Engine cuts out @ 3,500 rpm - Help Again ASAP Please - buying this weekend

[world.of.wheels]

Hi all, and thanks for all your help so far. Well the car that has the check engine light on has another problem. This is what was done to car. Aftermarket headers put on, cold air intake, and brand new full exhaust on car with 3" tubing. No cats at all. The previous owner did this. When he started the car, of course the check engine light was on. He would nail it in first and everything was great, and then when he hit 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, the rpm limited (or something) would kick in at 3,500 prm and shut the car down. He put in some MIL Eliminators (can these be installed backwards?) anyway, same problem from 2nd gear on with 3,500 rpm cut out. Do you have any clue what this might be and how to fix? COuld this be complex to fix? He put on 600 km from when the exhast went on till now, tried troubleshooting it, gave up and traded the car for a brand new Cobra SVT Ragtop. Should I stay away from this car. He claims it was his baby, but he could not figure out the rpm situation. As well, could this have caused any engine damage? Valves burnt? He said there is a little black smoke that comes out of the driver's side exhaust now he believes.

Thanks in advance

 

[Tat98Cobra]

Hi all, and thanks for all your help so far. Well the car that has the check engine light on has another problem. This is what was done to car. Aftermarket headers put on, cold air intake, and brand new full exhaust on car with 3" tubing. No cats at all. The previous owner did this. When he started the car, of course the check engine light was on. He would nail it in first and everything was great, and then when he hit 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, the rpm limited (or something) would kick in at 3,500 prm and shut the car down. He put in some MIL Eliminators (can these be installed backwards?) anyway, same problem from 2nd gear on with 3,500 rpm cut out. Do you have any clue what this might be and how to fix? COuld this be complex to fix? He put on 600 km from when the exhast went on till now, tried troubleshooting it, gave up and traded the car for a brand new Cobra SVT Ragtop. Should I stay away from this car. He claims it was his baby, but he could not figure out the rpm situation. As well, could this have caused any engine damage? Valves burnt? He said there is a little black smoke that comes out of the driver's side exhaust now he believes.

Thanks in advance

If the rev limiter is kicking in at 3500 - run from that car. Are you sure you have all the facts here? Stock computer rev limiter is set for 7000 if this is a CObra we're talking about. Tell me a little more about this car - what year is it?
Mil eliminatore cannot be installed backwards - they simply plug in , inline with the rear 02's. Unless the fool put them on his front 02's....

peace

 

[world.of.wheels]

It is a 1997. I believer there are no o2 sensors on this car as they left with the original exhaust.

 

[Tat98Cobra]

Whoaaaaaaa man - thats not good. If there are no 02's the car would be stuck in Limp Mode, and you'd always have a CEL. You are suppose to have 4 o2 sensors: Front 02's interact with the EEC and control A/F and more during closed loop driving. If they are non-existent your car will run like major a$$. The rear 02's are strictly to check for a catalyst (catalytic converters). If no catalyst is found, they'll throw a CEL. Rears do not control the EEC though.
If you have an aftermarket exhaust, with no cats - the rear 02's should be in the h or x pipe, and Mil eliminators should be installed inline to cancel a CEL. The Front 02's should be in the y-pipe or headers, no exceptions.
Run while you can!

peace

 

[sinisterblack98]

Ditto....hopefully you can RUN! If not I hope you're getting a good deal, I mean the guy says it's his "baby", but doesn't have the dough to take it in for a $50-100 scan to figure it out?

The problem could be minor or cheap to fix, but don't trust anyone who sells a car in other than perfect running condition, it's probably expensive!

 

[world.of.wheels]

I am in an area where SVT specialists are not present. I got the complete code list, but even the factory Ford dealer really is not schooled on modded SVT's. I Phoned The Mustang Shop in Calgary, and he almost has it figured on the phone. Cost will be about $1,000. It has 4 codes, and one is a cam sensor (that was most likley not plugged back in" after the longtube headers were put on. As well, becuase of the long tubes, a chip has to be put in the car as the o2 sensors are too far away from the original position to cancel this code. I almost have it figured out. I will post a picture of it when I am done here. 1997 SVT Cobra Convertible. Black on black on black. Not even 1 mark in the leather. No rub marks no cracking, no white little lines anywhere. 18" saleen rims and tires w/ Saleen Styling Bar. Cold air intake, long tube headers and 3"exhaust from to back. 68,000 miles. Alipne Alarm. In the end, I would have preferred this car with no mods at all. Just stock 310HP would be just fine with me.

Jason

 

[Tat98Cobra]

I am in an area where SVT specialists are not present. I got the complete code list, but even the factory Ford dealer really is not schooled on modded SVT's. I Phoned The Mustang Shop in Calgary, and he almost has it figured on the phone. Cost will be about $1,000. It has 4 codes, and one is a cam sensor (that was most likley not plugged back in" after the longtube headers were put on. As well, becuase of the long tubes, a chip has to be put in the car as the o2 sensors are too far away from the original position to cancel this code. I almost have it figured out. I will post a picture of it when I am done here. 1997 SVT Cobra Convertible. Black on black on black. Not even 1 mark in the leather. No rub marks no cracking, no white little lines anywhere. 18" saleen rims and tires w/ Saleen Styling Bar. Cold air intake, long tube headers and 3"exhaust from to back. 68,000 miles. Alipne Alarm. In the end, I would have preferred this car with no mods at all. Just stock 310HP would be just fine with me.

Jason

A couple in-accuracies here. First off- Cam sensor is inside the engine - major job to change it. Hs nothing to do with headers. Crank shaft position sensor is a little easier - that resides under the crankshaft pulley. again - nothing to do with headers.
A chip is not needed for LT headers - where are you getting this information??
The 02 sensors being too far away is common - they make 02 wire extenders to handle that. Why not post your 4 codes and we will try and help you. SOmeone is feeding you alot of bs here. It sounds to me like your front 02's are not plugged in, and thats 90 % of your problem. The cam code worries me though...

peace

 

[world.of.wheels]

That would be great, because I have to trailer this car 500 miles to get the work done.

Codes are: 153; P430; P0320; P0133 - I may be missing some 0's and some P's in some numbers I understand.

I do not believe anything is wrong with the car, as when I told the original owner's friend the price I am getting this car for, he insisted on purchasing it immediatly. The original owner traded it off as he just did the exhaust mod 600 miles ago and did not have time to figure it out before he got called to work again, so he traded it for a new 03 Ragtop. His friend figured he could figure it out himself if he had enough time???? Anyway, any info would be great. The fellow at the Mustang shop figures they forget to plug the cam position sensor in possibly when they removed the entire A or K frame to put the header on, etc..

Jason

 

[103]

Well, the cutoff could be a basic problem. I had the same thing happen to me at the track. The elbow from my Densecharger was closing off at speed under load thereby killing throttle, obviously. And, as for the O2 sensors, as was said, you do not need a chip. You just need to extend the wires. And do some MIL eliminators. We made our own for really cheap, but you can buy them on Ebay for like ten bucks. And check all connections before you seal it all up. I have a loose connection in one and my MIL comes on every once in a while... Kinda annoying...

And you don't have to mess with ANY sensors installing headers. I did longtubes with two friends in my driveway and the closest thing to a sensor you have to unplug is the EGR (obviously). And in removing the K member you do not unplug ANY sensors. I think there may be some miscommunication going on here...