help figure out whats wrong with my car....

[Green4.6GT]

ok so last year i went and pulled a base of 15.4 with my car when it was stock (dont laugh its a 96 auto, thats the best its got lol)

so since then i've added 4.30s and exaust..

we go to the track last night.. the car hesitated, sputtered and generally ran like crap all night, i got one semi ok run out of it that was a 15.4 also, but all night it was running like 16's and even a 17.. someone please help me figure out what is wrong with this pos

-Ryan

 

[HP Addiction]

Is your CEL on? Those symptoms may be indicative of a multitude of possible problems. Start with the simple stuff: New fuel filter, plugs, wires, clean MAF, Check coil packs, upstream o2 sensors. Cant think of anything else at the moment. Anyone else feel free to chime in.

 

[DBMSTNG]

need more info.

is it missing?
codes?

 

[Green4.6GT]

the cel is on, but it came on the same day i changed the exaust wich was like 3 weeks ago, it hadnt been on before that, i dont have a code reader so i dont know forsure, the plugs were changed about 6 months ago, but i'm probalbly going to pull a couple here today after she cools off(highway trip home so its a bit toasty) and see if there is anything to see in there..

the airfuel gauge shows that the car is running just fine, but it is a bit slugish, and the maual said that if the bar moves slowly the sensor might be a bit old, so maybe thats it..

fuel filter is ok, fuel pump is new. how would i go about checking the coil packs?

and for cleaning the maf, this is going to sound retarded but is there any trick to it, this is my first fuelie stang and i dont want to mess it up somehow.

thanks for the quick replies guys..

-Ryan

 

[DBMSTNG]

how would i go about checking the coil packs?
-Ryan

you don't have any. only 99+ do.

your problem most likely has to do with your O/R X pipe. did you get the car tuned for it or get mil eliminators? if not, the ECU is pulling timing because it can'r find the cats.

 

[Green4.6GT]

yea thats what i was thinking, because i have not gotten a chip or mils yet, but i didnt think it would make that much of a diffrence, i lost to a talon for god sakes how much power am i looking at loosing from having the cel on?

 

[MoNsTaMaCk24]

How many miles u got... When i had over 90,000 miles my coil packs were shot... You have them too!!! Buy some screamin demon coil packs, new wires make sure gapping is fine on ur plugs. But before all that run into auto zone or something they got scanners and will do it for free! 4.30 gears and exhaust u have you should be in 14's for sure!!! Nothing near 17's!!!

 

[Joel's98GT]

you don't have any. only 99+ do.

your problem most likely has to do with your O/R X pipe. did you get the car tuned for it or get mil eliminators? if not, the ECU is pulling timing because it can'r find the cats.

the rear O2 sensors do not effect engine operation AT ALL!!!!

the only thing the rear O2 sensors do is tattle in the case of emmisions equipment when it does not detect enough catylist.

I have had a O/R pipe for over a year with no mills and is one of the healthiest 96-98 stock longblock GT's you will find. Also I will turn 100k miles this week. Plus have EGR deleted with NO adverse effects and the code tripped.

If you want to see the computer in limp mode pulling timing, un hook your maf sensor wires and drive it around.

do a search at a real tech site like corral or MD and you will see MANY threads with many more people telling you this same thing, rear O2's do not effect engine operation in ANY way.

I agree, you should go to autozone/advanced auto soon to get the codes checked out, if it says something about rear O2's ignore it.

 

[Green4.6GT]

its got 140 k (but thats k, not miles, i'm a canadian) so its probably around 90 000 miles.. i know it definately should be in the 14's.. the track here is 3000 ft above sea level so i would even be ok with pulling a 14.99.. but something is stopping it

 

[Joel's98GT]

its got 140 k (but thats k, not miles, i'm a canadian) so its probably around 90 000 miles.. i know it definately should be in the 14's.. the track here is 3000 ft above sea level so i would even be ok with pulling a 14.99.. but something is stopping it

wouldn't hurt to do a compression test to see how healthy the motor is.

 

[twogts4us]

Are you shifting manually or putting it in drive and let er rip? With the gears and without a chip (or handheld tuner) you're shift points are all fudged up.
get the codes pulled for the rest of the issues...stumbling, hesitation.
Clean the MAF sensor (CAREFULLY, WHILE COLD!!!) with alcohol and q-tip and gently blow it off with compressed air (or just let it air dry). Just pretend you're doing surgery here and you'll be fine...! You'll need a size T-20 torx security bit to remove the electonics from the MAF housing. Sears has a whole set of security torx bits for $9.99. (I found that posted that in another thread yesterday!)

 

[Green4.6GT]

i have been just leaving it in D, seems to shift harder that way.. lays about a 3 foot patch of rubber into second while in d, not even a chirp when i shift it myself