So, now that I got my car back together after the blower removal/install, I've got a new problem. After an initial code of injector 7 open circuit and a misfire right after the first startup after putting it back together (which went away) the car was running fine for two days with lots of driving and drive cycles. This morning, up comes the MIL and RP and the car is shaking itself like crazt. Check the codes, all back 1 is misfiring, and the injectors appear to be open circuit. Checked the connector (which I was messing with when working on it for more access) and it was loose (due to broken clip) but still connected. So, while messing with it with the car connected, it all of a sudden started working better. Took it for a drive, no problems. Alright, just a bad connection I thought. But after getting ready to go and starting the car up again, all bank one was bad again. So, with the car running I disconnected the injector harness, no change in the engine. Connected it again, still no change. Poked around with the wiring, no change. So, turned it off. Decided to turn it on again, and guess what, no issues at all. It was running fine! So, drove to school, just as I parked, MIL and RP. Injector 7 open circuit again and rough running. So, I'm thinking I might have pinched the wiring for the Bank 1 injectors where it enters the main harness at the back of the engine. The wires come out of it and then basically seem to bend 180 to go to the connector. I think that if I did bend/break/pinch them it would be at that point and maybe when I'm playing around in there I might be bending them so that they work fine, but driving shakes them loose again or something like that. So, do I need to get into the bend in in the wiring and open it up and have a look? That's all I can think of that would explain the problem I'm having. So, fix one issue, another one pops up!
Thanks

Just had a thought. I wonder if crud in the connector could cause this? I will give it a good cleaning out. Also, for it to work fine for days, the go crazy, then normal again. Could it be moisture? There was antifreeze spilt on the engine (couldn't clean it all up) and could that evaporating after the engine getting hot, then maybe any water condensing cause the problem? There was also a lot of dew on the car this morning. But then by that reasoning after driving andthe engine getting nice and hot again it should all start working again, right? The more I think about it the less I think I would have damaged the harness wiring. Anyway, feel free to tell me I'm crazy and don't know what I'm talking about!

 

I think you are on the right track. It is hard to figure out a hit or miss problem like you have.
Please keep us informed when you do fix it. I am sure you will get to the bottom of it as you have repaired a lot of things already!!
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Ya, I am thinking wiring, or possibly water (as I just posted while you were posting!). I'll see what happens when I start it up on the way home today in an hour or so. Its really hot hear today so I would think that any water (if it was causing a problem) would be gone. But, like I said, we'll see!

 

Sounds like a potentially bad ground somewhere...

 

So, I just came across some info that mentioned that if the injectors are getting a faulty signal or something (like messed up wiring) the can default to constantly on, thereby always dumping fuel into the cylinder. This can be recorded as a missfire. That could explain why all bank 1 was recording misfires and not running right if the connector or harness was pinched. Anyway, I dont know if this is correct info, and all this is just speculation until I get into it, but that will be tomorrow. Fingers crossed for an easy, or at least obvious, fix!

Just saw GT42R you think bad ground. Makes sense. From what I see there are five wires to the injectors in that bank. One to each injector (4) and what I assume is the ground. A bad gound would explain them all going crazy. I guess it makes sense. If I pinched them all, maybe injector 7's wire was most damaged, then the gound damaged, just not as bad. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong! Also, if it helps, when I first started it up after all the work was done and took it for a drive, besides the injector 7 circuit open code, and some missfire codes (all on bank 1) I also got a bank 1 lean code. It hasn't come back since, but maybe it can help point in the right direction. Possibly at that point the injectors weren't even firing, which suggests again wiring/connector/ground issue.

 

I think I would focus on injector 7 wiring first. You can check everything but you have a clear problem there.

Do you have the wiring diagrams from the JTIS?

I have attached a PDF of the injector harness. Use your meter and check from plug to plug. I have had several real tough electrical problems come down to a pin sliding up a bit when plugged in. Things need to be tight with the small signal levels involved.

The PDF also tells you where the connectors are located. Even then it's hard to find some of them. Just no room to work!!

This is NOT your problem but I have heard of coils going crazy because of electrical noise picked up by the wire harness. Had to add some shielded wires to kill the cross talk and noise.
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Sounds good. I'll have to keep that in mind. Just to update, I just got home and from the moment I started the car to the time I got home not a single problem, ran as good as ever. This drive included a warm up of about 2 min, then some city driving (starts and stops) followed by a highway blast. The whole time idle was smooth and acceleration was better than ever and curising was smooth. MIL was still on, but no new or pending codes. Based on this small bit of information from only three days, it seems that this problem only pops up when the car has been sitting for a while and early in the morning (dew on the car). Once it warms up, or sits in the blasting sun all day and is started it's fine. I am still going to check out the wiring tomorrow, but I almost seems like there is moisture somewhere (in the connector?) that is causing problems as the car is trouble free after the engine warms up, or sits in the heat for a few hours. Could be nothing at all, but I'm going to clean that connector out as well. Maybe it is just that simple, here's hoping!

