Call car Error Code 54!

[C4ME]

You have to be old or know some wierd stuff to get my title. My problem with my beastie is that I am getting an error code 54. I have purchased a pump, but have not replaced (currently at inlaws and not on my back in the garage). Is the error code 54 a dead ringer for the fuel pump? Car runs...some and then will die and have very hard start with many cranks and runs VERY rough. Is it possible to have a kinda bad fuel pump relay? I would think no. Incidently, I have a fuel pump relay at home ( same as burn off or power relay...can't remember but I have both...another long story) and intend to test my theory but am at the inlaws and won't have a chance for a few days. Just wanted to bat the mental ball around a bit.

Thanks and Happy New Year.

Joe

 

[richdwyer]

According to the manual for my 89, the relay is probably the easiest and cheapest place to start.Hopefully it is the culprit. Good luck and Happy New Year

 

[tyrel]

You would do well to purchase a service manual. Replacing part after part until it's fixed is more expensive than purchasing a used service manual on Ebay or some other place. The service manual pays for itself after your first repair. It lists very specific steps to isolating and fixing trouble codes, with tools that are easily obtainable like multimeter and vacuum gauge. You can buy a multimeter for $20. The service manual even gives diagrams. Par example, in my 1989 service manual, under Code 54 the first step says

--ignition off for 10 seconds
--ignition on
--listen for in-tank fuel pump
--pump should run for 2 seconds after ignition "on". Does it?

and so forth. The end result fixes of this diagnostic page are: faulty relay, faulty pump, faulty pump ground, faulty wiring, faulty oil pressure switch, faulty connection at ECM, or faulty ECM. I suppose you could simply replace all of these things and re-ground where you have to, if you want to throw money at it, but start with the cheapest things first like checking the grounds and then start buying parts like relay etc. Good luck.

 

[echoecho11]

my 91 acted the same :confused ended up being a dead cell in the battery ? ECM does strange things with low voltage.

 

[C4ME]

You would do well to purchase a service manual. Replacing part after part until it's fixed is more expensive than purchasing a used service manual on Ebay or some other place. The service manual pays for itself after your first repair. It lists very specific steps to isolating and fixing trouble codes, with tools that are easily obtainable like multimeter and vacuum gauge. You can buy a multimeter for $20. The service manual even gives diagrams. Par example, in my 1989 service manual, under Code 54 the first step says

--ignition off for 10 seconds
--ignition on
--listen for in-tank fuel pump
--pump should run for 2 seconds after ignition "on". Does it?

and so forth. The end result fixes of this diagnostic page are: faulty relay, faulty pump, faulty pump ground, faulty wiring, faulty oil pressure switch, faulty connection at ECM, or faulty ECM. I suppose you could simply replace all of these things and re-ground where you have to, if you want to throw money at it, but start with the cheapest things first like checking the grounds and then start buying parts like relay etc. Good luck.

I have been troubleshooting a while (starting in Uncle sugars canoe club about the time my car was manufactured (86) and know the term "easter eggin." Got the manual and tools (actually I use ALLDATADIY.com which is the service manual on line). I needed a manual a while back and could not find a good deal on one so I found this source and subscribed for a year ($25). I was just thinking out loud as I have noticed that there are some very sharp cookies on this board and I want to see a consensous of issues that are related to the "Fuel Pump Low Voltage" aka code 54. I bought the pump...because I could and I had a $5 off coupon that was expiring today! I have a relay at home and intend to run through the flow diag. once I RTB. I am at the inlaws for the new year in Mobile AL and have been dreaming about fixing this problem.

The car will start and run. The first start is an attempt to grab then the car stumbles and dies. after about 5 or so secs of starter crank, she'll turn over and run just fine. After about a 1/2 hour to 45 mins of this fine running (I was using a nifty piece of software a guy wrote that will capture the bit stream out of the ECM and display all the codes, flags, and sensor data using a nifty cable I manufactured from his schematics. You can use this data to tune your car for any modes that are made if you need to burn a new promm. I have not graduated to that tinkering YET. Sorry for the aside, but it is pretty cool stuff). After the fine running she died and then would bearly start and was sounding deiselish. Gas starved if I was a betting man. I did not have time to fool with it anymore that night so here I am on New years eve (use to call it amatuer night) wondering when I will be on my back again in my garage with my toy.

I assume that you are in Hono with the military...as I was in Hono (transiting to points east) several times when I was riding ships and now several more times in my civilian occupation. What branch (if my assumptions are correct)?

Happy & Blessed New Year,
Joe

 

[C4ME]

What really chaps me is that no one responded to my very sad attempt at humor with the reference to the Calling Car 54 title.

