Originally posted by RoadRunner:
You gotta get these voltages from a SCAN TOOL.
Try picking up Alex Peper's OBD-II software and cable.
All you need is a laptop with a serial port and Windows 98 or higher.

Getting the voltages from the connector is almost impossible
because you will only read the voltage drop across the solenoids.

You should be measuring the resistance across the solenoids to make sure they are not shorted or open.
You can't take measurements across the PCM gates without damaging the PCM itself.
So you only other option is to use a scan tool and see what it says.
The PCM can feed back to you what the outgoing voltage is.
As long as your Battery is good, Terminals are clean, and Alternator is charging at 14.5V,
there is no reason why there shouldn't be the same voltage across the solenoids.


Another question ?
What Ignition Wires are you using ???
If they are old or bad, they resulting electrical noise they produce,
interferes with the VSS, and that can wreak havoc on your CD4E.





We (SouthEast) are going to be having a hugh meet going next month and I will see if someone coming will have one of these. I have read a lot about this program and would really like to get it, but right now it is just out of reach. I will post tonight and see if someone has it and will bring it with them.

As I mentioned in my small amount of findings above, I measured the resistance across pins 3 and 4 as instructed by the article that I pointed to. Granted this was only to check if it was the right solenoid body installed in the car. Reason I question this, as stated in my findings, is because the article states that if the solenoid body is black - it is a low impedance solenoid and should not be installed in any year model CD4E's beyond 95. My car is a 98, of course, and the solenoid connector located on top of the tranny is black and I measured 20 Ohms of resistance across pins 3 & 4. This had me very confused from the start, because I am not sure if the connectors on all year models are black or not. If they are all black, then I am ok, because the high impedance solenoid should measure between 12.5 - 19.0 Ohms.

After reading this part of your response, I wondered if this is what you were talking about, since I was checking the resistance of the solenoid and if it was shorted my meter would have measured very low resistance or if the solenoid was blowen it would have pegged out measuring infinite resistance. So this leads me back to my question of the P0743 code that I have. Since it states that I have an electrical problem with the solenoid. This is what I am trying to figure out, "what sort of electrical problem am I having with the solenoid?". All that said, at least I know that it is not shorted or blowen. Right?

My charging system... Well I know that my battery is good and I can verify that my terminals are clean (battery and the terminals of the solenoid connector). As for my alternator charging I cannot verify at this moment, but I can have it checked tomorrow at AutoZone. I can also use my Fluke to do this, but it is cold and dark outside and I hear that monsters come out around times like this! Sorry, just trying to have a sense of humor through all this.

The PCM gates? I think I know what you are talking about here, but just for clearification, could you give a explaination of this? I know that you could do damage to the PCM if you just start putting your probes on even pin terminal, which is one reason why I only checked across 3&4. I had information on this combo and was not going to go any further then that.

Wires? Good question. Actually, when I got the car out of the shop the last time, when this code came about, they were the first things I changed. They are Autolite Professional wires. Thickness? 8.0mm I knew about the havoc that shorting wires could cause the VSS. Thanks to you, Roadrunner.

I've had this tranny dug into three times in the past 4 months and it has been really hard to follow what they have done becasue the shops line of communication is about as long as their... ok I wont go there! That is part of the reason it is not going back to them.


Phillip Jackson `98 Mystique LS 262K+ and counting... ATX rebuilt @ 151K "This storm has broken me, my only friend!" RIP Dime