1999 Ford Windstar

This Ford minivan with 139,478 miles was towed in as a no start/no crank issue. The shop owner suspected a theft issue and wanted confirmation. When I look at a possible theft issue there is one thing I always look at first. That is what does the theft indicator lamp/led do when the key is turned on. The majority of theft system will illuminate the theft indicator lamp for about 2-3 seconds then it should go out and stay out. But, before that I checked battery voltage first. This is an important step. Nothing worse than starting to track down an issue only to find out that the battery has low voltage and now you question everything you checked prior. Below is a shot of the dash and theft lamp.

 I flipped the key on and the theft light was flashing rapidly. Step one to confirming a theft issue. Next step is to confirm which type of Ford PATS (Passive Anti Theft System) you have. Ford has 5 different PATS systems that depending on year, make, and model all have their wrinkles. A good source of identification information is the PATS jobaid pdf available for free on the Ford website http://www.motorcraftservice.com/

On this minivan it is a type C PATS system. Type C system utilize the instrument cluster as the theft module. In this year, make, and model it also incorporates starter interrupt as well. From the diagram above you can see there isn't much to this system. The PATS transciever module also known as a "halo" has four wires, it gets a fused key on power and a ground. The other two wires send information from the key to the instrument cluster. From there the instrument cluster makes the call on whether it is the correct key and then sends a data buss message to the PCM to allow the car to start. So lets check some codes.

These are snapshots from my Ottotest. The first stop is the PCM. Here we have a P1260 engine disabled by PATS. Ok, we have a theft issue. But what? Think of the system. Let's scan the Instrument cluster.

Now we are getting someplace. I really do not like the description the Ottotest gives this code. I have the Ford description below.

The Ford definition is much clearer. It is saying that there was NO signal being recieved from the transciever. Do we have a bad transciever? Powers? Grounds? Communication? A little trick I do as well is flash out the PATS codes. On some systems leave the key on after about a minute of the rapid flashing. The theft light will go out and then flash a two digit flash code ten times. This will only flash the most recent code. I do this and get a code 13. A code 13 is equal to a B1600. Now, there is no known published information on this as far as two digit to scanned code conversion that I know of. Here, is what I have decoded.
Flash code 13-B1600
Flash code 14-B1602
Flash code 15-B1601
Flash code 16-U1147
So, what is my next step?
Let's have a look at the keys.

Look at how many keychain cards this owner has. There must have been twenty. These can interfere with key transmission. I stress can. The simple test here is to remove key from ring and retry. I really didn't have to though.

These keys are made by Texas Instruments and right where they put the transponder the key is damaged. In fact the transponder is missing. I look on the floor of the vehicle-no dice. I ask the shop owner to call the customer to see if they have another key. Customer informs us that this is the only key. Oh boy! At this point the customer is going to need a key erase and 2 new keys made and programmed. I can do the key erase and programming no problem. But, I don't have a key cutter and access to cost effective keys. I would have to buy the keys from Ford and it would be pricey. The shop owner has a very competent mobile locksmith that he uses and is far more cost effective. He swings by cuts two keys and programs the PATS and away we go. Now I have to be honest here. I knew what was wrong with this truck in about 30 seconds. But, I thought it would make for a decent case study.

2001 Ford Excursion

Here we have our vehicle with 108,904 miles on it. It has the 6.8 liter V-10 motor between the fenders. The complaint is that it originally came in with a MIL lamp on and misfire codes, three cylinder specific misfire codes. The shop replaced those specific coil on plug units and figured they had it fixed. A quick road test revealed it still had a misfire. Not as severe as before, but still an issue. With no misfire codes set the shop wanted to pinpoint the misfire. That is where I come in.....

There she is a big V-10. That is ten Coil On Plug Units to go wrong, ten spark plugs to go wrong, ten cylinders to have mechanical issues with. Get the idea. Well first thing I do is take it for a road test and make sure I put it through its paces. Idle, cruise, hard acceleration. This test drive serves two purposes. One it allows me to get a feel for the misfire and two I drive the car to make sure that the learned correction for misfire detection has been satisfied. On most Fords this is hard acceleration a couple of times making sure you get it up to 55mph. If you dont do this you may get false misfire cylinder results. After the road test I am pretty confident from feel that this is an ignition misfire. I check Mode 6 and sure enough cylinder #2 is showing some value where the other cylinders have nothing. I check fuel trims just to make sure my hunch about ignition is correct. An ignition misfire will not affect fuel trims as much as a fuel related item such as an injector. Sure enough my fuel trims are pretty tight. Out comes the low amp probe.

