Hi all. I guess I gotta start yet another thread. The Moneyfunnel is at it again. Service engine light is on. Code is FF44. As always I have researched till I am blue in the face and done testing till I "simply caint go on."(Faints, falling backwards into the Colonels arms, drops parasol) All O2 sensor checks "seem" fine. I have 6 ohms between the 2 terminals, 12 volts to the one and (as I recall) .43 volts to the other, and .8 to 1 volt on the heater wire. The sensor in the car is under 2 years old. I have the old O2 sensor that I removed from this car with its old Y pipe- I could not remove the sensor at the time. I believe it is good. I am tempted to think its the sensor despite the test results because.... Wait for it..... No Symptoms. Car runs fine. No new noises. all the lights work (AND the windows thank you very much!) It starts same as always, still stops. I just Hate that light. As a curious aside, the car passed 150000 miles the day after the light came on. As you see, its not exactly wheezing....

 

Jerry - I had an FF44 once last spring and even though I ordered a new o2 sensor at the time, when I cleared the fault it never came back.

So the sensor sits on the shelf for now.

What I did at the time was my usual "step 1" electrical issue routine, cleaned and pinched together the female connections and cleaned the o2 heater relay plug and swapped out the relay.

Our 94's have that relay on the firewall, yellow base IIRC ....


Larry

 

Thanks Larry. I looked at the terminals yesterday and I did find one of the pair somewhat loose in its moorings- enough to push it out easily . I corrected that and crimped the heater wire connector. Checked all again including crimping both of the pair. Took the relay out cleaned it up and crimped its connectors too. Got no change. I'll try a different relay tomorrow. I did the cap rotor wires and plugs on the Mitsubishi today already and while I admit freely that I hate that car, it went well at only 3 hours. But now. I. Must. Step. Away.
This is Paul Harvey. Good Day?

 

I checked the relay, It looked good, contact arm moves freely. swapped it with another relay from my stash but got no improvement. Today I am going after the evap can and its valves to see whats down there.

 

Hi Jerry,

Did you follow the diagnostic routine beginning on pdf page 108 in the AJ6 Engine Management System Diagnostic Guide? If not, you can download it here:

http://www.jagrepair.com/images/Auto...stem%20S91.pdf

If I recall, the O2 sensor output should swing between its upper and lower voltage limits several times per minute. If yours reads a steady 0.43 volts, it may be stuck. See the details in the manual.

I may be wrong, but I don't recall that FF44 suggests any problem with the carbon canister or its valves. We've had the FF89 code a lot over the years (purge valve), but I've generally been able to clear that by cleaning the associated ground point.

Cheers,

Don

 

As I researched it, no it did not seem to directly indicate the evap can. But a couple of the threads seem to point to a connection and I figured why not look. As it is, I Seem to have cleared the code via a ff39 because I was Causing vac leaks while the car was running . I then unhooked the battery to clear it all out. I drove it about a mile . The light came back on but now I have no code. I think after I step away for a bit I will re- unhook the battery and see what happens then.

 

Now I just don't know what to think. I unhooked the battery again and let it rest for about an hour while I put the covers back on the left wheel well and went around to have a poke at the washer pump (its swollen And wont work- I suspect time has worked his spell there). Put it all back together drove about another mile to get my light back on and got back to ff44.
1. This car gets more miles on test runs than by actual use.
2. If it can break when I look at it sideways, it should fix the same way!
I go from here to study up "the right way" (shuffles feet and mumbles "gosh.")
As always Thanks for the input. Ill keep posted--- but we all know where this is going don't we.

 

Hi Jerry,

Disconnecting the battery to clear codes is less than ideal because it only allows you to see one code, and you may have more than one. There's a connector somewhere behind the passenger knee bolster you can short to clear one code at a time, but another way is this:

1. Turn the key to Position II (Ignition ON) but do not start the engine. Press the VCM button on the trip computer and watch for a code to be displayed in the small window below the speedometer/tachometer. Record the code for reference later.

2. Open the center console arm rest lid and carefully pry the plastic cover off of the fuse box at the forward end of the console compartment.

3. There are ten 5 Amp fuses in the box. Identify the fuse for the Instrument Pack. In our '93 it is Fuse 9, the second closest fuse to the driver's seat in our LHD car.

4. Turn the key to Position II but do not start the engine. Use a fuse puller, needle nose pliers or the corner of the fuse box lid to pull the Instrument Pack fuse.

