FTI cam idle problems

red94fiveo · Feb 28, 2004

OK, so after I finished putting everything together after the headswap on monday night we started the car and it idled fine. We only ran it for about 5 minutes b/c it was late. It idled fine then, but never really got warm, and I only revved it once or twice.

I just talked to my dad (working the the car for me while I'm at work today!) and he just ran it for about 30 minutes and is changing the oil and filter now. Anyway, he said after it warmed up for about 5 minutes (no problems) he brought the revs up a couple times to about 1500-2000, and after he took his foot of the gas it just died and wouldn't start again for a couple minutes. He said that the rest of the time it won't hold an idle and will basically just die if your foot isn't on the gas. Do I need to raise the idle up a little bit until the computer relearns the new settings? Which way is it on the TB screw to raise the idle? Any other suggestions? I'm probably about 2 months away from being able to buy a twEECer.

Oh yeah, heres what just went into the car:
AFR 165's (58cc), FTI cam, ported GT40, comp pro mags, 65mm t-body, C&L 76mm (cal'd for 24#), 24# injectors, walbro 255lph, A/C deleted, smog deleted.

Also, I installed the sensor for my autometer temp gauge at the back of my lower intake in an open port, my dad says its reading about 240, that can't be right, can it? Thanks everyone.

final5-0 · Feb 28, 2004

Mark

Check the obvious things like vacuum leaks, electrical connections and such.

If you can you might reclock the maf.

You can open up the bypass screw if you still have a ford tb.

You can try turning the throttle stop screw to raise the idle.

When I started my combo for the first time the car did not want to idle and I had to raise the idle to about 1200 rpm with my Tweecer so I could get in a couple of heat cycles.

I hope some of those things work for you and they are only things for you to try and not based on experience cause I have only tuned with a Tweecer.

Good luck and keep us posted!!!

Later
Grady

mytight95 · Feb 28, 2004

did you remove the battery cables fromthe car for about an hour or two and turn on the headlights or something to make sure you get rid of all power in the system. I had to do this initially with my pro-m as at first it would not run with the new meter

just a thought

jason

red94fiveo · Feb 28, 2004

I will keep you guys informed. I am 99% sure vacuum lines are OK and about 95% sure on the electrical stuff.

Mytight- Do you mean unplugging my battery again for about an hour. It was disconnected for about 2 months b/f the headswap when I was painting everything.

final5-0 · Feb 28, 2004

Mark

This is just a shot in the dark.

What about the maf tube thing in the C&L.

Are you sure you got the correct one?

I don't know anything about C&L's but I've seen lots of folk say they had probs with the wrong one.

Later
Grady

red94fiveo · Feb 28, 2004

Update -

My dad just drove the car and said its slower than before the swap, so I obviously have some serious bugs to work out. He also says it idles/lopes like "the hot rods from when I was a kid (he's 51)". I i'm thinking there some serious issues somewhere. Also, I have no gauge to monitor/tune my AFPR, I know I need one of these, I think I will order it today. BTW - I got the black tube from C&L and I ordered directly from them, so it should be the right one.

Any other FTI guys wanna get in here, Paul, Dave?

Joes95GT · Feb 28, 2004

red94fiveo said:
Update -

My dad just drove the car and said its slower than before the swap, so I obviously have some serious bugs to work out. He also says it idles/lopes like "the hot rods from when I was a kid (he's 51)". I i'm thinking there some serious issues somewhere. Also, I have no gauge to monitor/tune my AFPR, I know I need one of these, I think I will order it today. BTW - I got the black tube from C&L and I ordered directly from them, so it should be the right one.

Any other FTI guys wanna get in here, Paul, Dave?

If the cam is bigger than ~220* @ 0.050 and has a tight LSA, it is going to have a very healthy idle/lope, so that should be expected. Have you tried to open the TPS up to about 1000 RPM to see if that helps?

Joe

bit · Feb 28, 2004

A friend on mine has a FTI custom cam in his 95 Cobra. The cam in barely noticeable at idle. When he installed it the only thing he change was the cam, and he had very big idle problems. After much work, the car he got the car to idle, but it would shut off at random. Ed Curtis gave him the name of a place that has cheap A9L conversions, like that is suppose to solve the problem. It took a custom chip from PCMforless.com to get the car to idle.

yellow1995Cobra · Feb 28, 2004

This should be expected with most cam swaps. It all depends on the LSA. If your lsa is under 14, then you will most likely have idle problems. When i had a b cam, i could NOT get the damn thing to idle right. it would die at every single F'ing stop light unless i held the gas down. It took a tweecer to solve the problem.

