Ok I know this may sound crazy but hear me out. I put in autometer full sweep gauges in my 93. Oil pressure, water temp, fuel pressure. I started the car a week later and it is idling worse that usual, and not starting when the engine is hot. I did not splice the new gauges, or run any kind of T fiting. I simply unscrewed the factory temp and oil sensor and put the autometers in. I recenlty read the idle surge checklist and it says to check the water temp sensor, etc. the factory gauges are not working now and I am wondering if the computer is getting a false code, from a faulty sensor and screwing up the idle. Does this make sense at all?
Aftermarket gauges effecting idle/driveability
- Thread starter NewToFord
- Start date
ID89GT
10 Year Member
ID89GT
10 Year Member
If yo red the Surging Idle Sticky, you also noticed the how to dump the codes. Do that and see what codes you get. Post the numeric codes here and I will give you 5.0 Mustang specific code definitions and fixes.
Here's the link to the Surging idle sticky in case you lost or misplaced it...
See the "Surging Idle Checklist for help with all your idle/stall problems. You can guess at the problem and throw parts at it, or you can use the checklist to help you find the problem quickly and inexpensively.
The quick and easy way to dump the codes is in there too, and all you need to do it is a paper clip! The first two posts contain all the fixes & updates. At last count there were 24 possible causes and fixes for surging idle/stall problems. I continue to update it as more people post fixes or ask questions.
Here's the link to the Surging idle sticky in case you lost or misplaced it...
See the "Surging Idle Checklist for help with all your idle/stall problems. You can guess at the problem and throw parts at it, or you can use the checklist to help you find the problem quickly and inexpensively.
The quick and easy way to dump the codes is in there too, and all you need to do it is a paper clip! The first two posts contain all the fixes & updates. At last count there were 24 possible causes and fixes for surging idle/stall problems. I continue to update it as more people post fixes or ask questions.
Ok I wnet through the checklist. I changed the salt and pepper shakers and started the car cold. It idled better than it ever did. I believe that my whole surging idle problem was the salt and pepper shakers. Thanks for the help. The car idles awsome now. As far as not wanting to start when its warm, I believe that my fuel pressure regulator is messed up. This hard starting when its warm happened after I started playing with that. Today I messed with that and now the car is starting fine while it is warm. I turned the pressure up. However I do notice that when I rev the motor the pressure rises slightly and then drops. I have a 190 pump in the tank. I wonder if maybe I need a bigger pump? Thanks again for the checklist!
larrym1961
5 Year Member
Those "salt & pepper shakers" sure can play havoc with the idle. After I installed my new motor I dealt with the hanging idle for 5 years until Black 89 GT told me to clean and open the pins up in them. It has been over a year now since I did that and no hanging idle.