5. Watch the needles on the Speedometer and Tachometer. When they drop below 0, count to 10, then replace the Instrument Pack fuse.

6. Turn the key to OFF and wait a few seconds.

7. Repeat the process from Step 1 and write down any new DTC that is displayed. Repeat until no DTCs are displayed.

Cheers,

Don

 

This evening, I pulled up a comfy computer, started the car and let it warm to temp. The air injection pump ran for about 30 seconds, as usual. Following the flow chart I waited for the temp to get to normal. once the temp gauge got to normal, I got a steady read of .9 volts. Unhooking the 2 wire lead with car running showed battery voltage. I still have no actual "symptoms" from the car. Seems like the sensor to me. I have dug out the paperwork for it and will proceed to check my warranty status. its dated at july 6 of 15. Hmmmmm.

 

Ok. The deal is done. Instead of doing a series of tests which I (obviously) have little patience for, I went with my gut and got another O2 sensor. It arrived last night and After Voting today I installed it. Started car and let it warm up, light still on. Did Dons reset of #9 fuse, drove about 4 miles at average 45mph. Car showed warmed fully and No Light. I have used the same sensor as last time as a kind of test too. It's the cheap one (seems fitting) from Rock Auto- Ultra Power 234-3019. As I pointed out I installed the last one about 16 months ago. Intense scrutiny will of course continue. As usual, thanks Don and Larry for your input.

 

Always good to see that light go out eh Jerr?

cheers

Larry

 

Indeed it is.

 

I am so so so sorry. I must dredge this thread back up Yet again. In our adventure last time, we replaced the O2 sensor for a ff44 code. This cleared the code at the time. 2 weeks ago, while Roger was laid up for ff14, the 44 code came back on this car. At almost the same time it developed a 100mi/qt oil leak. Needless to say I was annoyed. Chagrinned might be a good word. Peeved would also work here. I refused to believe that a new part (the O2 sensor) could fail that fast "in My Possession" and went about finding either a connection with the leak or a secondary cause for the code. Roger was fixed yesterday of the ff14 code after I came to my senses and unhooked the battery for a while.
Today I removed and mucked out most of the intake plumbing to get at the oil cooler where I had determined the leak was originating, and replaced the O'rings on the barrel tubes inside it. I was able to source the O'rings from my local Napa- +1 for them! The leak seems to be repaired. This morning I read up on the diagnostic chart which is to be found in the stickies in this very forum (GO US!) and saw that the smog pump can be a player in this diabolical plot. I happen to have a used pump in stock in my personal stash. I found that comparing the two gave me little choice but to install the spare. I reassembled and unhooked the battery. The code is cleared again for now. There is One small drawback- now this car has an intermittent battery light. I may have bumped an alternator wire or there may be a loose/ broken wire somewhere close by. The battery light had not previously been seen and the ammeter shows normal voltage so I must assume that I caused it in my wanderings today. We shall see how this plays out. Thanks to the forum for having the references available!

 

Good news- I had indeed bumped the alternator hot wire, and it simply needed tightened. cleared the battery light.
Bad news- Code 44 is back again. This car runs sooo smooth. but its a Pest!

 

A couple of off-the-wall things to try for FF44:

1. Test your battery voltage while cranking the engine to start it. The few times I've had FF44 it has seemed spurious, and I've wondered if the battery voltage was just a little low.

2. Clean the ground points used by the ECM (two on the intake manifold and the one on the firewall behind the cylinder head). The O2S is also grounded at one of the intake manifold grounds.

Let us know how it goes.

Cheers,

Don

 

Received the 3rd sensor (of the same brand as the 1st and 2nd ones I installed) and installed it. I handled it very gently, didn't drop, kick, or otherwise launch it. Unhooked the battery and, since it was opening day for the '17 boating season drove by work to see who all was there. (No One). Light is out again. If this one lasts beyond the warranty I will replace it with a more expensive one when it does go.
The 2nd sensor was replaced November 8th of last year- 5 months ago, as we may recall at 150000 miles. I do not drive the cars in salt, so it sat Most of that time. The car now has 150831 miles as of yesterday April 1st. It seems like I should get more than 800 miles out of a part..... Thus ends the 2nd chapter in our exciting story. Tune in next time kids when we hear Bones say "Dammit Jim! I'm a doctor not a mechanic!"

 

What brand was that, Jerry?

Larry

 

Its the Ultra Power. part #234-3019.