Any Ideas????

351wcoupe

New Member
Feb 13, 2003
1,811
0
0
Manhattan, Kansas
Well I've finally getting amanda's car running great. I have a smooth idle at about 1000rpm and no detonation (that can be heard anyway).

First to fill in anybody about the 2 telephone poles in front of my house. I have 2 poles at my house, I dead stop at a pole, run past the first and get a MPH at the second. My 93 lightning runs 62MPH everytime at the poles and runs 9.72 in the 1/8th.
Anyway....
When I first put her car back together I had a bad vac leak. It showed 14-15 in hg at an irratic 1200RPM idle. But the car was really strong and I could easily make a 68-69MPH run. I outran a lightly modded GT that night.
The next morning I found/fixed the vacuum leak and then it showed 16-17in hg. and the smooth idle, but developed an exhaust leak from the turbo elbow to the DP. I haven't made a 60MPH+ runs since. I tried running it with the vacuum leak again and it ran the same.Its been a long time since I checked but a while ago the base timing was set at 10* and runs 17PSI. IT just doesn't feel like it pulls much at all in 3rd and 4th now?
I noticed on a video from tonight when I revved it up in nuetral the engine pinged a little, but I couldn't hear it when it happened.

Does anyone have any ideas at all?
I'm pretty confused on this one. I change the plugs and the ones that came out of it looked great.
 
  • Sponsors (?)


Seems to me you need to get back to basics on this. That's what I did to fix the problem I was telling you about in pm's.

First thing is to scan for codes...

You know you need the right amounts of air, fuel, and spark to maximize it's potential. You are lacking or overcompensating in one of those areas. You can just about throw air out the window because the only way that could be messed up is if you have a vacuum or boost leak (I assume you've got passed that). Next is fuel. If you've got good fuel pressure, it's rising with boost, etc. then that's good enough. Last is spark...this is where I think your problem is. What's your plug gap? What kind of plugs and wires? What color are they after a good hard run? Does it do any surging or bucking under power? Ever feel or sound like it's got a miss?

Stinger
 
Stinger said:
Seems to me you need to get back to basics on this. That's what I did to fix the problem I was telling you about in pm's.

First thing is to scan for codes...

You know you need the right amounts of air, fuel, and spark to maximize it's potential. You are lacking or overcompensating in one of those areas. You can just about throw air out the window because the only way that could be messed up is if you have a vacuum or boost leak (I assume you've got passed that). Next is fuel. If you've got good fuel pressure, it's rising with boost, etc. then that's good enough. Last is spark...this is where I think your problem is. What's your plug gap? What kind of plugs and wires? What color are they after a good hard run? Does it do any surging or bucking under power? Ever feel or sound like it's got a miss?

Stinger

Everything seems to be good up to the plugs. The last plugs I took out looked good but were different than what I put back. The problems ocurred before the change though. The only motorcraft plug we have ended up being the hottest on the chart-plug 434(AWSF32C). The only other plug I think I have is next to the coldest on the chart(AWSF32P). Could there be that much of a benefit with a colder plug? I forget the gap. The plug wires are Autozone double-silicone. I don't have any known miss, surge or buck under any condition unless I'm Running hard and come off the gas completely, It will jerk some as the turbo is slowing down.
 
Well, the AWSF32C is the stock turbo plug...I don't see how a colder plug would help you at this point unless you are detonating.

I'd get rid of those AZ wires and put some Motorcrafts on there...that's the ONLY thing I see wrong with your setup.

Stinger
 
Stinger said:
Well, the AWSF32C is the stock turbo plug...I don't see how a colder plug would help you at this point unless you are detonating.

I'd get rid of those AZ wires and put some Motorcrafts on there...that's the ONLY thing I see wrong with your setup.

Stinger
I'll just buy some Nology w'ars... :rlaugh:
I was told today that a boy noticed a huge difference with just those wires.

On the video It has some kind of rattle when you rev in neutral from idle to 3500, but doesn't make any noise when driving.

Oops, I posted on amanda's computer.
 
I did a compression test for the hell of it tonight.
#1 149
#2 147
#3 150
#4 148

Not sure if those numbers are high enough but I'm glad to see they're so tight.

Plugs are gapped at .034 and from the last 300 miles of hard running looked great.