HELP!!!! bad miss/vibration!!

[Black_Mustang]

hey guys whats up....i got a 88 5.0 that i bought about 6 months ago ago and just now gettin ready to drive it a few weeks ago i took it to the car wash and when i was coming out i kinda gunned it a little (ok alot) but nothing i know it cant handle (this is my third one) and now it has a bad and steady miss vibration under any load...it has 215k miles and i bought it from the original owner than took pretty good mechanical care of it it is a little leaker but thats nothing big....anyhow i have replaced the plugs (.054) wires cap rotor and coil and still nothing...dist is good teeth are good timing is *14 on the nose and advances steadily...the motor mounts from what i can see however seem to be chipping away...im thinking maybe i ripped it the rest of the way when i did that...car has good power it seems though i havent driven it much since that happened and when i have not very hard....idle is rock solid and when free revving sounds strong and relatively smooth so i just dont see how it could be a miss...i know it could be a ton of things but i was hopin somebody on here had some pointers...it almost sounds like a cylinder isnt firing but im sure it is cause the miss goes away when not under load....any ideas guys?? i havent had a chance to drive this car since i bought it in may....HELP!!!!!!

other things-
-i have a new fuel filter that i havent had a chance to install yet.
-fuel pump is good
-balancer looks good

 

[HISSIN50]

have you pulled codes? when doing so, run the balance test - checks each injector for proper pulse/fire.

good luck.

 

[jrichker]

Dump the codes and see what the computer says is wrong…

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.dalidesign.com/hbook/eectest.html for more descriptive help
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 Walmart.

 

[MUSTANGJOE]

Did you check the fireing order of your spark plugs?

 

[Black_Mustang]

im gonna check the codes tomorrow morning, with school/work/being sick i havent had the time/energy....dont know if it will get anywhere though

F/O is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8....i believe that is correct

anybody else HELP!!

 

[MUSTANGJOE]

make sure those #'s are correct. Once I posted a thread asking for the fireing order and I got the wrong ones! make sure, goo d luck

 

[AZNEAL311]

Need Help Pulling codes

I have an 88 and there is a check engine light on the dash. The only time I ever see it is when i am starting the car and thats only for a brief second. I have read that 88s have to use a voltmeter or test light. I tried to pull codes using the Check Engine light but I got nothing. No clicking or wierd sounds when i jumped the wires. I am pretty sure i am doing it right. Does any one know for sure if 88s require a test light?

 

[HISSIN50]

The differentiation generally is that SD cars don't have a functional CEL, whereas MAF cars have one.

Why your CEL burps for you is strange.

In any case, I would just use a test light or other means to seeing flashes.
Good luck.

 

[AZNEAL311]

I have tried to use a test light. When I jump the Signal return and the System test input I get nothing. No funny noises, no clicking nada. It is just like i did nothing at all. And my car was not origanally MAF. It was converted.

 

[Black_Mustang]

Hmm, I havent had a mustang for over a year and a half or used this email for even more...

man, im seriously depressed now god i miss having one.