Yes, check the wiring and the fuse connector on Fuse 1 to see if it is "rusted" out. It may be that at 3,800 rpm, the vibration causes the fuse to go loose or the ground to lose contact.
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Engine cuts power and PATS light come on
- Thread starter Tex
- Start date
todras
Pretty fly for a white guy *cowbell*
Yep. Some thing is wiggling loose. Sometimes it does it and sometimes it doesn't. Typical wiring. The harmonics of the car at that RPM might be contributing to the loose wiring. Is the ground to the PCM connection bolted to the inner fender? Has a 10mm bolt. I could see that getting burried and forgotten.
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
If you're talking about the two fine wires (red&blue I think?) that go from the PCM connector about 6" to the fender, yes, those are connected.
Beans
Addicted CEG'er
No, there is a ground that comes straight off the PCM connector, the wire is only a inch tops.
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
I don't recall seeing this on EITHER of my cars at all... :shrug:
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
IT RUNS!!!!
Or so it seems so far... I met up with SVT SNOB, 1FASTDAD, and Harrry this afternoon to pick up some stuff. I took Wes out for a ride in the car and he thought that it had at least SOMETHING to do with the IMRC as well, which makes sense because it always dies at 3500 at WOT and 3800 under normal load. The previous owner had told me that the IMRC liked to kick out of gear too, but these were not like any of the normal IMRC failure symptoms that I've read about, maybe because of the tune and huge injectors. When I got back home I swapped the IMRC off of my 2.5 onto my 3L, and took it out for a drive. I did some inner-city, highway, and more suburban driving. I stopped for gas, so there was a break, but the car ran flawlessly on both trips, unlike before when it might run ok, then act up when you drive it the next time. Also, it ran HARD (would break the tires loose from IMRC open to redline) even on the mild tune, and I had noticed lately that it didn't seem to have as much power when it would occasionally let me go past 3800. I'm not closing the case completely yet, but it sure appears to be fixed! Thanks to everybody who helped!
Robert
Or so it seems so far... I met up with SVT SNOB, 1FASTDAD, and Harrry this afternoon to pick up some stuff. I took Wes out for a ride in the car and he thought that it had at least SOMETHING to do with the IMRC as well, which makes sense because it always dies at 3500 at WOT and 3800 under normal load. The previous owner had told me that the IMRC liked to kick out of gear too, but these were not like any of the normal IMRC failure symptoms that I've read about, maybe because of the tune and huge injectors. When I got back home I swapped the IMRC off of my 2.5 onto my 3L, and took it out for a drive. I did some inner-city, highway, and more suburban driving. I stopped for gas, so there was a break, but the car ran flawlessly on both trips, unlike before when it might run ok, then act up when you drive it the next time. Also, it ran HARD (would break the tires loose from IMRC open to redline) even on the mild tune, and I had noticed lately that it didn't seem to have as much power when it would occasionally let me go past 3800. I'm not closing the case completely yet, but it sure appears to be fixed! Thanks to everybody who helped!Robert
W00t!
Y2KSVT
Hard-core CEG'er
Robert,
I actually forgot all about the alarm until just now. I had it installed back in 2000 or 2001, early on when I bought the car. It wasn't until the last couple of months that I owned the car, that the key fob would act up. I would push the unlock button, and the little green light on the key fob would ligh up, but it wouldn't lock the doors or chirp the alarm. I specifically remember telling Trent about it, and he didn't seem too concerned. I was told that finding a new key fob would be really difficult, since Viper was a DEI product, and something with them going out of business? I don't remember all the details, but I wasn't able to get a new fob, and wasn't wanting to pay to put a new alarm in the car. You might try to look up Viper and see if they can help you at all, otherwise you'll probably have to get a new alarm.
