Cougar

Have you tried looking at salvage yards in your area for a engine to match yours?

Your welcome for the help. It sounds like someone added the extra wire but I can't say for sure.

There is no relay in the circuit to power the solenoid. The power runs from the fusible link, to the ignition switch, to the inhibit sw(w/AT only) and then to the starter solenoid. To me it is better to fix the problem rather than add something new. I don't like changing the OEM system unless it is really necessary, but that's just me. I think most of these problems come from bad connections at the fusible link or the ignition switch connection.

Along with Ed's suggestion, make sure the connections are good on the MAF. It would also be good to check the voltage on the connections to see if the sensor is bad or the wiring to it. I assume you have already checked your plugs and wires to see how things are. If not I would suggest doing that to see if something is not right there.

Thanks for the update Andy. Glad things ended well for you.

Any thoughts??? You betchya we got thoughts on your good troubleshooting info. Don't pull the starter. The low voltage means there is a resistance problem (bad connection) up stream of the inhibit connector. The BY wire ties to the ignition switch and from there it ties to a large white wire that goes to the black fusible link that ties to the battery. My bet is the fusible link connection is bad. If the fusible link checks out ok and has good contact then the ignition switch is the culprit or in the wiring to it or the inhibit switch. The wires should be ok unless they are damaged somehow. There may be a loose connector on the ignition switch that is causing this problem also. By removing the covers over the steering column you may find the problem there. If the link is ok then check that.

It appears you have a 93 Loyale going from your previus posts. Here is a list of codes. You may want to disconnect the battery for a while to see if the codes reappear. 88 and later models with Single-Point Fuel Injection 11Crank angle sensor or circuit 12Starter switch or circuit 13Crank angle sensor or circuit 14Fuel injector - abnormal output 21Coolant temperature or circuit 23Air flow meter or circuit 24Air control valve or circuit 31Throttle sensor or circuit 32Oxygen sensor or circuit 33Vehicle Speed Sensor or circuit 34EGR solenoid or circuit 35Purge control solenoid or circuit 42Idle switch or circuit 45Kick-down control relay or circuit 51Neutral switch continuously in the on position 55EGR temperature sensor or circuit 61Parking switch or circuit

You should start a new thread on this problem. If you haven't confirmed that you don't have spark then I would check that first. Frankly, I would not not suspect the CAT as the problem until I check other things. Check to see if the rotor in the disty is spinning as you crank it. If it isn't turning then a timing belt is broken. They in front of the engine under the plastic covers. If the belts are ok I would make sure voltage is getting to the coil and to the other side of the coil. Since you say that the engine tried to start it sounds like one of the T-belts is broken.

Welcome to forum. I guess you need a name change now. How about Sooby2.5L-GT?

Since the other ECU made a change for the good then it appears you do need to change the ECU. I don't think the last four digits makes any difference (it may be a date code) but I would contact the seller and ask them to see if they can say for sure. Don't be afraid to open up your ECU and just see if you can find a problem with the unit, starting at the pin that ties to the coil unit that is having trouble. I would use NGK platinum of iridium plugs if you don't have them installed already and assume you have already checked the plugs and wires for a problem. I think by twisting the boot side to side and pulling on the plug wire it will help remove it. Using a very thin coat of silicone grease on the plug insulator will help get the boot off in the future. I would hold off on the compression tests until you get fire to the plugs but if you have the plugs out it wouldn't hurt to know how much the pressures are in each cylinder.

Welcome to the forum Doug. Good to have another local member around. Lots of good Soob help here.

Along with the other suggestions I would look at the plugs, plugwires, cap and rotor. They may be due for replacement. Also check the intake manifold gaskets for a leak.

Why not just get your engine rebuilt and save a lot of trouble trying to match up something else. Rebuilding yours would save the cost of another engine and the money could be used for new parts on yours. You may want to get new heads. To me, this will get you a better engine for less money.

I looked at the web site and it looks like your car is a manual with a 2.5L engine, correct? Since you appear to live in California does the car have the California emissions system? It looks like there are at least a couple ECU's that would work and be under $100 dollars. I would be glad to look at your ECU if you would like. I can't promise I can fix for you though, but will try. The site you gave for parts has some real good prices for a replacement so it may be better to get one from them and see about getting yours fixed as a spare to have on hand, if that is really the problem. See if the replacement works first before sending it. If you want me to look at it let me know and I will send you my address.

The wiring in the door jamb can get damaged so you may want to check that.

I have repaired several ECU's in the past though they had transistor and IC problems and not just a bad connection problem. One member here just repaired his ECU that had a bad internal connection for the injector circuit. Repairing a ECU can be done fairly simple sometimes, depending on the situation.

If you haven't looked inside the ECU to see if you can fix the problem I would check it out. Sometimes the problem can be due to a simple bad connection and just repairing the connection will fix it up.

Perhaps your gauge uses a transducer to send a voltage to the meter and not pressurized oil to the gauge itself like was done in years past.

The problem with the lights may be due to a bad ground. An easy way to check that is to make a long jumper lead with some 10 or 12 gauge wire and tie one end to the negative battery post. Then place the other end on other suspected bad ground spots. If the jumper improves the performance then you need to work on the ground points.

The way I think things should work is the light should turn on when oil pressure gets too low. It will do this by making a ground connection in the pressure sensor when pressure drops too low. Since you have both indicators I would check for the sensor to be tied to the oil line going to the pressure gauge. I may be wrong on this, but that is what I'm thinking the way it might be. You should be able to find the tap for the oil gauge fairly easily. If you don't see an electrical sensor tapped in also for the warning light, then I guess the light isn't used.

Alright, another happy Soob owner is on the road again. Drive on!

Oooh, I like that suggested way of doing it. Thanks for the pointer Josh.

My '88 manual shows that the oil sensor makes a ground to turn on the warning light. The power to the light along with others is supplied by a black/white wire that ties to a red/yellow wire through a connector and ties to fuse 12.

Disconnecting the battery for around 15 minutes should erase the memory.

Your welcome for the help Citrushark and glad it helped you out. There are lots of helpful folks here on this site that are willing to literally go the extra mile to help someone. I'm not so good with computers so maybe someday I will need your expertise. If the voltmeter is fluctuating I would check to make sure the fusible links are making a good connection and use a voltmeter to verify the alternator output is stable. The internal regulator may have a problem or the brushes may be bad. It is the large lead with the nut holding the wire on. Be careful if you take it off as it is tied directly to the battery through a fusible link. Check the main ground leads also if other things are ok.