89 check engine light

[mikey89]

ops: can anyone tell me how to check the codes on 89 carb festiva dont have a book and need to figure out why car has speratic idle, but runs fine once throttle is pushed. 89L 2bbl 5 speed. thanks im trying to get book ordered.

[stefan]

is the check engine light on? if im not mistaken there wont be any codes if the light isnt on.

my 1990 dealer manual wont have what you need but i can check if the haynes manual covers it.

[WmWatt]

Do you still want to know how to read the codes? Like the fellow wrote, if the light is not on you won't get any codes. Here's how to to it from the Haynes manual but this is only for Festivas with a carburettor.

1. Ground the white one-pin connector in the engine compartment next to the fender on the driver's side. This is the same one-pin connector you ground when you do the idle speed and timing.

2. Connect the positive lead of an analogue voltmeter (one with the moving pointer, not one with a digital readout) to "terminal 6 (green/red wire) on the 6-pin test connector". Mr. Haynes says the connector is under the dash but it isn't. Its next to the one-pin connector in the engine compartment. Trust me, I've read the codes on my carb'd Festiva.

3. Connect the negative lead of the voltmeter to ground and count the number of times the needle on the voltmeter moves. It can move fast or slow. If the stored code number has two digits the needle will move slow at first for the high digit and then fast for the second digit. If the stored code is only one digit the needle will only move fast. For example, if the code is 34 there will be 3 slow movements (Mr Haynes calls them "sweeps") followed by 4 fast ones. If you don't get the count don't worry because you can keep reading the stored code as many times as you like until you disconnect the negative battery cable to erase the stored codes.

4. Mr Haynes says to make sure the battery voltage is greater than 11, the transmission is in neutral, all accessories are turned off, the throttle valve is closed, and the engine is warm. To read the codes turn the ignition switch to the ON position but do not start the engine.

I won't list all the possible codes and what they mean. If you find any codes post them here and I will tell you what they mean. If there are no codes stored in the computer when you go to read them the check engine light will go on for a moment and then go out.

Good luck.

[mikey89]

I cannot find the connector with the terminals you are speaking of the only thing I see on the driverside is a brown box with three jumper wires in it, the box says brown, head, main and so forth. the light is on constantly and if I disconnect the battery, it comes back on within 20 miles most of the time. I guess I will have to wait till I can afford to get the manual on it thanks for all your help guys.

[FB71]

the box you've identified is the power junction block, which sits in front of the strut tower. The connector you're looking for is behind the strut tower, tucked back in the corner.

[WmWatt]

The 6-pin test connector is one of those white plastic things they use to connect wires with. If it's not in the engine compartment near the fire wall then fish around
under the dash on the driver's side. Maybe yours is where Mr Haynes says it's supposed to be. Mine is in the engine compartment.

[freshtiva]

I have two 89s both autos (EFI) with air. I went out and looked at them just for fun. ( I'm easily entertained ) I couldn't find the 6-pin connector. There is a 6 pin connector with three wires in it but none of them were green/red. I did find a green/red in an other two pin connector. I counted five loose connectors in the same general area. I think two are self test connectors and one is the fuel pump self test connector, and one is the RPM test connector, dont know about the other one. I read your earlier check engine code post also but I'm still confused about which is the STO terminal. I'm assuming the white single connector is the STI.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11777&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=codes

[WmWatt]

Ah yes, I followed the link in the above posting and read what I had posted in another thread and long forgotten about. There is a diagram and a photo in the Haynes manual showing the shape of the connectors and the locations of the appropriate wires in the connectors. The photo seems to be for 1994-1995 models and shows a black plastic box next to the strut tower in the engine compartment. You have to pry open the lid. However the location of the connectors on earlier models is not show. The diagram is labelled "Diagnostic terminal designations (1990-1993 models) bit I would assume it also applies to the 1989 fuel injected model. There is no diagram specifically for the 1989 fuel injected model. The diagram is just a line drawing of the two connectors, nothing showing where they are located on the car. There is a 1-pin STI connector. The manual doesn't say what "STI" stands for. There is a 6-pin connector on which the top left hand wire is the STO wire. The manual doesn't say what "STO" stands for. The bottom of the connector is flat while the top has ridges over the holes for the wires. Hold the connector with the holes pointed at you and the flat side on the bottom. The STO connector is then the one on the top left.
The engine control wiring diagram at the back of the Haynes manual shows the green/red wire from which to read the codes on the carburetted model, labelled"check connector", but I can't find a similar label on the wiring diagram for the 1989-1993 fuel injected engines.

[WmWatt]

This is just to move the thread to the top of th list. When I edited my last post with new information the article did not move to the top of the forum and might be missed.

[WmWatt]

Ah, the photos. The connector identified as #3 looks identical to the STO connector on my carburetted '89 except mine is white. The connector identified as #5 looks like the 1-pin STI connector on my car which is also white. If you ever set the idle speed and timing the one you grounded is the STI connector.