Mark
I actually forgot all about the alarm until just now. I had it installed back in 2000 or 2001, early on when I bought the car. It wasn't until the last couple of months that I owned the car, that the key fob would act up. I would push the unlock button, and the little green light on the key fob would ligh up, but it wouldn't lock the doors or chirp the alarm. I specifically remember telling Trent about it, and he didn't seem too concerned. I was told that finding a new key fob would be really difficult, since Viper was a DEI product, and something with them going out of business? I don't remember all the details, but I wasn't able to get a new fob, and wasn't wanting to pay to put a new alarm in the car. You might try to look up Viper and see if they can help you at all, otherwise you'll probably have to get a new alarm.
Mark
CruzCorp
CEG'er
IT RUNS!!!!
Robert
Didn't I say that earlier, JOKING!! LOL
I hope it remains problem free so you can really enjoy her!
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
You said it, I said it, Trent said it, a lot of people said it, and others told me I was crazy, but it really wasn't a typical IMRC failure from what I've read. I'm just glad it's fixed. I logged another two trips and 50 miles today and it's still running great. Now I just need another IMRC for the poor 2.5 SVT. I'll also be glad that I can stop driving constantly and driving hard all of the time just in the name of testing my car. That gets a little expensive to be driving for the hell of it at $4+/gal for premium.
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
Me too, but right now I'm just happy that it seems to be running right. Like I said, I think it had to do with the big injectors, tune, and not the right amount of air coming in just throwing the computer out of whack. Also, the fact that it was telling the secondaries to open but wasn't sensing that they were opening. I don't know. My dad had the cam pos. sensor go out years ago on his 1990 Merc. Cougar XR7 S/C. It would happen like once a week or a month, but the car would loose track of where the cam/crank was and just shut down and restart immediately.
starjammir
Hard-core CEG'er
TX00SVT;489992 Also said:
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
Yes, and as you'll recall, when we went for a test drive immediately after that, the car RAN RIGHT. We didn't test it after it started f'ing up, now did we?
starjammir
Hard-core CEG'er
Shouldn't make a difference. Look at your datalogs on the opening of the IMRC and the position of it.
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
I don't have any datalogs from when it wasn't running right. The PCM lost connection as soon as it started, remember?
IMRC doesn't use a VREF, nor would binding, not opening, being stuck open, shut halfway open or melted in half cause power to the PCM, PATS, parts of the dash, injectors, fuel, spark, etc to be affected. I just don't think this is the last you've seen of this problem.
I hope it is.. certainly.. I just don't think it will be. Crossing my fingers for you!
I hope it is.. certainly.. I just don't think it will be. Crossing my fingers for you!
starjammir
Hard-core CEG'er
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
Ok, so the car was running fine for a few weeks, then it started flashing the PATS light and dropping the tack ONLY when I let off to shift above 4000ish. I decided to live with it for a while since it wasn't actually cutting engine power. Well, then I got sick of it and got the brilliant idea to finally replace the TPS. BAD IDEA. I replaced the TPS with a brand new one for a Crown Vic (was told they were all the same, and I have a 65mm TB). I started the car and revved it a few times and my little problem was back in full effect, cutting engine power when the IMRC opened.
Ok, my 3L seems to run a lot hotter than my 2.5 does, so I thought that maybe I had fried another IMRC. I put the old TPS back on, and the problem got a little better. Yesterday, I did the Hightower IMRC fix with a new transistor and put the IMRC motor and circuit board back into the box. While I had it out, I played with the gears and cable puller and determined that the cable was moving freely and not binding. Magic! It runs like a champ and no more PATS light. However...I'm now getting a CEL P1518 IMRC stuck open. Did I maybe not fully solder one of the pins on the new transistor, or is this normal after you change to the TIP121?
Ok, my 3L seems to run a lot hotter than my 2.5 does, so I thought that maybe I had fried another IMRC. I put the old TPS back on, and the problem got a little better. Yesterday, I did the Hightower IMRC fix with a new transistor and put the IMRC motor and circuit board back into the box. While I had it out, I played with the gears and cable puller and determined that the cable was moving freely and not binding. Magic! It runs like a champ and no more PATS light. However...I'm now getting a CEL P1518 IMRC stuck open. Did I maybe not fully solder one of the pins on the new transistor, or is this normal after you change to the TIP121?