[puregsr]

2002 Ford Focus SE Zetec
Automatic transmission
158000 miles

It was driving beautifully and then just died in the middle of the road after I came to a stop. Cranks and cranks but no start.

1) Air:
no obvious obstruction, I'm pretty sure there's no obstruction.

2) Spark:
It's got spark. I checked with an inline spark tester and got spark in at least 1st and 2nd cylinders, didn't see the need to check the others.

3) Fuel:
It's got half tank of gasoline. It's definitely priming the lines with 2 second hum from the fuel pump when turned to on. The lines are definitely under pressure and spilled fuel when I opened the line as I turned key to on. The fuel cut off switch is definitely not open since I pressed on it many times and has 12V when hot. I sprayed some starting fluid and seems to want to,sputter to a start, but doesn't.
4) timing:
belt definitely turning and not broken.
5) compression: can't imagine I would lose compression suddenly.

So I was able to pull two codes, p0913 and p1233. One is the fuel rail pressure sensor and the other one is fuel pump driver module offline. So I went to a Pick-N-Pull and replaced the fuel rail pressure sensor and the module from a 2002 wrecked car, so they are used parts but still no luck. Checked all fuses and all good. Also swapped relay with the high beam, but didn't load test the relay. PID showing fuel pressure at 90 psi.

Interestingly, I pulled all plugs and see them bone dry, not fouled by fuel. And now my battery is dying from all the cranking. Btw, fuel filter changed last month.
I'm frustrated, is there anything here that's indicative of a bad fuel pump?? Damn this returnless electronic fuel system! If you need all the PIDs when being cranked in order to diagnose it, let me know.

I hate to see this car go, but it's one problem after another, I just changed the alternator, 2nd one in 3 years.

 

[amc49]

Timing belt or fuel driver module, 90 psi is off the chart. Timing belt strips teeth only and jumps and then no compression. P0913 is a transmission code.

It's silly how many think the belt still turning means the timing is still OK.............and your work is haphazard. Look at how it died, later checks of fuel pump would point to timing belt but you weakly proved timing point out to aim yourself in wrong direction probably as pointed out. Misdiagnosed or misstated DTC too. 90 psi after junk part change screams the new part is bad. Compression statement is faulty. Trying to start with a low battery-a major frustrator there, all electrical then flaws with no proper voltage. Fuel cutoff switch statement at least as it stands is faulty as you don't state WHERE the 12V is at, simply being at the switch itself will happen even if switch is bad, you have to say you have 12V AFTER the switch. You think you have 90 psi fuel but low battery now has cut it to nothing. 90 should be flooding the engine so think. Has timing belt ever been changed? A known 'no' there and you probably have your answer again. Think. The starting fluid result says belt too.

It appears to me you need to slow down a bit. The frustration is at least partly self induced.

Charge the battery FULLY and start again, this time while waiting pull the valve cover to POSITIVELY verify the cam timing is dead on. Then go from there. Half work leads to half result and cars don't run on half result.

 

[pcordes1979]

A quick Google search found these links, one here, and one from the other focus site http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=183887 also look at post #7 on that one and http://forums.focaljet.com/mk-i-tech/621312-p1233-code-wont-start.html both point to the fuel pump driver module or related circuitry and/or relays.

 

[puregsr]

Sorry, I wrote the post on my cell phone in my bed, so probably came out a little frantic.

Haphazard? Of course, I don't fix cars for a living. Didn't know forum members have such high standards regarding postings, but that's okay, at least it's insightful.

Everywhere I searched, P0193 clearly states "Ford - Fuel Rail Pressure Sensor Circuit High Input," doesn't sound like a transmission code to me. Please clarify.

Timing belt was changed 55000 miles ago, so I'll check carefully since I only saw the cam (through the oil filler) and the belt turning. Guess I got led astray by the codes and the heavily emphasized concept of fuel and spark. Plus spraying starter fluid almost made the engine start, at least it wasn't just crank, crank, crank.

Battery was clearly fully charged, but discharged gradually during my diagnosis, so it'll be recharged before I can do anything else.

The fuel cutoff is clearly working since FPDM is getting 12V (Green/org wire) while KOEO which must pass through the fuel cutoff, I even bypass the fuel cutoff to see if it would start.
Interestingly, Ford uses two black and two green/orange wires (they look the same) on the FPDM and so I have to trace the wires to see which direction they go, didn't check them in details since it was getting dark and I wanted to just get the part from the yard to try my luck before they close. What's the chance of another failed FPDM from another vehicle. I read somewhere that they almost never go bad.

So my question is, where does the OBD gets the PID of the fuel pressure, from the fuel rail pressure sensor? Is it possible that it's getting fuel pressure but injectors just not getting power?

P.S. it was reading 90psi in the beginning, even before I put in the FPDM and the fuel rail pressure sensor.

 

[iminhell]

90psi is generally the sign the FRPS has gone bad. But I'm not sure what it might read with it disconnected, is it high or is it low? If high, I can see the pump not running because the ECU doesn't see a need for more pressure. Low, the ECU would run the pump too much.
So it could very well be the FRPS is the root of the problem, or the wiring to it.
You say you replaced it but nothing says the JY part is good. Make sure you have near to 5v to it and that there is not fuel leaking into the vacuum line.
Possibly get another from the yard to test it. You should get a pressure of around 40psi.


I would not look at anything else being a problem until the fuel pressure readings are in check.

 

[Marde]

Adding to what iminhell just said...

So my question is, where does the OBD gets the PID of the fuel pressure, from the fuel rail pressure sensor?

It gets the data from the PCM.

The PCM sends a Vref (5Vdc) to the FRPS. The FRPS returns a signal to the PCM (something lower than 5Vdc) based on actual pressure sensed by the FRPS... and is "relative to" the pressure/vacuum of the intake manifold.

