Popping and Caughing at WOT?

TrickFlowd

Member
May 17, 2003
240
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16
Sayre, PA
I recently had a problem with my ignition module. Had it tested and it was bad. I had one laying around from a Lincoln Towncar with a 5.0. I was told that the one from the towncar could be different than a stock mustang module. The car starts and drives, but 3/4 to WOT it pops, and caughs, and has basically NO power at all. It pops out the exhaust when letting off also. The car basically falls on its face when givin any gas. Could this be from the module? I had the towncar module tested at Advance Auto and it was good. :shrug:
 
:shrug: it does that because it is different! you said yourself you were told it was different! it might start and run but it wont drive and act like it should! go get one for your mustang! i was worth a shot to try but it isnt working so go get the right part! and give it a ttry ! i bet it fixes the problems!
 
I was told it was different. But not by a parts guy...an old timer told me he thought they were different. I just wanted to make sure before I go out and spend the $40 for the right one and have it be something else. :bang:
 
MY notch did that a WOT. Anything over 4,800 RPM it would cough an sputter and backfire occasionaly. I bought new Motorcraft plugs. I pulled out the Autolites that the previous owner had in there. The gap was worn to a .070!! I gapped the new Motorcrafts as .048...the factory rating is .054, but my car has 145K on the engine....my car now runs like a top!! I can get rubber in 2nd now....I never could before because it wouldn't run right.
 
i checked the part numbers on napaonline.com and it turns out the igintion control modules have the same exact part numbers. 1991 lincoln town car with 302 and 1991 mustang w/manual trans and 302. The mustang had 2 different part numbers I guess because theres 2 different brands.

91 lincoln part number

MPE
TP32SB


91 stang 2 part numbers

MPE
TP32SB

ECH
TP32
 
Never took the dizzy out. I just marked where it was with a marker...and set it back to the same spot. Car runs like absolute SHIOT! I set my TPS sensor to .985volts...it was at 1.4

I'm wondering if its a fouled or burnt plug?
 
It pops, caughs whenever you give it anything over 3/4 throttle...starts at about 3000 rpms. It has NO power at all!

The ignition module went bad...and ever since I replaced that, it runs like this. Thats why I thought maybe the modules were different. It ran ok right after I changed the module but had a bad flat spot around 6k and would fall on its face in between shifts. So I thought maybe timing was off a tad. Moved it to 15 degrees and then back to 12 degrees...and it still runs the same. No worse, no better. Except now it pops and caughs real bad...but did not do that at all before I moved timing. It also stalls sometimes if your slowing down and push in clutch. What would happen if I'm just retarded and retarded the timing instead of advancing it?
 
Never took the dizzy out. I just marked where it was with a marker...and set it back to the same spot. Car runs like absolute SHIOT! I set my TPS sensor to .985volts...it was at 1.4

I'm wondering if its a fouled or burnt plug?

the housing might be in the same spot but the shaft and rotor could have turned. just something you might want to check.
 
LOL. I should have thought about this more. THe reason is because your timing is too low or your fuel pressure needs to be bumped up, or both. I had these same symptoms when I was doing the final adjustments on my car after the h/c/i
 
Fuel pressure is at 36 with vacuum line off. I know the car is gettin enough fuel. I think its not getting enough timing to burn off the fuel...thats why its caughing/popping back up through the intake. The cylinders are loading up. How the do I get the car to base timing to start over?

What would happen if the timing is retarded ?
 
Back to the ignition module (I bring it back up because stupid people swap parts on Towncars) - is the module the same color as yours? You probably had a Black CCD module in a 91.

You have to keep the same style module your car came with (unless you rewire things). The CCD modules watch the falling edge of the signal and cap the signal to the coil (to extend coil life). Push start modules don't do this and are wired differently because of it.

Good luck.
 
More help on finding the correct TFI module. Accoding to Tmoss, the correct module is gray...

Diagram courtesy of Tmoss & Stang&2birds
TFI_5.0_comparison.gif


See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/ Everyone should bookmark this site.

Ignition switch wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/IgnitionSwitchWiring.gif

Fuel, alternator, A/C and ignition wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 88-91 Mass Air Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91_5.0_EEC_Wiring_Diagram.gif

Vacuum diagram 89-93 Mustangs
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustangFoxFordVacuumDiagram.jpg

HVAC vacuum diagram
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/Mustang_AC_heat_vacuum_controls.gif

TFI module differences & pinout
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/TFI_5.0_comparison.gif

Fuse box layout
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/MustangFuseBox.gif
 

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One more clue: if it should have a grey (push start) TFI, you should have a resistor attached on the coil's negative-terminal harness (this knocks down the tach signal).

Joe, I have never been exactly sure when foxes got CCD TFI's, though I thought it was around '91. Have you been able to narrow it down further? I'm don't know as much about airbag aero's as tilt aero's.
 
Fuel pressure is at 36 with vacuum line off. I know the car is gettin enough fuel. I think its not getting enough timing to burn off the fuel...thats why its caughing/popping back up through the intake. The cylinders are loading up. How the do I get the car to base timing to start over?

What would happen if the timing is retarded ?
you may have to retap the dizzy if your timing is off. Im running late right now but recheck in a few hours and ill explain the process
 
The TFI that replaced my old one (gray) is gray as well. The distributor is a Billet MSD dizzy and had the ignition module that came with it from MSD. I called MSD and they said I could replace it with one from my local parts store. I had one laying around from a Towncar, and it looked the same, so I decided to try it.

I'm somewhat lost as to what the problem is. The car ran perfect until the tfi module went bad. Replaced that because the car had no spark at all. And it ran ok, with a flat spot around 6k in between shifts and lacking quite a bit of power. Then I messed with the timing a bit. Bumped it to 15 degrees and back down to 12 degrees after it ran worse at both degree settings. The car pops and caughs back up through the intake at anything over 3/4 throttle...and pops out the exhaust when de-acceleration. Which never did either before the TFI issue. :shrug:
 
Are you sure your balancer is in good shape? If you played with the timing, your whole point of reference might be off at this point.
 
HISSIN50- the balancer seems to be fine. It was not seperating or spinning on the pulley. Does not look to be in bad shape.

ShortThrow50- the rep at MSD told me that they recommend using a Peltrik module from local parts store. Thats what they tell everyone when they call, because MSD does not make a replacement module.