 

Alright, I believe it's fixed! Looks like because I broke the connector clip, the connector just wasn't closing tight enough. While I was fiddling with it while the car was running, I noticed that when I moved the wiring and connector around, you could hear the engine getting rough. However, I got my dad to bend and move the wiring while I held the connector together as tight as I could. No change in engine idle at all. It seems like the connector could actually close about another 1/8 inch when I really pushed it together. Remembering that clubairth1 said the connections needed to be really tight due to the small signal levels, I figured this is the issue. So, I created my own 'clip' to hold it together from some wire and then taped it all up. No issues since then. It actually runs better and smoother than it did before when it did work. So, to everyone out there: Make sure to check your connector! They get old and brittle and break and mess things up!

 

Good news, so that's the AC and the misfire sorted!

 

Yep, it's all sorted, hoepfully! Tomorrow morning will be the big test. Every morning after sitting all night is when it really didn't like running right. But I believe the loose connector was the problem and tomorrow will be smooth starting!

 

Really appreciate the feedback!!

As our cars age we are seeing a different set of problems pop up. Now age as well as wear and tear are the main problems. It was factory design problems early on. Those are pretty well figured out by now.
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Final update (hoepfully!) and this morning the car ran perfect, not a single hiccup! It actually pulled better than ever and ran as smooth as silk. Looks like I've fixed the problem. It really does help having all you out there with a large pool of knowledge. All I can hope is that I can add to it somehow and help other people having these kind of annoying issues!

 

Job well done - hope it's smooth sailing for you now....

 

Well, not completely smooth! Started it up to go home for lunch, RP and injector 7 open circuit code again! However, I checked the connector and my improvised wire clip was loose and doing nothing. It was still nice and tight, but when I poked around again I heard the idle change and when I got in the car more codes. So, turned it off, really pressed the connector together again, started the car! Like magic, perfect! So, at least I know exactly where then issue is and I just have to devise a better way to keep that connector together really nice and tight. As far as problems go, I'd rather have this kind where I know the problem and all it is is keeping a connector as tight as can be!

 

Best bet - you have a few options (from cheapest to most expensive) :

1) Secure the injector connector to the injector with 2 zipties going diagionally.

2) Get a new/used fuel injector connector and splice into place. I would solder and shrink wrap the connection.

3) Get a new/used injector harness and install.

 

Well, zip ties are my first plan! I just don't have any the right size. However, since yesterday afternoon I've started/stopped the car about 6 times without incident. So, it looks like its staying together, but I don't want to just leave it since I have a feeling it will work itself loose again. I've used zip ties for these things before and they have always worked. I'm sure they will work here too!

 

I am bringing this thread back to life because I am having an injector 8 open error code.
It started several weeks ago after the car sat for most of the winter. I'd start the car every month of so, but it hadn't been driven. Then one morning when I started it it went into restricted performance mode. The car sat for a couple weeks. When I started it the code cleared and the car ran fine. Now its back again.
Today I pulled the #8 connector off of injector 8 and put on a noid light. No light!
Disconnected the interim connector 156 and checked continuity of the wire. Wires are good. Problem appears to be in the main harness to the ECM or the ECM itself.

Any one else have this problem in the past several years? Which is a higher probability?
Harness, the pin in the ECM connector, or the ECM itself?

Thanks.

 

PCM is last. Wiring, injector, etc are all more likely.

Avoid noid things like the plague as they overload modern electronics and can cause serious damage that was not there.

 

Can we please get the actual fault code?

Re: The noid light. Have you confirmed it is working by connecting to the plug for a known-good cylinder? I'd hate to see you go down the wrong path due to bad test equipment. Rare, but it happens, and easy to rule out. Years ago, I was taught to always confirm my fault indications when troubleshooting. This advice has served me well.

Re: Failure probability. Unless the ECM Is faulting itself, it is the least likely culprit.

You had mentioned the wire's continuity checked good. Please be aware you could have a fault of only a few strands of wire intact, such as a partial break at a crimp. These few strands will show good continuity under the miniscule load of an ohmmeter. Try to pass any greater amount of current, though, and those few strands can't handle it. This would cause the exact scenario you have of an injector (or noid light) that won't work, yet the wires pass a continuity test.

I'll get on my soapbox to preach the limitations of a continuity test. An ohmmeter will find a complete break, or a connection with high resistance. However, it will mislead you with a false good indication if there's still at least one strand intact, even though that wire can no longer do its job. So a continuity test is still helpful, but you have to be aware the results are not always conclusive.

The way to conclusively check your suspect harness is with a test light. Disconnect both ends of the harness. Apply 12 volts to one end of the wire. Connect a 12v test light (not an ohmmeter) to the other end. The test light should draw current roughly close to an injector and show you the condition of the wire.

 

Definitely only do that once making sure you do not have anything else, especially electronic items, in circuit.