[ford_festiva]

To add to what else others have said about using the trouble codes and finding the correct connectors, I thought I would add a few helpful tips. I have an 1989 Ford Festiva (carburetor model) and I have the 1989 genuine Ford manual (big blue book w/ plastic cover) and it told me that the connector is under the dash inside the car, but that is wrong, like someone else said above. My connectors are white but look identical to #2 and #3 in the photos above. The one labeled #2 is the one that you connect to ground. Actually, you don't even need to connect the green/red wire to your voltmeter, because you can watch the yellow 'check engine' light flash to get the codes, instead of watching the analog voltmeter arm swing across the dial. The first number stays on longer and the second number flashes quickly, so two 'slows' and 6 fast flashes translates into the number '26'. The problem I was having was code 16. I'm still working on it.
Another problem I was having was to figure out how to disengage the clutch switch for manual transmission. It is very hard to turn the engine over and check for spark from the inside of the car, so I made a little jumper wire with two spades on each end to plug into the two-slot connector under the dash that is connected to the clutch pedal switch. I had a rough idle problem and I kept having to get in and out of the car over and over every time it died. Now, I can just reach through the car window to start the car. Naturally, you will want to be sure to put a wheel chock in the wheels to keep the car from rolling away, just to be safe.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

The check engine light has suddently started coming on intermittently while driving in my 88LX. Can I (assuming I can find it) just ground the STI connector and then drive the car? Will the check engine light then flash out the 2-digit codes at me while driving (instead of coming on solid)?

[ford_festiva]

Festiva Check engine light coming on

Hello, I think I need to clarify. You do not 'read' the trouble codes while the car is running. You turn the key to 'accessory' position after the STI connector is grounded and that will cause the check engine light to flash on your dash. Then you simply read the slow and fast flashes to get the code then. If your check engine light is flashing when you are driving and the STI connector is not grounded, that is not a trouble code. Also, I don't think its recommended to run the engine with the STI connector grounded, like you mentioned. You might damage the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and those are not cheap.

The first digit is long and the second digit is fast. So one slow and 6 fast would be code 16. That's the problem I was having, yours is probably different. You will need to look up the code in the manual. If you dont' have a manual, you can email me and I will get the code translated for you.

Code 16 has to do with the EGR valve and the vacuum valve connected to it. I blocked off my EGR valve with a piece of aluminum from a Coke can and it fixed the poor idle condition and poor running upon gradual acceleration, because it essentially eliminiated the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve from doing what it is supposed to do, which is cool the intake manifold temperatures, which helps reduce NOX gasses. As soon as I get some extra used parts (vacuum valves, etc), I will put them on and unblock the EGR and see if I can get the error code to stop, because right now I fixed the driveablility problem, but not the trouble code from registering, which is a pain. Apparently the ECU is smart enough to know that the EGR is not working, even when I have it blocked off.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

ford_festiva, I understand what you're saying. My check-engine light isn't "flashing" when driving. While driving, it suddenly comes on solid for no apparent reason, and stays on solid for several minutes, then goes out, and does this repeatedly at several-minute intervals, but only on Wednesdays with a full moon, or something like that.

Is there any known way to "capture" information about whatever event might be causing this behavior? I do have an ODB-II code reader device that I used to use on a Metro I once had, but I don't think Festivas have ODB-II connectors, do they? I think the Metro "saved up" its trouble codes for later readout with the engine off. It's sounding like the Festiva engine controller lacks that kind of "memory" functionality to remember faults for later readout with the engine turned off?

[ford_festiva]

Festiva check engine light

ford_festiva, I understand what you're saying. My check-engine light isn't "flashing" when driving. While driving, it suddenly comes on solid for no apparent reason, and stays on solid for several minutes, then goes out, and does this repeatedly at several-minute intervals, but only on Wednesdays with a full moon, or something like that.

Is there any known way to "capture" information about whatever event might be causing this behavior? I do have an ODB-II code reader device that I used to use on a Metro I once had, but I don't think Festivas have ODB-II connectors, do they? I think the Metro "saved up" its trouble codes for later readout with the engine off. It's sounding like the Festiva engine controller lacks that kind of "memory" functionality to remember faults for later readout with the engine turned off?

No, you have it all wrong. First of all, Festivas DO save the trouble codes until later when the car is shut off. This is how it works. After noticing that your check engine light is on when you drive, the code is generally saved until later, meaning that it is a "hard code". A "soft code" would be a code that goes away because the problem is gone, at least for however long they programmed the computer to wait until dropping the soft code. You probably have a hard code, so I don't know why you just don't stop the car and ground the connector and read what your code is? That's all there is to it.

Now if you are worried about previous hard codes being stored in there, which may be irrelevant now, then all you have to do is disconnect the car battery for at least 60 seconds to 'erase' all trouble codes. Then you can drive the car and start again, and in that way you can be sure that any trouble codes you get are new ones and therefore relevant. Feel free to keep asking questions until you get it. I don't know what you even have to ask about OBDC II, etc, because you don't need any of that stuff. A quick Google search can tell you if its OBD I or II, whatever. My guess is that ODB II came out a couple years later. I don't worry about that because its a simple matter of checking the trouble codes without buying an expensive tester. And if you have one already, I guess you could use it if its the right one, but I don't know about it because it is irrelevant for what you need to do, I think.