Before I hurt the stang...someone help (video)

[Synned]

Okay... I didn't really put a descriptive title because I'm not sure what exactly the problem is. I'm too much of a novice to even know where to start.
Either something is slipping like my trans or converter
or I have a major spark/misfire issue.

What happens is, when I'm driving at part throttle and give it a little gas, the rpms TICK upward instead of rise upward.
http://renaxgade.net/rpm1.mov
Thats cruising on the highway, and then giving it some gas. The car is actually doing this too, its not the RPM gauge.

I came to that conclusion for two things, the car feels much slower, and in first gear my car now only gets up to 35mph, before it would go low 40's I think.
I cannot get this problem to happen pretty much at all in first gear, no matter how much I play with it.

Now flooring it in 3rd/4th gear, leaves an even crazier tach. It jumps up by bigger 'ticks' then before.
http://renaxgade.net/floor.mov
http://renaxgade.net/floor2.mov
The car feels majorly slow flooring it up there.

Another thing I think that is directly related to this problem is a misfire or 'jerk' while im cruising. This jerk happens at cruising in the upper gears as well.
It feels like a miss. But it also feels like it could be coming from the tranny but I guess thats impossible to differentiate.

Please guys, any insight
Joe

 

[Hickfied]

I didn't watch your vid, but is your engine bucking when the tach does that? Try going up a steep hill in first, and see if it also happens then. Sounds like your engine is hesitating... Most likely your plug wires or plugs... But it could be detonating from your timming.

 

[mob]

ah nvm

 

[86bluecobra]

i watched the vid and my first thought was your tranny was slipping. but i am no expert. usally when a tranny slips the rpm's rise quickly and the car doesn't accelerate.

 

[Strype]

i watched the vid and my first thought was your tranny was slipping. but i am no expert. usally when a tranny slips the rpm's rise quickly and the car doesn't accelerate.

:Word: I've had that problem, but this seems to be coil/dizzy/wires/plugs/cap related. Dude give it a tune up and then try it.

Have you added any parts recently to the car?

 

[mob]

Id try to figure out the problem before you start throwing parts at it. Though I due agree a tune up may be needed, when was the last time you changed the plugs, wires, etc.?

 

[aleborjas]

check your cap, rotor,spark cables, plug gap is too wide etc what engine is and what plug gap you got in it? try closing it, but the problem im shure that its is missfire

 

[dragnazz5.0]

probably has to do with secondary ignition but does the car want to die or stumble when you come to a stop? if so its a converter problem or a valve body problem (specifically a tcc solenoid problem)

 

[jrichker]

Dump the codes and see what the computer says is wrong…Codes may be present in the computer even if the Check Engine light isn’t on. After you have found & fixed the codes, then start looking at the ignition system.

Here's the link to dump the computer codes with only a jumper wire or paper clip and the check engine light, or test light or voltmeter. I’ve used it for years, and it works great.

See http://www.troublecodes.net/Ford/
OR
See http://www.mustangworks.com/articles/electronics/eec-iv_codes.html

IF your car is an 86-88 stang, you'll have to use the test lamp or voltmeter method. There is no functional check engine light on the 86-88's except possibly the Cali Mass Air cars.

Codes have different answers if the engine is running from the answers that it has when the engine isn't running. It helps a lot to know if you had the engine running when you ran the test.

Trouble codes are either 2 digit or 3 digit, there are no cars that use both 2 digit codes and 3 digit codes.

For those who are intimidated by all the wires & connections, see http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16153 for what a typical hand scanner looks like. Normal retail price is about $30 or so at AutoZone or Wal-Mart.

Or for a nicer scanner see http://www.midwayautosupply.com/detailedproductdescription.asp?3829 – It has a 3 digit LCD display so that you don’t have to count flashes or beeps.. Cost is $35.

Wal-Mart may now have the LCD display scanner for less than $35

 

[Synned]

Thanks for all the help guys.
So the general consensus seems to be a tune-up (ignition problem).
The car does not want to die while coming to a stop.
Maybe I'll go put a tube of friction modifier into the trans to see if anything happens.
Spark plugs, wires, and a clean PIP are coming.

Thanks guys
Joe

 

[Hickfied]

I thought FM was only for rear ends? Does it do anything good for a trans?

 

[Synned]

:Word: I've had that problem, but this seems to be coil/dizzy/wires/plugs/cap related. Dude give it a tune up and then try it.

Have you added any parts recently to the car?

No parts, but I did do my timing...and it was weird. There were three strips of timing marks on this balancer I have, and I got a little confused but I think it's somewhere where it should be.

 

[ninety15.0]

do not put Fric Mod in the trans. thats only for the rear end. You could drain the trans and change the fluid...that might be a place to start. but firstly, pull codes and check plugs,wires,cap,rotor,coil. good luck

 

[Synned]

Woops, I didn't mean friction modifier.
I thought there was some trans fluid can stuff that you can buy from like autozone to help the trans from slipping.
I'll pull codes, but I don't think I have any.
The wires are new, cap and rotor are fairly new.
If I could guess, I would guess plugs or something else like the PIP.

 

[Zero_chance]

Just keep in mind additives wont fix a mechanical problem, all they MIGHT do is conceal which just means when the problem does come back itll be a lot worst.

 

[rd]

You absolutely should get the codes before you do anything else.

The bucking could be as simple as a bad plug wire, as that will give the same symptoms as a torque converter shudder in an AODE/4R70W or A4LD.

But messing with it with out the codes is not the best way to approach it.

 

[dragnazz5.0]

You absolutely should get the codes before you do anything else.

The bucking could be as simple as a bad plug wire, as that will give the same symptoms as a torque converter shudder in an AODE/4R70W or A4LD.

But messing with it with out the codes is not the best way to approach it.

seems like we have a tranny guy here....?

but im with everyone else. pull the codes and see what they say or look very closely at your wires and plugs to see if any of them are burnt

 

[HISSIN50]

Lubeguard makes an anti-shudder additive for the e-trannies - it would be the only product I'd try.

Good luck Joe.

 

[Synned]

I cleaned the pip, checked the wires and they all looked fine. It might just be in my head but I think the pip helped a little, I'm going to give it a better cleaning tomorrow. I'm changing the plugs on Sunday.
The thing is when the RPMS do that jumpy thing, it doenst feel like a misfire. It's smooth.
I'm only going to use that anti-shudder just to try and help diagnose the problem...the trans is under warranty.
Thanks guys
Joe

 

[postalbunny]

donno if it helps, but the part where the tack is jumpy resembles a problem I had /w the TFI module. After the car warmed up it would sputter (the tach, and the engine rpms) /w part or full throttle around 3-5k rpm... it would drop the rpms back to 3k and climb up.

The 2nd vids look like your rpms are jumping a lot... did the car accelerate a lot? It looks like the transmission slipped or you spun the tires.