Just keep us posted lots of valuable info from all the people on this forum and they'll get you sorted out if it's not the battery.

Everyone here has been a great help to me over the years

 

Thanks ... I will ... and this time, when I finally get it sorted out ... I will post the final answer.

You guys are fantastic!

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1965 English Ford Cortina
1974 Triumph Spitfire
1960 Jaguar Mark II
1986 Peugeot 505sti (what?)
1996 Jaguar XJ6
2003 Jaguar S-Type
1996 Land Rover Discovery SE7
2015 Tesla Model S/85D (arriving Thursday)

 

Do you have a red flashing light on under the dash card?

 

Do you mean the security alarm LED? Nope ... not lit nor flashing ... It does when I use the remote to arm the alarm, and then it turns off when I unlock the doors.

It does not light or flash when I put the key in the ignition, nor when I turn it to Position II.

 

Yes, important question that needed to be asked and I'm sure you know why.

So without the CEL coming on during cranking you'll never get the engine to fire. The ECM is powered up but not responding. With your scanner the only thing your going to access is P codes without a running motor. It is basically useless. If you had a Testbook T4 or Autologic you'd know what state the ECU is in.

 

Outstanding response ... thank you ... You are right ... No CEL, so no fire. Yes, I do get access to P codes, but there are none, so there's nothing else available.

I do not have a TestBook T4 or Autologic. Is that something I can install on my phone or PC?

So ... big question ... WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN THE CEL LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WITH THE KEY IN POSITION II, BUT I CAN STILL RETRIEVE THE P CODES FROM THE ODBII PORT?

I have a used ECM and a used ECU coming, they should arrive Friday.

 

Test book t4 and auto logic are expensive dealer level scanners ( basicly)

I think scouts is saying engine computer is fried, there are things that stop the engine from running or running well that never throw a code

Then the flip side is you get a code that keeps returning but everything runs fine, I have an 1179 code can't get rid of but runs fine so....

 

That's what I'm saying..... It still gets power, you can still access the volatile side (erasable) but there is an issue with the computer latching when the key is turned, it's not getting the signal or is not capable of responding to the signal to fire the spark or injector. No way it will run as it stands right now. Some 96's had an alarm spider.....I hate this subject because it's a black art, which trucks have em and which don't and how to fix. They are apart of the alarm circuit and usually only MFI's have em, not the SFI motors. We'll see once you install the replacements.

 

Yeah I remember the long *** argument threads on the spider , don't miss them

 

So ... big question ... WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN THE CEL LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WITH THE KEY IN POSITION II, BUT I CAN STILL RETRIEVE THE P CODES FROM THE ODBII PORT?

Here is what is going on: when you go to start a disco 1 with the 4.0L Gems motor (this is what you have) turn the key to the on position and then STOP. Now, look at the yellow "check engine" light on the left side of the instrument cluster, is it on? If so, start the engine, if it is not on, turn the key off for five or so secs and then back to on again, the check engine light should illuminate the second round if it does not on the first (and it occasionally does not illuminate on the first try).

Bottom line is that the engine will NOT start unless the check engine light is illuminated. So what goes wrong that causes the check engine light to continuously not illuminate? The continuous absence of the check engine light indicates that communication between the as10 alarm control unit and the engine control unit has been disrupted. What causes this? It can be caused by a dead vehicle battery, it can be caused by a faulty alarm control unit, it can be caused by a faulty engine control unit or it can be caused by a wiring problem.

Being as you had a dead battery, my hypothesis is that the control units lost communication. The only way to prove or disprove this would be to take the truck to a shop where an auto logic or T4 was available to synch the ecu and alarm cu.

Alternately you can replace the ecu and alarm control unit as a matched, synched set from a running truck. This should cause your truck to start AS LONG as the wiring is ok.

When you get the control units and install them, turn the key on, stop, look at the cel and if it is on start the vehicle.

Please keep us updated, hope this helps!