• Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

Need help with bad running 5.0 and trouble codes

  • Thread starter Thread starter SmittyFox5.0
  • Start date Start date Jan 15, 2004
S

SmittyFox5.0

New Member
Dec 2, 2002
32
0
0
Detroit, Michigan
Jan 15, 2004
#1
  • Jan 15, 2004
  • #1
93 LX, 5.0, T-5. Has 109,000 miles on it. Two weeks ago I had the tranny out to replace the throwout bearing. The only electrical components that I had unplugged were all the conections to the trans and I unscrewed the O2 sensors from the h-pipe. I never unplugged them, just let them hang. Got everything back together and within 20 minutes of driving it threw two codes. A 91 and either a 32 or 33. Autozone says 1 is O2 sensor and the other is EGR related. The car seems down on power and some days (cold days) it backfires right after I first start driving it. After I get on it a few times the backfire goes away. Also, just noticed that it was running real flat until I get the accelerator pedal to a certain point and then it takes off. What could be wrong with the car? It's funny how all this stuff is going wrong and I didn't even touch the engine and I don't believe I could have damaged the O2 sensors. Please Help.
 

jrichker

StangNet's favorite TOOL
In Remembrance. Thank you for your contributions
Mar 10, 2000
27,512
2,813
234
Dublin GA
Jan 15, 2004
#2
  • Jan 15, 2004
  • #2
Code 33 - Insufficient EGR flow detected.
Look for vacuum leaks, cracked vacuum lines. Check to see if you have 10” of vacuum at the EGR vacuum connection. Look for electrical signal at the vacuum regulator solenoid valves located on the rear of the passenger side wheel well. Using a test light across the electrical connector, it should flicker as the electrical signal flickers. Remember that the computer does not source any power, but provides the ground necessary to complete the circuit. That means one side of the circuit will always be hot, and the other side will go to ground or below 1 volt as the computer switches on that circuit.

See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host)

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91eecPinout.gif

Code 41 or 91 - O2 indicates system lean. Look for a vacuum leak or failing O2 sensor.

The computer sees a lean mixture signal coming from the O2 sensors and tries to compensate by adding more fuel.

"When the mixture is lean, the exhaust gas has oxygen, about the same amount as the ambient air. So the sensor will generate less than 400 Millivolts. Remember lean = less voltage.

" When the mixture is rich, there's less oxygen in the exhaust than in the ambient air , so voltage is generated between the two sides of the tip. The voltage is greater than 600 millivolts. Remember rich = more voltage.

Here's a tip: the newer the sensor, the more the voltage changes, swinging from as low as 0.1 volt to as much as 0.9 volt. As an oxygen sensor ages, the voltage changes get smaller and slower - the voltage change lags behind the change in exhaust gas oxygen.

Because the oxygen sensor generates its own voltage, never apply voltage and never measure resistance of the sensor circuit. To measure voltage signals, use an analog voltmeter with a high input impedance, at least 10 megohms. Remember, a digital voltmeter will average a changing voltage."
Charles O. Probst, Ford fuel Injection & Electronic Engine control

Measuring the O2 sensor voltage at the computer will give you a good idea of how well they are working. The computer pins are 29 (LH O2 with a dark green/pink wire) and 43 (RH O2 with a dark blue/pink wire). Use the ground next to the computer to ground the voltmeter.
 

65ShelbyClone

Founding Member
Sep 9, 2000
4,675
38
119
Antelope Valley, SoCal
Jan 18, 2004
#3
  • Jan 18, 2004
  • #3
After I put the new engine in all of a sudden I started getting a code 41 also. I think my O2 sensors are original with 175k and I wasnt exactly careful with them when I pulled everything out. It has a surging idle, dies frequently, doesnt catch revs, and has a miss/slight surge at part throttle. Probably going to get new sensors today.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Fuel ‘88 GT Runs Rich Cold — Fixes Itself When I Unplug Sensors (ECT, MAF, O2, etc.)
  • Sufarry
  • Nov 6, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
12
Views
764
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Nov 9, 2025
Mustang5L5
T
Looking for some help with 2006
  • thedudeillest
  • Mar 16, 2026
  • 2005 - 2014 S-197 Mustang -General/Talk-
Replies
14
Views
424
2005 - 2014 S-197 Mustang -General/Talk- Mar 20, 2026
Noobz347
M
Help! 2003 GT misfire when hot
  • Modular03
  • Feb 10, 2026
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
4
Views
340
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech Feb 13, 2026
Mustang5L5
A
Electrical New O2 sensor harness has no jumpers (91/93)…
  • afjLX
  • Dec 11, 2024
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
4
Views
393
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Dec 13, 2024
afjLX
A
Tuners come on inside
  • squeak93
  • Feb 13, 2026
  • SVT Tech Forum
Replies
1
Views
230
SVT Tech Forum Feb 20, 2026
squeak93
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?