Here I have my low amp probe around the #2 COP (Coil On Plug) unit power feed. Low amp probes are an excellent tool. They are unintrusive, fast, and concise. They can tell whether you have a shorted coil, poor connection, weak coil, etc. There is a learning curve here. you have to look at a lot of known good patterns before you can tell a bad one. I use the low amp probe frequently on COP units, fuel injectors, and fuel pumps. The uses for a low amp probe are endless.

Well there is the waveform from #2 COP unit. There are three distinct patterns. This Ford vehicle utilizes what is called Multi Strike technology at an idle and low speeds. It was an idea that was supposed to create a more stable and smoother idle and help out with emissions. When the vehicle is raced up passed approximately 1500 rpms we only have the one pattern. Lets dissect the pattern. 

This first ramp is the initial coil on plug activation. What we are looking for is a nice sloping consistent amp charge. It shouldn't go straight up. A straight up pattern is an indication of a shorted coil on plug unit. Things look good here so far.

The next two patterns are the multi strike patterns. These should have upward ramps. Reason being the coils resistance changes after the initial charge. This sloping pattern on the multi strike indicates an issue typically with the coil on plug unit. Here again this is where experience pays off. Scope patterns are usually a matter of interpretation. You have to see plenty of good patterns before you can differentiate bad. Lets put some values on the scope capture.

Here I added some cursors with amperage values. I normally see around 6.5 amps on Ford coil on plug units. So, this is a bit high. I have enough to say I probably have a bad coil on plug. Time to yank the coil on plug unit just to give it a visual.

There it is. No arc marks or discolorations. Nothing physically wrong with this coil on plug unit. I could do a primary and secondary resistance test. But, that is a static test where my low amp probe test is dynamic. One test that I didn't show was checking spark output with a registered 30kv open gap style tester. It failed miserably with inconsistent blueish spark. It should be a nice even white spark jumping across the tester. So lets get a COP unit in and retest.

Looks a lot better....Notice the vertical ramping on the multi strikes. What about my amperage. Lets add some cursors.

There we go. We have the normal 6.5 amps back again. A test drive confirms no more misfires and the performance is back. It feels like a V-10 again.

All this Chrysler Turbine talk....

With all this talk of the Chrysler Turbine, we thought we'd share some pictures from a recent trip to Detroit where we got to view not one, but two Chrysler Ghia Turbines. The first we found on display at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum at Chrysler's headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Along with one of the cars being on display is also a separate display motor and cut away display showing how it works.

The second, is at The Henry Ford in nearby Dearborn. Their automotive display is currently under construction, but the Turbine was considered one of their more important cars to keep on display nearby with several other cars from their impressive collection.


Both cars can be seen here.

The Walter P. Chrysler Museum

The Henry Ford Museum

Book Review: Chrysler's Turbine Car by Steve Lehto

A fascinating book came in to the office about a month ago that really grabbed our attention. Chrysler's Turbine Car: The Rise and Fall of Detroit's Coolest Creation. By Steve Lehto a forward by Jay Leno. With all of the talk of alternative energy and fuels and hybrid cars, you can't help but think back to the Chrysler Turbine program if you're a car nut like me. I had known about the cars themselves and a little about the user program from 1964 through early 1966. Outside of that, I had little knowledge of the program. That was until I picked up Lehto's book. It covers in fascinating detail the development of the turbine engine by Chrysler over a nearly four decade  period starting in the early 1950s by lead engineer George Huebner Jr and fellow engineer Sam Williams.

Lehto recounts many stories from those who worked on the program, including Bill Carry who was responsible for maintenance of the Turbine's used in the loaner program and may very well be the world's leading expert on these rare cars today. Starting in 1953, and ending just after Chrysler's first bail out in 1979, Chrysler developed 7 generations of Turbine powered cars. However, they never produced a single car for consumer consumption. The program became famous in the early 1960s with the launch and announcement of the Chrysler Ghia Turbine. The program gained popularity for the uniqueness of the cars, one being the ability to run on literally any liquid that could burn with oxygen and the cars jet like sound while driving.

