92 Aerostar, EEC-IV dead? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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92 Aerostar, EEC-IV dead?

battousai9439

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October 25, 2009
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Year, Model & Trim Level
'92 Aerostar XL
Hi all, first time posting here, but I'm going absolutely mad.

Have a 1992 Aerostar XLT (4.0L, E4WD) that has been passed down through a couple generation in my family. My grandmother got it new, gave it to my mom about 5 years ago. She wrecked it, got it fixed up new, then the alternator died, a leak sprang, and it sat, closed and swamped, in a rainy climate for three years. Guess how THAT looked inside? :fart: Then it was transferred to me (for free; she was about to scrap it!) and I figured I may as well try.

So, finished the interior and body work about three weeks ago, and had fixed up all mechanical problems, so it ran like a dream again, after destruction and 250k miles. About a week before I finished the restoration, I had to move the van, so I started it up, and I moved it to the main driveway because it was about ready to go.

When I finished the last of the interior, I went to start the van. I turned the key, the engine cranked, and nothing happened after that. I cranked again; nothing.

I listened for the fuel pump when I turned the key, and noticed the fuel pumps were no longer coming on. I replaced the fuel pump relay, to no avail. No start. So I pulled out the test harness for the EEC-IV, wired up my multimeter and tried to read codes. Either I did it wrong, or those codes were completely haywire! I jumped the fuel pump relay harness, which kicked on the pumps. I then tried to start it, and nothing happened. :shoot:

So, in my desperation, I just figured I'd turn the key and watch the blinking on the "check engine" light. However, when I looked, the "check engine" light no longer lights up when I turn the key! :banghead:

So I, in my absolutely pathetic amount of mechanic experience, am only seeing two possibilities. Either the computer itself is fried, or my ignition cylinder on my steering column broke somewhere (it's had the all-too-common "pull the key out while driving" problem for years).

I'm at the absolute end of my rope with this. I'm not about to trash this thing after I've spent $1,500 restoring it. Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

-J
 



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Welcome to this forum! It sounds like the computer relay is no good. Another possibility is a bad ground wire near the battery. Start with the relay. It's located in the same area as the fuel pump relay.
 






Well, I double-checked the grounds near the battery, and they LOOK fine, and I'm also getting small sweeps on my meter from the test harness, however I have yet to make sense of the codes. Still no "check engine" light though. I'm also having trouble locating the computer itself to test the pins there, mostly for ground. It's somewhere on the driver's side towards the firewall, isn't it?
 






The computer is on the upper driver's side. The bulkhead connector is located in the engine compartment on the same side as the battery, EEC-IV connector, relays, starter solenoid relay, etc on the firewall. The connector has one bolt in the center holding it to the computer.
 






Oh, then I was looking at the wrong stuff! Yeah, I know where that connector is. I was able to procure a 1992 Aerostar Ford Service Manual too, so we'll see what this turns out to be.

-J


Edit: Well, do I feel like the world's biggest idiot. The reason it "suddenly died" was just user error. I had disconnected the harness a week prior, reconnected it and bolted it back in place. I looked at it again just now, took a torque wrench this time, and gave it a few MORE turns. Started right up. Guess the bolt just wasn't tight enough.

Gonna rework the interior some more just because I'm not satisfied with it, even if it's "like new" again - what's the point of stock if you've already restored it from trash? Promise a before/after picture thread within a week or two! Thanks again.
 






spray those connections on the wiring harness and ECU well with silicone spray or CRC5-56
have to take the connection apart again to do the job correctly. you're going to have lots of electrical corrosion problems with that Aero setting for so long in a wet climate

do NOT use WD-40, worst spray on the face of the planet. not to be used on a vehicle except to keep dogs from chasing it.
 






Silicone spray or WD-40 will leave residue on the contacts. You need electrical contact cleaner to clean electrical terminals. Each spray is designed for a specific purpose. Tune up grease is used to seal bulkhead connectors. It's the same stuff that they sell in the auto parts stores for adding to light bulb sockets, and spark plug boots. Any antioxidant gel could be used.
 






At the very least, it looks like these last couple issues I looked at ironed out all the remaining problems. I have yet to find any other problems in the electrical system, or anything else for that matter, though I'm sure something will come up.

It's going into the shop today to have a bunch of stuff inspected anyway, because as much as everything LOOKS fine now, I'm not putting the fiancee in the passenger's seat until I know for sure that the van's not gonna end up rolling ten times down the highway.
 






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