2015 Coyote Users -- Is Your MIL Working?

[edwardb]

I have recently completed the installation, first start, and go-kart of my 2015 Coyote powered Anniversary Roadster. Build thread linked in my sig line. While the engine seems to start and run perfectly, one thing I have noticed is that the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light) does not appear to be working properly.

The 16-way pigtail includes a wire in cavity number 4 (documentation says it should be VT or violet, mine is actually dark blue) that "Provides +12V to MIL when error state is present." The documentation also says the MIL will stay illuminated when the ignition is ON and the engine is NOT running, but go OFF once the engine starts and no faults are present. In other words, basically the same as a DD check engine light.

The controls pack includes an indicator light for the MIL. Appears to be a pretty generic LED part. I instead used an LED indicator that matched the other indicators I used on my dash. I've never seen the indicator light under any condition, running or not. Last night I noticed it was just slightly glowing, which seemed kind of strange. Probably has been that way all along. Just didn't see it before especially in bright light. Thinking there may be an incompatibilty with the LED indicator I used, I unplugged that light and jumpered in the provided indicator light. Same thing. The glow stays on all the time, whether key on, engine not running, engine running.

Today I called Ford Racing tech support. The guy I talked to had not heard of this before. He asked me lots of questions about the installation, and all of my answers seemed OK. He asked me to check the voltage on the MIL wire and call back on Monday when one of their guys who is more experienced with these types of issues will be back from vacation. I just finished the measurement. The lead measures 2.5V at all times when the key is on, engine running or not. It's supposed to be +12V, and then zero when the engine starts. I checked with both a local ground point and also ran a ground wire directly to the battery post. Both had the same reading. The tech guy wasn't concerned about the wire color being wrong. Said that wasn't surprising as long as the pin-out I was using was the right one. He said cases like this are often ground related, but my test seems to show it isn't. Anyone else get theirs working as it's supposed to?

On a related but off-topic note, he asked me if I was using a custom tune in my installation. I said "not yet" but would in the future if driveability isn't OK or I think I need to find more power. He cautioned that I should get a new tune regardless, and that I risked damage to the engine if I didn't. He said the non-stock intake and to a lessor extent the non-stock exhaust may cause the A/F to be off enough to cause damage. I said I thought the PCM would adjust the A/F, and he said yes but maybe not enough. He said it was OK to start and run, but not to put any load on it until it was dyno tuned. Frankly this surprises me. Any thoughts?

[donshapansky]

He's correct about the tune being required, many owners have verified this. No one knows the actual air-fuel ration your engine is working with now with a different intake and exhaust until it is on a dyno and you look at exhaust temps and A/R under load.
It's interesting you are waiting until Monday for the Ford specialist to be back, I'm waiting also for a man named Ray to work with on an AC problem until Monday.

[edwardb]

He's correct about the tune being required, many owners have verified this. No one knows the actual air-fuel ration your engine is working with now with a different intake and exhaust until it is on a dyno and you look at exhaust temps and A/R under load.
It's interesting you are waiting until Monday for the Ford specialist to be back, I'm waiting also for a man named Ray to work with on an AC problem until Monday.

Yep, waiting for Ray. I don't know if it's the 2015 Coyote you're working with, but one last pass at this in the last hour or so and I see a discrepancy in the M-6017-504V Controls Pack instructions.

On page 14, it says the MIL is pin 4 and gets +12V, A/C Request is pin 6. On page 15, just the opposite. A/C is 4 and MIL is 6 and should go to the light ground wire. I just checked, and pin 6 doesn't seem to work properly for the MIL either, so who knows. Hopefully Ray.

[Duke]

The 16-way pigtail includes a wire in cavity number 4 (documentation says it should be VT or violet, mine is actually dark blue) that "Provides +12V to MIL when error state is present." The documentation also says the MIL will stay illuminated when the ignition is ON and the engine is NOT running, but go OFF once the engine starts and no faults are present. In other words, basically the same as a DD check engine light.


It's supposed to be +12V, and then zero when the engine starts. I checked with both a local ground point and also ran a ground wire directly to the battery post. Both had the same reading. The tech guy wasn't concerned about the wire color being wrong. Said that wasn't surprising as long as the pin-out I was using was the right one. He said cases like this are often ground related, but my test seems to show it isn't. Anyone else get theirs working as it's supposed to?

Not sure if I'm following, but my quick thoughts:

On page 14 of 22 in my Ford instructions I see the pin4 listed as Malfunciton Indicator Lamp (MIL), BU color (blue). Cavity 6 is A/C request, VT color (violet).

6.2.3 - Blunt Lead 4 – Malfunction Indicator Light (Blue): Connect this blunt lead to the negative (black)
lead on the MIL (provided in the kit bag). You will need to provide 12V for the positive (red) lead of
the MIL.