Designed by Elwood Engel and built by Ghia in Italy. 55 cars were built and shipped to Chrysler in Detroit. 50 of those cars were lent to consumers all over the United States for free to use for about 3 months before going to another family. This was a ground breaking research and development project to see if consumers would actually BUY. The program was hugely successful thanks to lots of publicity. It also gave Chrysler over one million driving miles worth of research. Lehto recounts stories from many of the families that had use of the car also. Sadly a majority of the stunning Turbines were destroyed in 1966 by Chrysler, leaving only nine of these unique, entire hand built beauties left in existence. There is much speculation as to why the cars were destroyed, and the answer lies in the book, how ever we're not telling. You'll have to read for yourself.

The book then follows about further development thanks to money from the Government as an alternative to the traditional piston powered engine during the gas crunches in the 1970s and the eventual closing of the program after Chrysler's first bail out.

Had Chrysler not run out of money and killed the turbine program, who knows what would have or could have happened. Perhaps today we would have jet powered cars like many dreamed of in the 1960s. And with the original  car's performance being equal to if not greater than that of an equivalent piston engine, who know where performance could have gone. Maybe, we will see a resurgence in turbine technology combined with today's hybrid gas/electric powered cars? Only time will tell.

Chrysler's Turbine Car is 228 pages long with several black and white and color photographs. It retails for $24.95 and can be found in just about any major book store and of course online. We HIGHLY recommend it.

BMW M3 CRT 
June 24, 2011

Some more words.....

Since I created this blog a couple of months ago I have recieved some great feedback from my peers. The main purpose of this blog is to promote my business and foster my love of writing. I have had over 1500 views of my blog. Mostly from here in the United States and Canada.  But, there have been some Germany, England, Mexico, and such. I wanted to say thank you to all for checking it out and reading. I have had some private e-mails as well from do it yourselfer's, techs, and shop owners as well. I would like to see more interaction between myself and the people that are reading my posts. Leave a comment or comments. Don't be shy. What would you like to see me discuss? Is there an issue that you would like to see how I approach it? Scantool questions? Anything? I hope to hear from you all. Thanks again.  

2000 Buick Lesabre Part 2

You remember our last case study. Well, I am called back to this shop because the vehicle left running well then a week later it has issues and a MIL lamp on. At this point do we have another issue? I arrive and start the car which seems to run pretty decent but the MIL is on for sure. I retrieve a code P0102 (Mass Air Flow Sensor Circuit Low). Hmmmm. Well, I do my checks and guess what? The culprit is a bad remanufactured Mass Air Flow Sensor. This car left a week ago with 137,052 miles on it and here it is with 137,182 with a bad MAF.

This the point where I get on my soapbox about the automotive industry. Here goes my rant. About 10 years ago the automotive industry changed from a quality driven business to a price point business. Today, it is all about getting the cheapest part possible. This saturation of cheap parts has driven the quality of automotive parts into the toilet. Manufacturers really don't care because even though they have a 30% defect or return rate, they are still making 150% profit. The general public is really ill informed about this. All they know is that they can go online and get that part for $45.00, why are you charging me $125.00. The big box stores reap the benefits of this by buying these cheap parts even cheaper due to volume and can offer these parts at ridiculously low prices. The real loser is the shop owner. He or she is put in a difficult situation. Should we try this cheap part to remain competitive. Possibly, tarnishing our image if this part comes back defective or worse yet doesn't even work out of the box. Not to mention the time and money lost on having to do the job over again. Or, do we offer a quality part that in some cases is double the cheap part price. Now he has to "justify" and educate the consumer on why it is more money. It is a slippery slope. If the customer pulls the car and the guy goes down the street and that shop installs the cheap part and it works, the first shop owner looks like a crook. This is a real issue in our industry. It used to be primarily starters and alternators. Now it is rampant. With auto parts just like anything else-you get what you pay for! The thud you just heard was me getting off my soapbox.
So what do I do here? It is not my fault this part failed right away. Do I charge the shop owner again to diagnose? He is one of my best customers. I take one on the cuff and inform the shop owner to only use a quality MAF sensor. We both live to fight another day.