North American Turbocoupe Organization



Can the Ircm overheat? Help with what stranded me
boboli Offline
Member
#1
Hopefully my link works to my turboford post. Its long.
http://forum.turboford.org/ubb/ultimateb...2;t=057862

A brief synopsis is that I have all new parts on the car so I figured it would be good on a road trip. This wasn't my 1st in the car, but 1st when its really hot outside. Started going up a long set of hills and eventually the car's temp gauge went from the bottom ( there the whole trip) to pegged in seconds. I figured blown head gasket. Seems not to be. The car would not start after I pulled over and turned it off. Wasn't overheating. It was acting like the tfi was overheated, but it and the pip are brand new ford. I checked my tfi and it was only 140*, well below overheating. Something electrical overheated because the car was fine after about 30 mins. I don't seem to be having any problems here in town with it now. The ircm was pretty hot to the touch. Do these ever overheat? I had the AC on the whole time. When it wouldn't start on the side of the road,I would hear the pump prime every time I turned the key on. It would only start occasionally ( every 4 -5 tries), sputter/miss for about 30 secs and die. When it did this it sounded like the pump would turn off before it would die. Full tank of gas.
Could an overheated ircm cause the fuel pump to stop but then turn right back on with the next turn on of the key?
Any other components to overheat and cause this?
1988 turbo tbird, 5spd, 140k, all stock except boost control valve.
1986 dodge omni glh turbo, 111k, my money pit.
1989 mustang Lx 5.0 convertible, tropical yellow/ tan interior, 1of only 144 made, 164k, aod, all stock including overheating TFI!
89 Jaguar XJS convertible, LT1 conversion, now fighting the prince of darkness (aka Lucas electronics)
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5.0TurboCoupe1988 Offline
Posting Freak
#2
intermittent problems are the hardest to diagnose. i'm leaning toward a faulty TFI but i'd try to duplicate the failure and check the fuel pressure and spark during the no start condition before i started replacing stuff.
1988 TC 2.3/5-Speed, 148K
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Pete D Offline
Administrator
#3
I think the TFI also. Can you cross check with another dizzy or TFI?
Pete Dunham


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boboli Offline
Member
#4
The car works fine now. I could have driven it 30 minutes after I stopped. I sat and waited for AAA with the Ac on for a while. I know on my mustang, when the tfi over heats, it's is extremely hot to the touch. On the Tbird, it barely felt warm. I regret not trying my spare tfi on the side of the road. I just didn't think it was the cause.
The way the fuel pump sounded like it would turn off could have been the eec losing tfi signal, but I was also considering an over heated relay in the ircm. It was hot to the touch. With the Ac relay, eec, and fuel pump relays all inside , I thought it could have overheated. Curious if this has ever happened?
1988 turbo tbird, 5spd, 140k, all stock except boost control valve.
1986 dodge omni glh turbo, 111k, my money pit.
1989 mustang Lx 5.0 convertible, tropical yellow/ tan interior, 1of only 144 made, 164k, aod, all stock including overheating TFI!
89 Jaguar XJS convertible, LT1 conversion, now fighting the prince of darkness (aka Lucas electronics)
Reply

boboli Offline
Member
#5
The tfi is remote mounted on the ps fender , over the snorkel hole, right near the ircm
1988 turbo tbird, 5spd, 140k, all stock except boost control valve.
1986 dodge omni glh turbo, 111k, my money pit.
1989 mustang Lx 5.0 convertible, tropical yellow/ tan interior, 1of only 144 made, 164k, aod, all stock including overheating TFI!
89 Jaguar XJS convertible, LT1 conversion, now fighting the prince of darkness (aka Lucas electronics)
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#6
The IRCM does get pretty warm to the touch. I have personally never heard of one "overheating" and causing problems like you have.

Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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boboli Offline
Member
#7
The other thing that was strange and electrical was how the temp gauge went from the complete bottom of the gauge to the top in just a few seconds. I thought I had blown a hose or something. Even with the car on the side of the road with the fan going and the hood up, the gauge stayed pegged. After my 30 min hike up a hill to get cell reception to call AAA, the car ran fine and the gauge was back to normal.
I know the gauges aren't very accurate, but such a dramatic change seemed like it may be more than coincidence. At the same time the oil pressure gauge was nearly bottomed out. When the car was running again, this gauge returned to its usual level.
Battery is new and it checked out with a volt meter, both charging and with the car off.
1988 turbo tbird, 5spd, 140k, all stock except boost control valve.
1986 dodge omni glh turbo, 111k, my money pit.
1989 mustang Lx 5.0 convertible, tropical yellow/ tan interior, 1of only 144 made, 164k, aod, all stock including overheating TFI!
89 Jaguar XJS convertible, LT1 conversion, now fighting the prince of darkness (aka Lucas electronics)
Reply

Pete D Offline
Administrator
#8
What did the gas gauge do? If there is problem with the IVR, I have never heard of that killing the engine, just makes those 3 gauges screwy.
Pete Dunham


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boboli Offline
Member
#9
The gas gauge stayed near full. It never seems to move when the gauges get wacky. The way the gauges acted was completely not the way they normally react even when the engine gets hot. That's why I'm wondering if these were two separate problems or they both were caused by the same thing. I know internet diagnosis isn't likely to solve the problem. Just thought I would see if this has happened to some one else.
Guess I will have to borrow my friend"s trailer and try reproducing this on the mountains here in town. Then I can tow myself back!!
1988 turbo tbird, 5spd, 140k, all stock except boost control valve.
1986 dodge omni glh turbo, 111k, my money pit.
1989 mustang Lx 5.0 convertible, tropical yellow/ tan interior, 1of only 144 made, 164k, aod, all stock including overheating TFI!
89 Jaguar XJS convertible, LT1 conversion, now fighting the prince of darkness (aka Lucas electronics)
Reply

Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#10
If its a sticking IVR, gas gauge, oil pressure gauge, and temp gauge will all peg from their "normal" reading within a few seconds and stay pegged for seconds to minutes. They will then quickly return to their normal readings within a few seconds.
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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