at least it no longer means the computer itself is at fault. You might still have a bad ECM, but it's not the root of your fuel pump issue.

Do you know which connector I'm talking about? Do your instructions for the EFI harness include any mention of that?

Paul

If you are talking about the test plugs that you would plug a code reader into, yes, my harness has those plugs. One is oddly triangular in shape the other is a single plug. From what I understand, they would both be incorporated in the use of a code reader.

 

[DirtDonk]

Make a jumper out of some wire or a paperclip and ground the appropriate connection and see if the pump runs continuously when you turn the key ON.
If your test connector has a cover, it just slides off to access the ports.

In our instructions it's marked somewhere as "ECM 22 - VIP and when you ground it with the key on, the pump relay energizes and turns on the pump.
It's a bit vague in my opinion, as the text says "ground the terminal on the end of the larger self-test connector" while the picture shows connecting to a different terminal for a different test.
Best to make sure by looking for the markings on the test connector, or calling Ron Francis for clarification. Or look up the instructions on their website for your particular harness. I'm assuming they post them up, and believe I've seen them before. I just don't want to go by memory alone.

Paul

 

[Bumper]

Well......I am pretty much at my wits end....which is not a very long trip. LOL! I purchased a NEW ECM......plugged it in......the result is the same. I guess I need to either find a local Ford mechanic or just paint it camo, drag it to a good hunting spot, and deer hunt out of it because it aint ever gonna crank.

 

[Timmy390]

So the fule pump still isn't running at key on? Hard wire that SOB. See if it runs then. That will give you fule. It will run all the time but you will have fule running to the injectors

Tim