86 LE SE engine code 5

just got a new van a couple of weeks ago. it only has 212,000 kms on it, really great shape inside, has been repainted and it was $1600. its an 86 LE SE Spirit. i think its the expo 86 special edition (expo 86 was here in Vancouver BC) but as far as i can tell the only thing different about it is the name and a little plastic logo attached to the outside of the pillar behind each front door that says SE Spirit.

anyways..... it had the christmas lights occasionally (wouldnt last long), the idle had kind of a roaming sound (up and down tone - i am thinking TPS) and it would occasionally stall... the engine would just cut immediately not putter out. it would mostly stall when my foot was not on the gas pedal. after a little while the battery started to not charge that well so i put a rebuilt alternator in a couple of days ago. it seems to run better and the variable idle has disappeared I THINK (i cant really tell because the muffler just broke off from the pipe so now its loud and i cant hear the sound of the idle as well as before!).

a few days ago the check engine light came on at start up but when i checked it it did not give me anything... i think the battery voltage was too low. i was pretty sure it needed a new alternator anyways so i put it in and went for a drive to charge up the battery and the engine light came on as i was driving. so when i got home i put the jumper in to check the codes and it gave me 5. but the stalling is a little different now. every time i go for a drive it will stall once usually around 5 minutes after i started driving and then it would be usually be ok for rest of the drive (i dont usually have to drive to far... 25-25 minutes). but now it will stall while i am accelerating not just when my foot is not on the pedal. and if i keep my foot on the pedal after the engine cuts it may cut back in after a 5 second break. so engine code 5 says oxygen sensor circuit... i am wondering if replacing the FL 1.25B fusible link would fix that. i needs replaced anyways. i checked it out and it is very corroded and as well as a new link it will need new connector rings (or whatever they are called) because they dont look good!

so i am going to replace FL 1.25B and see how it goes and take a look at the oxygen sensor wire as well. i have to leave town in a week with the van loaded FULL so i probably cant get a new sensor by then so may have to take one out of a van at the wreckers for now to get me by for the next month as i will be gone on a retreat.

i just looked in the 87 manual pdf and see there is a "Oxygen sensor connector". does anyone have a photo of that (i havent seen one on here anywhere but i may have overlooked it)? i cant quite tell where it is from the drawing in the manual but maybe it will be easy enough to follow the wire from the oxygen sensor to find it. i will take a look tomorrow.

so it stalls and has engine code 5 and needs a new FL 1.25 regardless if thats the problem.

thanks, dave

my username was 85stillalive was kind if a joke because my 85 LE is not running and needs a fill overhaul including a headgasket (and recently stopped starting too) so i am putting that off until at least october. it has 283,000 kms on it.

yesterday i was doing driving around town and the can stalled which it had been doing intermittently. usually it would restart immediately but yesterday it took a minute or 2 for it to get going. it would turn over but not start. last night i replaced the oxygen sensor and the FL 1.25B. today it still has problem starting. it always starts but i may have to turn the key a few or quite a few times to get it going. heres a pic of the old oxygen sensor.
Attachment 1771

today i picked up a new beck-arnley TPS (it was $97) which i imagine will fix the roaming idle/rpms (it only does it sometimes!) and some new battery cables. when i was underneath the van last night i saw that the negative battery cable was totally exposed in one part and the wire was corroded.
Attachment 1770

i have no idea why it started having more problems starting. since i go the van it has not had problems starting... it would always fire up on the 1st or 2nd turn of the key. maybe that already says something because my other van would almost always start the first time and this one probably starts the second time more than the first.

now i am thinking i probably should check the spark plugs... the wires do look old and it looks a little leaky around the plugs.

i tried to check the engine codes today to see if there were any but when i jump the circuit and turn the key the check engine light comes on for a brief second but does not flash any codes or do the slow flash to say there are no stored codes. after i replaced that alternator it did show code 5 but the check engine light has not been on since :cnfsd:

i am grateful if anyone has any suggestions.

thanks

Hi, I'm not as knowledgeable as the others but since I just experienced the same thing with the Christmas lights I thought I'd put in my 2¢ and maybe it will help??

I drove my van for over 5 days with the lights coming on but every night I put the battery on trickle charge cause it was really getting drained. I have a oversize battery in there and all new cables and I would drive it 40 miles a day and the battery would be down to 58-60% and that was during daylight hours.

so I had the alternator replaced and with that the tech recharged the battery back up to 100% before returning it to me. Maybe your battery needs a additional charging overnight. I don't know but I hope that's helpful.:?:

thanks JDM-VANMAN, you are probably right. after i changed the alternator i went for a good drive to charge it up so it may have been up to charge after that but after having so much trouble starting the last couple of days the charge is definitely lower than it should be and if the charge is low it will not display the engine coded correctly (i already learned that and it says so in the manual too!).

i was looking around for corroded wires or other things that may be causing trouble and i found this connector but i have no idea what it it. it on the front right corner of the engine block. it was very rusty and loose. i sanded it and it seems to stay on better. the pic is blurry... you can see the belts in the background (also blurry). the orange circle that the paddle connetor comes out of (on the engine) is rusty!

Attachment 1778

i was trying to put a new positive battery cable on but i couldnt get at it. it was one wrench size i couldnt find and theres no way a socket would reach in there. i was going to put on a new rotor and cap but wanted to check if this little connection was what was giving me trouble. the van seems to be starting better but it still needs the TPS which havent put in yet... i forgot to get a gasket for the throttle body. hopefully i can find one today.


i also came across some connectors that were not connected to anything. they did have caps on them like some of the testing ones do but some or all may be for testing. all 4 were on the right (passenger) side of the engine. anyone know what they are?

Attachment 1779Attachment 1780Attachment 1781

in the pic with the 2 connectors...... i pulled them out to take the photo but they were hanging way down and were not visibly obvious at first.

thanks

just went for a drive and starting is definitely better and just as i was thinking "maybe its not going to stall anymore" and then it did as i was accelerating up onto a bridge. so still random stalling.

i did put a freshly charged battery in (i have and extra) as you suggested JDM VANMAN. i tested the one i took out and it said 12.5 volts so it was actually ok.

Did you replace the o2 sensor? How's the AFM? Also check your EFI relay and the Circuit Opening Relay... I don't think the relays are bad, but maybe loose.

i replaced the O2 sensor, spark plugs and wires, and battery cables. i got a rotor and cap also but the cap didnt fit properly so i just replaced the rotor. i tried to replace the TPS as well..... took the hoses off unbolted throttle body but the gasket was like crazy glue and i was running out of time (had to leave town).i had to just put it back together. i would rather not replace too much at once anyways so i can find out what is actually wrong. the idle is way better now... only very occasionally does it sound unhealthy (roaming rpms ).

it is starting way better too but occasionally it takes a while and it does still stall occasionally but only puttering around town (it has never not started)....on the highway it ran really well. i had to make a 2 hour drive (withthte van fully loaded... 2000 - 2500 lbs) and it was running well the whole way. no problems. whem its warmed up it sounds amazing but when it cool it has a bit of a volkswagon sound (maybe an exhaust leek i am not sure). the check engine light went on last night but my jumper wire disappeared so i am making another today to see what it says.

i also bought an igintion coil but was not sure how long it would take to put in. i have it with me (as well as the TPS) and may put it in while i am away but i am on a semi remote island so wont have access to any extra parts..

anyways the van is doing way better but not 100%.

dave

Have you checked for vacuum leaks? How's your temp sensor? The o2 sensors is fairly important, and I'm sure replacing it made a large difference. You have to make sure you set the tps correctly. Tim has a video on how to do this.