help car has no power

[ttavenieriii]

ok i just bought a 88 mustang with the small 2.3 plans are to put a 5.0 into it but untill i rebuild the 5.0 out of my f150 im stuck with this 2.3
its a manual 5 speed and i cant chirp tires or nothing. i put it in gear and it take like 2 miles to hit 40 its stupid. someone help please. no smoke no old leaks full pressure is fine. any ideas i almost feels like i have a bunch of people pushing me. i can put the pedal to the floor and it still barley moves. someone help please

 

[quickerstang]

advance the timing 5 degrees

 

[ttavenieriii]

could possibly work on 5 degrees. how do u do that on this type of car?

 

[ttavenieriii]

i found this is this correct? also which way do i turn it to advanced the timing


to advance the timing,

theres a 13mm bolt on the distributor holding it down with a little metal bracket, loosen up the bolt so your able to turn it, when you got that, turn the distributor. i cant remember if you turn it to the left or the right, but get a timing light and point it at the dampner pulley and there should be a white notch with a scale of ATDC 30* and BTDC 10* and see which way it goes, it shas to go ATDC, meaning the notch goes down and not up and remember to pull the spout connector when timing it, and when you have a nice spot time'd right, plug the spout connector back in

 

[Red_LX]

Use a timing light and follow the instructions, I don't know what way you have to turn it but you'll see easily enough once you start messing with it.

 

[Flyin2.3]

If its not the timing, the converters might be plugged.

 

[stang dreamer]

its the 2.3, it doesnt have any power to begin with

kidding though, hows the filter? mine was clogged like hell, didnt help the power.

 

[89 ST4NG]

9 times out of 10 its the timing!!!

HEY!! they do chirp tire (yes singular)!!! but it about dies at the same time LMAO! its better in the rain!

 

[Flyin2.3]

HEY!! they do chirp tire (yes singular)!!! but it about dies at the same time LMAO! its better in the rain!

Yep, just gotta drive it like you hate it. Forget to lift when you shift to 2nd, works almost every time. Actually had mine break loose from a ~15mph roll in the rain. Must have been a 2.3 power perfect storm, bad tires, just started to rain & a strong cross wind.

 

[Mustang5L5]

You have 88HP stock.


WHen i had my 2.3L, i couldn't even spin them in the rain

 

[ttavenieriii]

ok so imma check the timing tomorrow when i can see better but is there anything else that it could be i got some more info for everyone...
when u first start the car up it runs good i could even spin a tire for like 15 foot it was hard beleive me lol but after driving for about ten min the car gets to opperating temp and it runs like ****. i mean u actually have to put the pedel to the floor to climb a hill its stupid.. any thoughts please let me know

 

[Flyin2.3]

Any more details other than "runs like $#!+", like missing, cuts out, black smoke, rotten egg smell from exhaust, gradual or sudden change to no power... Hows the fuel mileage? I'm getting ~20mpg beating the car & driving ~1mi to work so it never really gets warmed up.

 

[HyYoSilver]

ok so imma check the timing tomorrow when i can see better but is there anything else that it could be i got some more info for everyone...
when u first start the car up it runs good i could even spin a tire for like 15 foot it was hard beleive me lol but after driving for about ten min the car gets to opperating temp and it runs like ****. i mean u actually have to put the pedel to the floor to climb a hill its stupid.. any thoughts please let me know

This is a classic symptom of a clogged catalytic
converter.
Once you warm it up, see if the cat gets REALLY hot.
Sometimes the header pipe will get cherry red, if you
run it long enough.

You can also check this with a vacuum gauge if you have one;
the manifold vacuum will be very low and fluctuate at idle.