help, car won't run right after tune up

[beefcake]

I'm editing this thread, so read the whole think please

ok, i've got an strim on my 90 gt, it was running fine, but 1 of the belts were shredded and i figured might as well change and due a tune up.

now, the car is falling on it's face,

this is what i did,

changed serpentine and s/c belt.

cleaned and oiled k&n filter

changed plugs wires cap and rotor

now, instead of idling smooth, the engine falls on its face, it'll idle fine for a couple seconds after the car is started, but then the idle will start dropping down to almost nothing like the car is going to stall, and then it will all of a sudden come back up and spin and then almost stall and then spin,

the closer it comes to stalling, the faster it spins and then falls on it's face again,

i checked all the plugs and wires and where they are at, #1 is almost at noon on the distributor, i tried pulling the air filter in case i oiled it too much or something and wasn't getting air

i also changed the battery, the battery all of a sudden was dead for no apparent reason, now the car will start and not stall but almost stall, when the battery was dead, and i was jumping it, it would stall.

does anyone have any clue as to what the problem might be, the 5 year old crap had the car running great and now it's crap,

i am 100% sure it's not the maf as i have run the car in default mode and it still does it

the car runs fine for 20 seconds and then the idle starts dropping and then dropping more, etc...

one of the mechanics at my dealership told me it's the plug gap, since i changed it to 35 it's probably having trouble, but i know for a s/c'd car you need the 35 gap

edit

i am thinking there is an underlying problem, and maybe this will shed some more light, today, i loosened the s/c belt as i was going to test that theory, i went to start the car and it cranked once and then died. there was no interior lights, no headlights notching. now, remember, b4 i did the tune up , the car was running fine and starting fine, after tune up, battery was pretty much dead,

so, i get out the jumper cables and hook them up to my other car, right away i have interior light, go to start the car, starts right away. i shut it off, i unhook the cables and the light is still on, i go to start the car, it starts fine, very weird to me, a battery doesn't charge in 5 seconds.

so, maybe this is relative to the other problem that i am having

if n e 1 has some insight please lone it to me

 

[blk92stangg]

Maybe all the charge oil you sprayed on the filter fouled the maf sensor. Try cleaning it.

 

[FiveOhhStang]

2 things, FIRST maybe you gapped your plugs wrong? Happened to my friends right after a tune up & didnt hook the wires up right? or SECOND clean the MAF & sensor with like WD-40 or something or sort, somtimes the charger oil gets into the sensor and jacks it up.
-Nick

 

[sublime29]

Hello! You should check the vacuum(a gauge is under 20 bucs).You might have broke one of those plastic lines on the passenger side or elsewhere.Make sure the wires are on right.Last pull plugs and check gaps.You should always start with the easiest ,cheapest,and fastest first. Later Sub

 

[beefcake]

whats the best way to clean the MAF?

i know the plugs are all gapped at 35

 

[mcmmotorsports]

I would strongly advise on the cleaning of the MAF sensor. I have seen and heard of the same horror story.

 

[beefcake]

okay, cleaned the maf, still not running right, here is what is going on,

talked to a mechanic at the dealership, he said b4 plugging back in the maf, try running the car without it, he said cycle the key 5 times and if it idles fine, then it's the maf,

i did this, for about 20 seconds it ran fine (check engine light on) and then the rpms started dipping again, every time they dropped down it got worse and worse to almost cutting out

so, i plugged the maf back in and started the car, counted almost 20 secs again, and then the same thing started happening.
rpms dipping and every time getting worse.

does n e 1 have a clue as to what this might be?

i think the thing thats weird is it idles fine for about 20 seconds

 

[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

 

[beefcake]

don't have any codes, i only had the code while the maf was unplugged

as soon as i plugged it back in and restarted

no codes

 

[jrichker]

Do a cylinder balance test to see if all the cylinders are fring.

Cylinder balance test:
Warm the car's engine up to normal operating temperature. Use a jumper wire or paper clip to put the computer into test mode. Start the engine and let it go through the normal diagnostic tests, then quickly press the throttle to the floor. The engine RPM should exceed 2500 RPM's for a brief second. The engine will shut off power to each injector, one at a time. When it has sequenced through all 8 injectors, it will flash 99 for everything OK, or the number of the failing cylinder such as 22 for cylinder #2. Quickly pressing the throttle again up to 2500 RPM’s will cause the test to re-run with smaller qualifying figures. Do it a third time, and if the same cylinder shows up, the cylinder is weak and isn’t putting out power. See the Chilton’s Shop manual for the complete test procedure

 

[beefcake]

the car feels like it's working ok when i run the rpms up, it's the idle that killing it

 

[aLLzZ]

I had that same prob. Is what I did was I pulled the upper and lower intake and 1 of the gaskets under the lower was leaking a little bit. I replaced them started it up and its running beautiful.

 

[jrichker]

the car feels like it's working ok when i run the rpms up, it's the idle that killing it

I'd still do a cylinder balance test. Once you rev the engine up, the weak cylinders get lost in the power from the strong cylinders. The engine will sound smooth, but it's the strong cylinders you are hearing.

Check the vacuum hose and lines After age and heat take their toll, the vacuum lines will often crack around the part where they connect to a fitting.

 

[dvs bullet]

stupid question did you run the s belt in the right direction? If the alt is rotating in the opp. direction it might not charge you batt. and run like s#*t. It's prob not possible but it's a thought. Your car ran well before the tune up?

 

[beefcake]

ttt

 

[beefcake]

problem fixed after regapping the plugs to .52,

so, now the question is, what needs to be done to get the car to run well at .35, the car may actually run well under throttle, but i haven't even tried,

not to mention, i'm using stock plug, so once i go 1 heat range colder, problem will probably be even worse,

also, since the plug gap definately is the prob, what exactly is the problem ?