Thats crazy the gauge is reading that high. I hope its not right!

I would drive it around urself and listen for knocking and the usual stuff. Maybe try putting the stock fuel pressure regulator on for now, since you dont know what the adjustable one is at.

Keep us updated as well.

Killercanary · Feb 28, 2004

Like was said, the lower the LSA number, the more likely you are to see idle problems. I too had issues with my idle after the cam install. I had to buy an eec tuner to bump the idle to 850rpms... no more problems! You can't bump the idle up any other way. I'd try "clocking" your MAF too. I personally do not like C&L's at all as they are very finicky. What air filter are you using with the C&L? We had my dad's car setup with the C&L 76mm MAF and tube with a BBK CAI in front of the meter... the car didn't run for crap. He then put the factory airbox on with a drop in K&N and it fixed almost all his problems.

S/CBlack95GT · Feb 29, 2004

You can raise the idle by turning the throttle plate stop screw on the passenger side of the TB. I set mine around 950rpms and then set the TPS back to .996. It seems these cars like to idle best around 900-1000rpms once they get heavily modified.

Killercanary · Feb 29, 2004

Shaun I've never seen this to be a permanent fix. The EEC ALWAYS trys to get back to the factory idle of 650rpms. Adjusting the throttle screw is only a temp fix, the idle is set via the EEC and nothing else and it will do everything it can to get back to that rpm.

Highbredcloud · Feb 29, 2004

Adjust the TB idle scew...I had the same problem when I got my FTI cam...Now it runs great but it does have a funky idle when it's really cold outside until the car warms up...I love it though...C&L might be another thing that is causing the problem...Get a Pro-M...at least a 77mm or even an 80mm...I am running 30# injectors...so you have to raise your fuel pressure that could be causing the problem as well...Don't know much about the computer on the 94-95 5.0's...but they are more sensative to change...BTW I idle at 900RPM

red94fiveo · Feb 29, 2004

Thanks for all the responses guys, I'd post my LSA, but my cam car is at my parents house about 30 mins away. I'm thinking its 112 of the top of my head. The thing that reall concerns me is the power drop off. My dad drove it today and said its slower than before the swap, any ideas on this? I am going home and will drive it tomorrow, I'll post with an update and bring my cam card so I have all the relavent info, the power drop off is what really concerns me, I was expecting a big increase in power....

Highbredcloud · Feb 29, 2004

red94fiveo said:
Thanks for all the responses guys, I'd post my LSA, but my cam car is at my parents house about 30 mins away. I'm thinking its 112 of the top of my head. The thing that reall concerns me is the power drop off. My dad drove it today and said its slower than before the swap, any ideas on this? I am going home and will drive it tomorrow, I'll post with an update and bring my cam card so I have all the relavent info, the power drop off is what really concerns me, I was expecting a big increase in power....

Well if you are not getting fuel...power will decrease...if you are not getting air...power will decrease...get a guage for your fuel pressure regulater...set the PSI at 44 or so and I would really consider switching the MAF...Power drop off...did you set the cam at BTDC or ATDC...? This could explain a lot...

Grn92LX · Feb 29, 2004

Do you have a FP gauge? If so, whats the psi? Whats the timing at?

Killercanary, i'm going to have to disagree with you on the tuning deviced being the ONLY way to raise/lower idle. I had my car idling great for over 2 years at 900 with my combo. It wasn't until I added 30lb injectors that all hell broke loose. I had a chip made and it helped a little but adding the ford idle adjuster plate fixed the car about 99%. Idle is about 900.

tmoss · Feb 29, 2004

Do your self a HUGE favor after doing all the things mentioned above (sounds like it could be a vacuum leak to me too) and go get a dyno tune to be sure the fuel curve is as it should be.

mytight95 · Feb 29, 2004

grn92lx----what kind of idle plate did you get for your car

red94five0---- you can get a fuel pressure tester kit from advanced auto parts, i think they are like 28$

that way you can check it whenever you need to

thanks

jason

Grn92LX · Feb 29, 2004

Its a plate from Ford. It goes in between the IAC and the TB. Mine has 2 little torx bit screws on it you adjust to allow more or less air in. My friend just picked one up from a dealer and he paid $12 and thats NY prices so i'm sure its the same if not cheaper elseware.

As for getting a 'fuel pressure checker', might as well spend a little extra & get a cowl mounted FP gauge so FP can be monitered constantly.

mytight95 · Feb 29, 2004

thats true on the fp thing, if you could get me the part # for the IAC plate between the tb and the iac motor

i would app. it

thanks

Jason

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