I have a 1989 2.8L that has other issues, but my current issue is this. It was in a barn for 4 years and wouldn't start. Figured out it was the fuel pump an replaced it. Since then, has been a daily driver. It starts on the second try, as it has since we took it out of the barn 1.5 years ago. When we got it running, the check engine light is always blinking, 2 blinks, then 1, then pause and repeat. So I can't check codes. My son drove it to school fine and when he returned home, the car could rev above idle without "bogging down". It idles fine, but when you give it gas, it can't increase the RPM's much at all without bogging down. If you hold the gas, it will eventually bog down and die. Fuel pressure checks correctly, so figured could be exhaust air problem. Replaced EGR with no change, thought of a plugged cat, but seems to be good pressure coming out of tail pipe (I can't seal them off with my hand cause of too much pressure). There was a decent hole in the exhaust just before the cat, but I welded it closed and no change. Any ideas?

 

Sounds like a maf sensor issue to me

 

We replaced that last fall thinking it was the issue with not starting first try. Didn't change a thing. I will see if I can test the MAF to make sure it is still good.

 

In your first post are you saying that the check engine light is always blinking like that even without a code scanner plugged in?

 

correct. Also went to autozone and had them try their code scanner and it didn't change at all.

 

Are you sure it's *two blinks and then one blink* instead of *one blink and then two blinks*? If so then it's code 12 which means the ecm is in diagnostic mode. Are you sure that the A and B terminals on the obd1 port aren't jumped in any way?

 

It also means no distributor reference pulse which is normal when the car is turned off and always comes up when scanning your codes. I don't believe the car would start if this was an actual issue. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say maybe your ecm has kicked the bucket. I'm not entirely sure and I wouldn't jump the gun and get a new one just yet. Hopefully someone else can chime in

 

We need to check A-B terminal, but haven't got to it yet. Even with the blinking previously, it ran well. which I imagine if I could figure out the diagnostic issue, then I could read codes, but I was hoping to get it back running quickly.

 

Well, we replaced the ECM with a reman from autozone. While at autozone, the guy talked me into just swapping out the PROM chip and leaving the old one there as the core. However, we didn't know there was a CAL-PAK chip next to the PROM that we also needed to swap out. Once new computer installed, ran better but not great, once it warmed up, it went back into "Limp mode". At least by diagnostic system now works and I got an oxygen sensor code and a code 52 "CALPAK error". I replaced oxygen sensor and car still enters "limp mode" as soon as it warms up and now get a "EGR code". I can't find a CALPAK chip anywhere and autozone can't get my core back. CAN ANYONE HELP WITH INFORMATION ON THE CALPAK, what it does for sure, and any leads on getting one. Junk yards around are even coming up empty with the ECM unit. Thanks.

 

You need to replace the fuel filter, it is not passing enough fuel to the injectors so the engine is starving for fuel.
because it is starving for fuel the engine is running too lean (as far as the O2 sensor is concerned) so the ECM throws a code.

unfortunately the O2 sensor and ECM do not know the likely cause is a clogged fuel filter.

You should have replaced the fuel filter when you installed the new fuel pump so check the simple obvious things first before spending more money on parts you don't need.
if you did replace most likely it is clogged from all the debris that built up in the gas tank when it sat all those years.

to confirm this you can install a fuel pressure test gage on the fuel rail (screws into the Schrader valve) observe fuel pressure at idle then give the engine some throttle.. fuel pressure should not drop..if it does you have a restriction in the fuel line (clogged filter ) replace the filter and amazing things will happen. hopefully you did not burn up / damage the fuel pump. by overworking it all this time.

I was reminded of this lesson myself last week.

 

Did replace fuel filter at time of pump replacement. Fuel pressure reads good.

 

Do you still have a cat?? I had the exact issue and found out that the honeycomb inside the cat has melted and became a plug. Idle was perfect but anything past that was horrible. Took me forever to figure it out too.