First, I'm not finding or seeing a provided MIL light in any bag, but regardless any 12v light should work fine. Second, it says that the blue line should be connected to the ground of the light, with a 12v source to the hot side of the light. This would indicate that the ECU is controlling the light via ground switch. You may want to trace your wires and see if you have it setup that way or if it's wired into another source/backwards...

[edwardb]

Not sure if I'm following, but my quick thoughts:

On page 14 of 22 in my Ford instructions I see the pin4 listed as Malfunciton Indicator Lamp (MIL), BU color (blue). Cavity 6 is A/C request, VT color (violet).

6.2.3 - Blunt Lead 4 – Malfunction Indicator Light (Blue): Connect this blunt lead to the negative (black)
lead on the MIL (provided in the kit bag). You will need to provide 12V for the positive (red) lead of
the MIL.

First, I'm not finding or seeing a provided MIL light in any bag, but regardless any 12v light should work fine. Second, it says that the blue line should be connected to the ground of the light, with a 12v source to the hot side of the light. This would indicate that the ECU is controlling the light via ground switch. You may want to trace your wires and see if you have it setup that way or if it's wired into another source/backwards...

My instructions from some months ago say exactly what I stated in the previous post. Clearly some discrepancies. I just checked the Ford Performance website for the latest instructions, and they are different than what I had. Lead 4 is now listed as the MIL connection on both pages, and show the proper color as blue. I didn't wire it with the switching ground because of how it was explained on page 14. I did see that before and tested it with a digital VOM. But I'll try it that way with the actual indicator light just for grins. BTW, the indicator light was in a plastic bag with a bunch of tie wraps, grommets, shrink sleeving, etc.

My main question was whether anyone else has gotten the MIL working. So far, no one on either forum has said they have.

[Duke]

Cool, let us know if you get it fixed. I think there are 2 or 3 ahead of us with 2015+ motors but I recall all of them being in the paint shop. You may want to try over on a mustang site or something like pro-touring.com or lateral-g.net and see if anyone has used one of these motors in a sema car or similar and have it completed.

[FFinisher]

Yep, waiting for Ray. I don't know if it's the 2015 Coyote you're working with, but one last pass at this in the last hour or so and I see a discrepancy in the M-6017-504V Controls Pack instructions.

On page 14, it says the MIL is pin 4 and gets +12V, A/C Request is pin 6. On page 15, just the opposite. A/C is 4 and MIL is 6 and should go to the light ground wire. I just checked, and pin 6 doesn't seem to work properly for the MIL either, so who knows. Hopefully Ray.

Paul, I have two here and I can't get the MIL to work. I told them about the problem with the instructions 6 weeks ago,

I find them to be little help.

Ray is pretty good, the others just want you off the phone.

[edwardb]

With a little more study and experimenting, tonight I was able to get the MIL working. The version of instructions I received with the controls pack had incorrect and conflicting info about the MIL. I downloaded the version from the Ford Performance website -- which I have to assume is the most current -- and compared it page by page. Some of the discrepancies related to the MIL are fixed, but there's still a contradiction. At the top of page 15, it says to connect blunt lead 4 (MIL) to the negative lead on the indicator. In the middle of the same page it says to connect blunt lead 9 (ground) to the negative lead on the indicator. Now I'm no EE, but pretty sure you need to pick one or the other.

When I wired the build initially, I wired the MIL with the positive lead to blunt lead 4 and the negative lead to ground. The table on page 14 of the instructions suggests that's how it should be wired. But it doesn't work properly. While waiting to call Ford again on Monday and talk to Ray, decided to tinker some more. I've never been accused of being very patient. I disconnected my previous work and jumpered it to be a ground switching circuit. Hooked the blunt lead 4 to the negative lead on the indicator and the positive lead to an ignition switched 12V source.

At first I didn't think this worked either because the indicator light only flashed briefly when the key was turned, rather than staying lit until the engine starts as the instructions say on page 7. I tried pulling the MAF sensor connector, but that only created a no-start condition and no DTC codes. So I pulled the throttle body connector. Although a bit ragged (no surprise) the engine started and the light popped on. Yeah! Scanned the ODB port and had two TPS related codes. Plugged the connector back in, cleared the codes, started the engine, and the light turned back off. I repeated the sequence again with the same result.

I'm now satisfied that the MIL is working correctly other than not staying lit until the engine starts. That isn't a problem. The flash tells you it's alive and there aren't any stored codes. Just different than what the instructions say. Not too excited about intentionally introducing faults because I'm a complete amateur and don't want to hurt anything. So happy to stop. Now just need to clean up the wiring and move on.

[jcjorgensen]

Glad you got it figured out! Now one more excuse to remove the body and fix mine. I wired it per the instructions but never bothered to verify so now I get to pay the price. But since I have to pull the body, time to install some power steering. These projects never end!!

Jeremiah

[FFinisher]

Nice work! I will try mine that way!