i tried to smog my truck and the system aborted it for rpm variance - i got scan codes: dtc 411 & 538. i tried to time on # 1 cyl & cant however i can on the # 5 whats going on???
I’m lost…What do you mean my “Smog My Truck”???
i’m in california and i was tring to get a smog cert. at the sevice station. and the system kicked the vehicle off so i was un able to completed the smog check any way the main problem is the timing and the scan codes…
What engine do you have? DTC 411 should be for an inability to control RPM and DTC 538 for insufficient throttle response during the dynamic response test; both part of the KOER (key on, engine running) test.
There are some codes with the TFI system that are related to the way the test is done and 538 should be one of those. Don’t worry about it at this point; 538 just means you should have depressed the accelerator pedal at some point in the test. There are also codes for turning the steering wheel and things of that nature.
You say you’re messing with timing. Did you disconnect the SPOUT connector before checking the timing? If not, this will throw the timing off by a mile.
In turn, that could be the reason for the 411 code and the inability to control RPM.
my truck is a 6 cyl 300ci 4x4 manual and yes the spout was disconnected. we 're trying to check timing & cant see a mark on the # 1 cyl but do on the # 5 . the firing order is correct but the starting position is incorrect. it starts, it runs (rough), it drives but ‘boggs down’ apon acceleration esspecially if you try to ‘floor it’ cant figure this one out!
IF ANY ONE CAN HELP THAT WOULD BE AWESOME I STARTED CHECKING TIMING AFTER WE RECIEVED THE DTC 411 & 538 SCAN CODES WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THE RPM VARIECE & WHY IS THE TIMING LITE WORKING WHEN HOOKED UP TO # 5 CYL & NOT WHEN HOOKED TO # 1??? FIRING ORDER IS CORRECT…
Cylinder 1 is not firing?
well i guess its a huge possibility that the timing chain has streched or skipped causing the starting pos to switch to the #5 does any one agree? i will check it out hopefully figure somthin out by christmas…
no, all cylinders are firing
If you don’t see the timing marks on the crank then you cannot be on the number 1 cylinder. Its either right in front (most likely) or in the rear…not likely. How on earth did you get on the #5 wire anyway? I guess you were just hunting around?
What plug are you trying to attach to location wise on the engine?..I am thinking that somebody may have had your distributor out of the vehicle and didn’t install it properly and then just “remapped” all your plug wires to make her run. Your number one cylinder MUST be the one closest to the rad… I will look it up to be sure, but I’m 99% sure it is.
Might want to simply check that distributor…put her on TDC on #1 pull your distrib cap and see which wire shes pointing to…if its not “correct” according to your distrib cap or whatev…you can pull it and re-link it with the cam…Not sure why you would need to tho…I mean if its running OK and all…distributors dont really care where you start wiring…OR maybe they do with computer controls…in that case they usually dont let you insert the distributor in the wrong way…A la Honda…
See what you get with my test and let us know…
Blackbird
It should be wired up like this.
http://autorepair.about.com/library/firing_orders/bl-fo-8571.htm
I don’t think this problem is related to the timing chain but that’s easy enough to check. Remove the dist. cap, put a socket/ratched on the crank pulley, and rock the crankshaft back and forth. If the chain is good you should see the rotor moving a little.
It could be that someone has installed the distributor incorrectly and as to the all cylinders firing but apparently has no pulse to the timing light on Cylinder 1.
I’d check that wire and make sure that it’s not dead and the spark plugs (all of them) should be replaced if they’ve been in there for a while. A failing plug can kill a plug wire and one cylinder down can cause all kinds of grief. This can then lead to the RPM varience, failure to control the idle, etc., etc.
I agree with Honda Blackbird, if the thing has a distributer, it must be way off. Is # 5 cylinder directly opposite # 1??
I looked up the distributor on this truck and it has gear teeth on the bottom rather than a slot. That means the distributor can be installed one or more teeth off.
Number 5 cyl. is next to Number 1 in the firing order.
Pull the distributor and the spark plugs and the valve cover. Turn the engine with a socket on the crank pulley until you have the engine on top dead center. If you can’t find the timing mark, get the piston at the top of the compression stroke. ( both valves on that cylinder will be closed).
Now install the dist. with the rotor pointing at the point where the # 1 terminal in the cap will be when the cap is on. It may take a few tries because the teeth on the gear are curved. Someone has already provided you with a diagram with the #1 terminal and firing order on it.
The engine timing can be set from either #1 or #6 but not #5. The 4.9L has a timing gear that can strip totally but will not jump. As others have surmised, I also feel that there is a problem with the initial timing or the secondary ignition. Either the plug wires are crossed, the cap and/or rotor are failing or some combination of system failure and unfamiliarity with setting the base time has snow balled and then turned into a total melt down.