 

[csc67]

Code 54

C4ME,

Here's what I would do (speaking from experience)

Have someone turn the key to the 'on' position while you have your ear to the gas cap and listen for the fuel pump to prime for 2 second (makes a whirling noise). If you don't hear the fuel pump priming the ECM or Fuel Pump relay are probably bad

Lets us know the outcome

 

[C4ME]

This is great. I performed the diagnostic according to the book and it pointed to the relay. I purchased a nice new relay and got all excited and....nothing happened. Could get NO fuel pressure at all. So, in my fog of frustration, I start throught the diag. again and when I went to unplug my new relay, I noted (not noted before) that the three center wires (ground, ECM control line, and the Pin G of the ALDL) were stripped and frayed back about an inch. All those wires were just laying across one another. No wonder when I applied 12 volts to the ALDL pin G, I got a little sparking! Now I am on a quest for some pins so that I can rebuild that connnector as I have been unable to find a pig tail. I have a question out is the parts area looking for someone with a harness on a parts car. I could rebuild it with other wire and some new pins but I really want it to be the same color codes.

Thanks for all of the advice.

Joe

P.S. Still no bites on the Calling Car Error Code 54 attempt at humor...?

 

[nyernga]

What really chaps me is that no one responded to my very sad attempt at humor with the reference to the Calling Car 54 title.

I just thought being in Mobile Alabama and at the inlaws, was punishment ehough..... My ex inlaws all live there so I speak from experience.....

Len

 

[C4ME]

I just thought being in Mobile Alabama and at the inlaws, was punishment ehough..... My ex inlaws all live there so I speak from experience.....

Len

I am blessed to have good inlaws. Father-in-law is a mechanic! Mother in-law is a great lady. It really was not punishment being there other than not being able to work on my car which is in need of work to be even a driver. Thanks for the sympathetic note. If you are a Bulldogs fan, you must be pleased with there bowl final. I was glad to see another SEC team beat up on another conference. Sadly, my beloved Crimson Tide, did not.

Joe

 

[Ken]

Joe, is it "Car 54 Where Are You" that you're looking for as answer to your humorous title? :L

Fred Gwinn (later Herman Munster) played the role of the partner, Francis Muldoon; who played the lead character, Gunther Toody?

 

[C4ME]

Joe, is it "Car 54 Where Are You" that you're looking for as answer to your humorous title? :L

Fred Gwinn (later Herman Munster) played the role of the partner, Francis Muldoon; who played the lead character, Gunther Toody?

Sir,
Not only does your car have a gnarly big motor, but you are an early TV genious. I believe that the original show was a radio deal and the TV show was a continuation. I guess I had the title wrong as I thought it was "Calling Car 54." If my radio theory is correct, perhaps yours is the follow on tv title and mine is the radio title....?

Donno, but you got me on my very sad attempt at humor.

Thanks much for humouring me!

Joe

 

[Ken]

I don't remember it being a radio show before the television series, which ran from 1961-1963.

So, was the "donno" in reply to my question about Officer Toody? If so, it was Joe E. Ross, who also played Sgt. Rupert Ritzik to the Sgt. Bilko character in the old Phil Silvers Show - (Ooo! Ooo! I know! I know!)

Also included in the regular cast were some other (later to be) well-known personalities, such as Al Lewis (Grampa Munster), Nipsey Russell, Charlotte Rae, and more that we got to know and love as we grew up.

 

[C4ME]

First, You know scary stuff or you are a gentalman of season. I must say that in my original post, I said that "You have to be old or know some wierd stuff to get my title.":ugh
Let me amend that to be "You have to be well learned or know some wierd stuff to get my title."

I must admit that I only remember the title (and poorly as you can see) putting me in the knowing some (and not very well) wierd stuff and I did think it was an radio show first.

I do remember reruns of the Munsters as I was born in 1967:ugh. I do remember seeing clips of Sgt. Bilko and think I remember some of the charactors but not in the detial that you remember. I did not know that was the grampas name and I think cousin IT died recently (last five years) or was it the father (can't recall the actors name but he has had a very good Big screen career in minor roles). Oddly enough, I have introduced my 5 year old to the munsters in the form of making his hair look like Eddie's (the Widow's peak)!

I remember Nipsey Russell from the Gong Show as one of the panelist if I am not mistaken.

Hey, before I forget...and believe me if you say "start a different thread" I understand. How do you test the aux fan (B4P)? I saw it in the "manual" I uses (ALLDATA online deal) and have not been able to find it since:confused...It is killing me.

Joe.

P.S. You have take this whole old TV show stuff to a new...and slightly scary level

 

[C4ME]

P.S.S I am way off again ...Nipsey was not on the Gong show, but on many game shows. Check out this link to see some of the wierd stuff he did.

http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-26562

Joe

 

[Ken]

How do you test the aux fan (B4P)?

A different post you say? You're wish is my command!

See this post: Coolant Fan Troubleshooting Hints.