Based on your DTC, my guess is that your wiring to/from the FRPS is messed up. You need to check the health of the wiring using a multi-meter (DVM). Only 3 wires, do you have a wire diagram and a DVM?

Info below based on 2004 Zetec.

FRPS connector C106
C106 Pin-1 goes to PCM C175 Pin-63 (Less than 5Vdc)
C106 Pin-2 goes to PCM C175 Pin-91 (Rtn)
C106 Pin-3 goes to PCM C175 Pin-90 (Vref 5Vdc)

If Pin-1 is shorted to Pin-3 (within wiring anywhere in the engine bay) your PCM will "think" fuel pressure is CRAZY HIGH, maybe 90psi...????? Look for damaged wiring.

Here is a pic of PCM C175


If you want to DVM test the voltage of C106 Pin-1 you must do it while the connector is connected. You can do this using "back-probe" techniques; aka use a sewing needle or similar.

 

[Marde]

With C106 disconnected, check that C106 Pin-3 has 5Vdc on it. If that wire is shorted to some random 12V source, that might piss-off (damage?) the PCM and set that DTC.

On some cars (maybe not yours) this same Vref signal is shared/spliced into the throttle position sensor (TPS).

 

[sailor]

typin' fast can mess with the guesses,

amc49 saw your P0913 posting, corrected later when you questioned his comment to P0193 so others could help out better.

FRPS & wiring as mentioned earlier, for myself I'll add that when stumped it's nice to have a compression test to rule out mechanical issues - even appreciably jumped timing will show when that is done (minor not as much, but then it would run).

 

[puregsr]

I want to thank everyone here. I didn't mean to come across as some hysterical teenager, which I'm not ... unfortunately, way over that age. I'm just very attached to this car since I've worked on it bumper to bumper and my wife wants it gone.

But the car is running, like new!!

I did take the valve cover off and check the belt and cams, turned it for a while to check for TDC with a long screwdriver sticking out of cylinder #1 and see if the cams align repeatedly and go through the cycles a few times and make sure the little notch on the harmonic pulley lines up with the tab on the cover. Not sure if I was imagining that little notch since it was so tiny, could have easily been a dent. Without the alignment tool, timing pin, and Ford not giving us any timing marks, I guess it was all I know. I do have a timing gun but didn't use it since battery was still being charged. How would you guys check?
I did the timing belt so long ago and I don't even remember if I used the alignment tool or a timing pin, pretty sure I didn't, just did the old school way of making my own marks before taking off the belt.

Anyway, you guys were correct that there is a problem with the connection from the ECM to the fuel rail pressure sensor, thus giving 90 pounds of pressure as there was no detectable voltage at any of the C106 pins. I guess I recently replaced the alternator (15 days before the 3 year warranty was up), I disconnected the main engine harness and guess what, I didn't click it in all the way!! Can't believe it. I guess the lesson learned here is to always retrace to what you did last. I did too many things with wiring recently that anything is possible.

Just so future generation know, I bought the sensor for about 5 dollars and module was about 20 + 3 dollar core charge at Pick N Pull.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Mandroid]

Thanks for updating us! Is refreshing to have someone responsible enough to the up the life ends in their threads! Stick around though. Tons of useful info on here, and we could use more people like you. You seem to know a thing or two also

 

[amc49]

And slow down a bit, it costs too much money.............luck

 

[sailor]

Tx for the update, wouldn't have guessed a connector offhand without knowing it had been apart.

 

[tb1999]

Just wanted to comment that following a logical path from DTC to live reading then circuit checks is always the only tried and true diagnosis method. It's also best bet to go over any other repairs recently done. When I was still working as a professional technician, many times I would discover where a previous repair was not done 100% correctly and created the current problem......

 

[daspazzZX3]

Ahahahahaha I drove my 2005 without connecting the butterfly valve to the throttle body connection and then recently drove my 2002 without MAF connected. I r tardeddd

 

[mysvtny]

I had a similar problem with my 97 mustang GT. It suddenly died and my first guess was a fuel pump, I replaced it with a cobra one, and no go. Then I started searching dealer into it and found that there's a fuel pump relay in CCRM that can go wrong, soldered a new relay in, still nothing. I ended up towing the car to my mechanic, he pulled out the ECU and checked every pin between the ECU and CCRM, didn't find a problem but when he put it back in everything magically worked

 

[sailor]

^^^ That's actually a favorite fix of mine, used most often when checking fuses/relays.

Unplugging & reassembling electrical connections often "cleans" them enough to make good contact again, even at times when the corrosion causing the fault isn't obvious.

 

[amc49]

'Unplugging & reassembling electrical connections often "cleans" them enough to make good contact again...'

Absolutely, I do it on everything and now I generally even pry pin sleeve (the female side) to deform to positively grab the pins now. When you unplug 4-5 times a multiple plug with say 20 pins often times one or two do not make contact when the flexing of the case allows the sleeve to open up to not be tight. Having a $2 dental pick often pays for itself a hundred times doing that. The sockets commonly used for bulbs on these do it too, rebend and presto chango! back to working fine.

'...many times I would discover where a previous repair was not done 100% correctly and created the current problem......'

And the worst part is the problem seems to get worse the more you paid for the job.......................I ALWAYS suspect previously done work not proven out by time yet. ALWAYS. I blame it on the 'friend' who had me working on getting a new motorcycle running at 3:00 in the morning one night, it wouldn't start. I asked him like 6 times in the next hour while freezing our butts off did he have gas in the tank, yes, yes, he kept saying. Once I figured out he had run out of gas I thought I was going to have to kill him.

 

[tb1999]

Its called justifiable homicide....