SNVitty Posted March 17, 2019 Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 Hi, My name is Corey, I'm new to the forum and looking for pats help! I have a '96 gt convertible and I'd like to try to figure out why it's not reading the key. The Story I was suffering from denial. I have a 94 f150 running a 351 with ported heads, intake, long tubes, true dual, 4 inch lift, 33in A/Ts, and a few other goodies... and a certain lead footed driver. I was certain I was getting 30 mpg driving all over Texas. Turns out my estimate was slightly off. I have since come to accept that honesty with ones self is important. I decided I needed a more efficient vehicle. While shopping around I found the perfect solution! A brand new to me 1996 gt convertible! (3x the mpg!) I talked the seller down to $400 because it didn't start and they couldn't figure it out. (In my head, at $400 I could get it and swap in a 302 if I got tired of messing around with the 4.6.) The only thing is the car doesn't run and the theft light flashes. What I have tried. At first the car wouldn't turn over, and the fan was constantly running. Figured that out and swapped the CCRM for one that I know works. Something still wasn't right and I pulled the ecm to have a look at it and found out it was for a crown vic with an automatic. Swapped in a proper ecm, put in a new fuel pump and a good test battery. Everything seems to be working well, the car even turns on and runs for a second. However the car won't stay on and the theft light flashes. After some digging I believe it's the PATS. I have tried swapping the transciever and the pats unit itself, I have had a locksmith out with a full diagnostic system, tried different keys, all to no avail. From what I know thus far... The PATS (Which is type A) is not reading a key. *Note: NOT THAT IT SEES THE WRONG KEY BUT THAT IT DOESN'T SEE A KEY AT ALL. From my research I can tell that it sees no key because the light doesn't flash for 15 minutes (so I can't reprogram it). It only flashes for 60 seconds. I don't want to need an SCT tuner to use my car at all, but I will if I have to. I have searched so much for the last 7 months and have found no real information for how to address this specific problem. I was wondering if there is anyone that can help me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White95 Posted March 17, 2019 Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 I know you’ve heard this and don’t want to hear this but here goes: If you buy a SCT tuner (or any other handheld) to access the ECU, a competent tuner can turn the PATS off for you. I believe you can even have Ford do it for you at a dealership. I had a similar issue and fixed the issue by swapping to a Holley EFi system but my car isn’t the best example to use. It’s on jack stands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White95 Posted March 17, 2019 Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 @LWARRIOR1016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNVitty Posted March 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 2 hours ago, White95 said: I know you’ve heard this and don’t want to hear this but here goes: If you buy a SCT tuner (or any other handheld) to access the ECU, a competent tuner can turn the PATS off for you. I believe you can even have Ford do it for you at a dealership. I had a similar issue and fixed the issue by swapping to a Holley EFi system but my car isn’t the best example to use. It’s on jack stands. @ White95 It didn't get on the jack stands by itself, means somebody cares about it! I'm sure there was all sorts of scaffolding in the Sistine when Michaelangelo was working too, HOAs are just uncultured swine... None of the dealerships by me want to play ball, most of them implying that the '96 is so old they don't know what type of system it has or know how to work on it. Though I bet if I had my roommate walk in there with her hair up and some heels they'd think of a few things they could "fix" on it, I'm glad I now know better than to bother with them in particular, lol! I may not want to hear it, but if it's the only option I have then it is what it is I suppose. I keep seeing these x4 tuners around, maybe that's the route to go then. Also, there is this unmarked box in the center console. It appears to be an aftermarket install of some sort... I'll see if I can get a picture on here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White95 Posted March 17, 2019 Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 We can’t fully appreciate the validity of your statement without pictures of said roommate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNVitty Posted March 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Just as soon as I figure out how to post pictures! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White95 Posted March 17, 2019 Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 If you’re using your phone, you can directly upload them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LWARRIOR1016 Posted March 17, 2019 Moderators Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 Hello Corey, I see that you have met our resident nutcase, I mean owner. Welcome to the forum, first off. Secondly, if this is a pats issue, then you will have to see a tuner of some sort. Where are you located? Ive got a buddy down here that had a car that did similar things and he pulled the computer and took just the computer to a good tuner around here in south Louisiana, and for $75 the tuner put a stock tune in it with the pats disabled. Then his car was fine. Do you know of anyone around you that can do something of that sort? Also, does your new ecu communicate with the OBD port? Im assuming yes, but its never safe to assume. If it does, you could either get a handheld like White said and get a tuner to shut off pats and then you load the tune in the car. Or you could get something like the SCT Pro Racer package and do it yourself. Buuuuttttt finally, you could follow the path the white and I have gone down and buy a stand alone ecu then rewire your whole car. Its really easy, and Ive only been working on mine for 4 years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LWARRIOR1016 Posted March 18, 2019 Moderators Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 The box in question is a speed cal. He showed it in the other thread. I agree that that it would be a pats issue because he has swapped computers and replaced the transponder ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LWARRIOR1016 Posted March 18, 2019 Moderators Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 3 minutes ago, Evilcw311 said: Yeah I just seen that on forums after you mentioned that. Back to it being a pats issue. Buy a handheld and get it turned off. Or yank that mod motor out and drop a pushrod in!!!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I was going to like your comment, until I got to the end of it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White95 Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Evilcw311 said: Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Nah, some of us just grew up 😘 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White95 Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 On 3/17/2019 at 1:31 PM, SNVitty said: @ White95 It didn't get on the jack stands by itself, means somebody cares about it! I'm sure there was all sorts of scaffolding in the Sistine when Michaelangelo was working too, HOAs are just uncultured swine... None of the dealerships by me want to play ball, most of them implying that the '96 is so old they don't know what type of system it has or know how to work on it. Though I bet if I had my roommate walk in there with her hair up and some heels they'd think of a few things they could "fix" on it, I'm glad I now know better than to bother with them in particular, lol! I may not want to hear it, but if it's the only option I have then it is what it is I suppose. I keep seeing these x4 tuners around, maybe that's the route to go then. Also, there is this unmarked box in the center console. It appears to be an aftermarket install of some sort... I'll see if I can get a picture on here... Did you ever figure the issue out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
