CODES 72 & 81

Code 14 is intermittent loss of PIP signal. Could be from EMI / RFI from the plug wires you used or a failing PIP. Had the PIP fail on my 86 Tbird 5.0 15 or so years ago. Started instantly running like crap as if it was running on 4 cylinders. Fortunately in happened half a mile from home and I was able to nurse the car home. PIP is somewhat of a PITA to replace, as you have to remove the distributor, remove the dist gear to remove the dist shaft to be able to remove the PIP. If you end up doing this, try to find the Motorcraft part, as some aftermarket ones tend to be low quality and failure prone.

You can leave the BCS with the electrical connector connected the BCS to eliminate the code 81 with no issues. I used a resistor so I could remove the BCS and toss it in the trash.

So I picked up my Motorcraft wires yesterday, but did not get a chance to install them to see if the problem was resolved because we headed out for a camping trip for the weekend. We'll be home Monday and I will get them installed Monday afternoon and report back the results. I'm praying the problem will be resolved, but knowing my luck......not likely. We'll see.

So I got the Motorcraft wires installed today. I fired up the Bird and I'm still having the same Code 14 issue. So I went to OReillys and bought a new (remanufactured) distributor complete with the TFI & PIP. It won't be here until Thursday or Friday though. I"ll update you once I get it installed. 

Question....just out of curiosity, let's hypothetically say there wasn't a spark plug wire seated all the way on the spark plug and it wasn't firing on one cylinder like it should. Would this situation also throw a Code 14?

Good luck with the no name brand PIP and TFI likely made in China. The only parts that seem to last are the Motorcraft parts.

Possible that a poorly connected plug wire could set a 14.

I looked for a Motorcraft distributor, but none of the auto parts stores in my area offer one for sale. Napa only has Napa brand & MSD distributors. No distributors are even available from Autozone (for the 87 T-Bird). OReilly's carries them, but they are not Motorcraft, they are remanufactured distributors. I have to turn mine in for a core charge. The only saving grace is it has a lifetime warranty. Trust me, I hate using parts from China. They suck!!!! The quality is crap, but when you are limited in selection you don't have a choice. That's the situation I'm running into with this car with other parts also.

87,
I bought a new distributor cap through my local Ford dealership in 2017.
I'm not sure how it is there, but here the auto parts stores sell aftermarket, if you want dealer parts you go to the dealer.
I called Ford here for you to see if they still could get that distributor cap. He told me he can get one for the 3.8, the eight cylinders on back order, but when he tries to get one for the 2.3 it comes up as having no one he can order it from. In other words he can't get me one. Hard to imagine the last name brand distributors are being used up as we speak, but that may be the situation.

87,
I bought a new distributor cap through my local Ford dealership in 2017.
I'm not sure how it is there, but here the auto parts stores sell aftermarket, if you want dealer parts you go to the dealer.
I called Ford here for you to see if they still could get that distributor cap. He told me he can get one for the 3.8, the eight cylinders on back order, but when he tries to get one for the 2.3 it comes up as having no one he can order it from. In other words he can't get me one. Hard to imagine the last name brand distributors are being used up as we speak, but that may be the situation.

I think 87TurboBird2.3 is referring to the entire distributor assembly and not just the cap. Replacing the entire distributor assembly for a possible PIP concern.

On that topic, I don't think that the Motorcraft distributor assemblies are available any longer and so I don't know where you can readily purchase one.

Rob---JT is correct. I was talking about the entire distributor, not the distributor cap. However, the distributor cap I bought a few weeks ago from Rockauto had the copper terminals, so I was happy with that.  We don't have a Ford dealer in my town anymore. The closest Ford dealer is an hour away.

JT---I searched all the autopart stores in my town and the only store that had a Motorcraft PIP was OReilly's, but they want $74 for it. My train of thought was for only $26 more, I could get an entire distributor, which included a new PIP and new TFI. It made sense to me to buy the distributor rather than just the PIP because I was getting more for my money. That's why I bought the distributor. 

Question.....if the TFI was bad, would that still throw a Code 14? I assumed it would so my train of thought is that by getting the distributor, I'm hopefully eliminating the possibility of two problems at once. The Motorcraft TFI is $120 at OReilly's. So if I was to buy the PIP and that wasn't the problem, then I have to turn around and buy the TFI and pray that resolves the problem. By the time I'm done buying those two parts individually, I would have spent $194 and then add another $17.26 for the greedy tax man and I'm up to $211.26 just for two parts when I can buy the entire distributor for $100 and get all these parts new with a lifetime warranty. So that's why I bought the distributor instead of the individual Motorcraft parts. I'm taking a risk with the possibility of getting China parts, but if I have problems with it, I can get another distributor for free because of the lifetime warranty.

Yes, TFI or connections are one of the possibilities of generating Code 14. Keep in mind Code 14 is simply an erratic ignition and does not necessarily mean X is bad and X needs replaced despite there are common failures. Much like other trouble codes, they are used to lead you in the right direction as to the fault.

The ignition starts with the PIP and goes through the TFI and to the computer. So any of the components, or wiring, can be possible as well as secondary (spark plug wires) ignition faults.

I have an update. So after waiting 8 days for the distributor to arrive from Spokane, which is only 2 1/2 hours away, the distributor finally arrived today. Freaking ridiculous!!!!! But I finally have it in my possession. So I went to install it tonight and, as my luck would have it, of course I ran into another problem. I can't get a my 17mm socket on the distributor hold-down bolt head because it sits just close enough to the body of the distributor. So I had to order a set of metric crawfoot flare nut wrenches just so I can get a wrench on the bolt. It won't be here until Friday. Hoping to get the distributor installed Friday when I get my wrenches.

So in the mean time I wanted to mention this. I noticed the distributor had a Motorcraft part number stamped into the body of the distributor (E8ZE-12131-BB). I realize this doesn't mean the PIP and TFI are not China parts, but I was looking for a little bit of hope. 

In the mean time while I'm waiting, I thought I'd ask this question. What is the timing supposed to be set at? 10*???