I have an '89 Ea Falcon GL 3.9L, auto. Has 132,000km on it. It isn't running right and I just can't pin-point it, cos it doesn't always do it, and it's different things that may or may not be related. It will pick up the revs, by itself, for no reason, cold, warm, full of gas, nearly empty etc. If you turn the engine off while it's doing it, it pre-ignites for up to 20 seconds. And when it's doing this you can be driving or idling. But sometimes it drops so low it almost(but never has) stalls. Also, it's missing like a b**ch. Occasionally. And again, while accelerating, or not. It is really pissing me off and I would love some suggestions as to what to check. Thank you

Have you checked the computer for codes?

Have you checked the ignition timing?

Have you checked over the ignition system? Good plugs, good leads, good coil etc?

May be the ignition module on the side of the dizzy playing up if all else fails...

Is it a central point or multi point fuel injection?

Cheers,
Tim

It's single-point. I've checked coil, dizzy, leads, one of which fell apart in my hand, so I was all 'Yuss, that's it!' Wasn't. Plugs. But no idea how to check codes? It also blew two frost plugs the other week, could be related, could be age, as they looked to be originals. Fixed that anyway.

Did you check the coil with a high energy ignition test plug? These have a huge gap which simulates the normal plug gap under compression and you can make sure the coil has plenty of zap... Not just a little bit...

Did you check the leads with a multimeter and make sure they were all similar resistance?

How is your ignition timing?

To check codes go to the tech doc link up the top of the page... There is on in the EF/EL section here... documents.php?d=52 Other stuff worth reading in there too... I've just read it and it probably wont help you much... EA has 2 digit codes and a different plug...

near the brake booster there will be a single pin plug and a multi pin plug with tapered sides... These are your test plugs...



Now as this says you connect your test lead first from battery positive to terminal D... Then turn your key on and connect the single pin plug to ground or terminal B which is ground and will likely be a black wire to help work out what is where in that plug... Give it a bit of time and you may hear stuff clicking on and off and performing tests...

The light will blink the codes out... It blinks the 10's number first with half second blinks... You count them and write the number down... Then you'll get a 2 second pause which means it is about to blink out the 1's number for that code... It may do the codes twice... These are live codes currently present... Then it will do previous codes that were present but arent now... It'll give a code of "10" which is the separator code... And is unique as it has like a 5 or 6 second pause, then one blink... Then another 5 or 6 second pause... Then it'll do the same as before but for codes that aren't present any longer...

To clear the memory codes you let it begin flashing and just pull the earth of that single wire...

Then you can perform the same tests with the engine running and it will check different things... The later models want the steering wheel turned to prove the power steer sensor and a quick blip of the throttle to 3k to prove everything with that... Ea may not want that but... Not sure... If you get any codes that aren't on that PDF let me know... I have some other documentation here I can check...

Whats a frost plug?

Tell you what but... a workshop manual might help you out... I don't this particular manual off this website but here you are...

http://www.fordfalconrepairmanuals.com. ... con-ea.php

I own the AUII manual they list for my ED (which is full AU under the steel work) and it's great... I think the EA manual is only a generic manual, not a genuine Ford manual, but may help none the less...

Cheers,
Tim

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

frost plug?? does they mean welsh plug?

thanks timmy re explaining how ta read the codes ! .... gots no idea till now lol.......