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

PROBLEMS after cam swap, please help!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter fastimes69
  • Start date Start date Aug 3, 2005

fastimes69

Founding Member
Jun 27, 2001
188
0
17
San Benito, Texas
Aug 3, 2005
#1
  • Aug 3, 2005
  • #1
My cousin had an E -cam on his 89 coupe and the car ran and idled fine. The engine is stock except for the pullies and exhaust. He decided to buy an f -cam and swapped it in. Ever since the cam change, it won't idle steadily, then it dies. It runs rich because the plugs are all black when we check em. The only thing he did was swap the cam and nothing else. Since then he replaced the plugs, cap and rotor, new o2's, map sensor,tfi module,tried the air meter off my coupe, new tps,new iac,timing is at 14,new egr, and still it runs rich and has an erratic idle.If he floors it, the car runs strong but it wont idle and runs rich. The fuel pump is new and we tried a different fuel rail incase the old pressure regulator went bad.He tried different injectors that are all in good shape. It has no vacuum leaks either cuz we double checked those also.We just about gave up!! It's not the cam because I just installed an f-cam about a month ago and mine runs fine. I had an E- cam before too. Let me know if there is anything else we have overlooked. We are curently pulling codes.. Thanks for any help or advice you can give us.....
 
S

SamSnyder

New Member
Mar 30, 2005
196
0
0
Aug 3, 2005
#2
  • Aug 3, 2005
  • #2
Sounds like you hit all the bases. My buddy's acted up after a cam swap because we failed to plug on one vacuum hose to the little vacuum block on the firewall above the master cylinder. I'm willing to bet it is something minor like that. Then, beyond the usual vacuum leaks up top, you may want to give consideration to a vacuum leak under the manifold from a mismatch between the manifold, gaskets and heads. Mine was detected at the filler neck with the PCV valve disconnected and plugged.
 

89CopCoupe

Banned
Feb 17, 2004
606
0
0
Post Count City
Aug 3, 2005
#3
  • Aug 3, 2005
  • #3
What is the fuel pressure at?

Did you play with the idle stop screw at all to raise or lower the idle speed?

Some people have to drill a 1/4" hole in the throttle blade to get the F to idle right without dying.

To me it sounds like the computer can not shorten the injector pulse any lower to achieve the ideal air/fuel ratio at idle ... and the problem is due to too much fuel pressure or a lack of air.

Good Luck
 

fastimes69

Founding Member
Jun 27, 2001
188
0
17
San Benito, Texas
Aug 4, 2005
#4
  • Aug 4, 2005
  • #4
89CopCoupe said:
What is the fuel pressure at?

The fuel pressure is ok and we did the throttle body mod (1/4 in hole) still didn't help!!! Anything else we can try...
Click to expand...
 

89CopCoupe

Banned
Feb 17, 2004
606
0
0
Post Count City
Aug 4, 2005
#5
  • Aug 4, 2005
  • #5
Hmm, usually the drill hole works ... especially when everything else is in correct order.
Sometimes it takes a little for the computer to learn the new cam and log acceptable parameters for it.

I just went back and read your original post ... because the car runs "strong" up off of idle that tells me it is not valve spring /timing related or such and then you state the plugs are fouling rich.

The computer opens the injectors for a specified pulse length based on signals received from the MAF sensor and the Oxy sensors ...
Basically, air coming in and air going out ...
To me it still sounds as if the incoming air is low and the fuel is high ... plus you didn't state whether you turned in the idle stop screw on the throttle body to try and raise the idle up a bit

When you installed the cam was it straight up and the rockers cycled in correct time and fashion.

Were you able to pull codes?

A poorly ground cam doesn't seem likely, but I wouldn't absolutely, completely rule that out
 
P

proxses

Founding Member
Dec 12, 2000
620
0
0
Dayton, Oh
Aug 4, 2005
#6
  • Aug 4, 2005
  • #6
When you say you replaced the MAP sensor, that seems slightly odd to me. I wounder if it is currently plugged into a vacuum line. This would cause the computer to think that the incomming air that the MAF is reading is greater in volume than it actually is due to the lower pressure reading, and thus adds too much fuel.
I'd check to see if the MAP is reading open air, or if it is connected to vacuum.
Also, have you sprayed starter fluid or carb cleaner around the intake to see if there is a vacuum leak?
What is your voltage reading on you TPS?
How long is the car able to run before it gets too rich and dies?
 

fastimes69

Founding Member
Jun 27, 2001
188
0
17
San Benito, Texas
Aug 5, 2005
#7
  • Aug 5, 2005
  • #7
proxses said:
When you say you replaced the MAP sensor, that seems slightly odd to me. I wounder if it is currently plugged into a vacuum line. This would cause the computer to think that the incomming air that the MAF is reading is greater in volume than it actually is due to the lower pressure reading, and thus adds too much fuel.
I'd check to see if the MAP is reading open air, or if it is connected to vacuum.
Also, have you sprayed starter fluid or carb cleaner around the intake to see if there is a vacuum leak?
What is your voltage reading on you TPS?
How long is the car able to run before it gets too rich and dies?
Click to expand...

Well yesterday we replaced the injector harness with an extra one we had and tried another upper intake just for the heck of it. To our surprise the car idles fine now, all we have to do is replace the plugs since they were fouled out from running rich. I figure the harness was bad because nothing else seemed to fix the problem.. Thanks for your help....later!!
 
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
720
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Nov 9, 2025
Mustang5L5
D
66 Coupe Progress Thread
  • DTCRAWLEY
  • Apr 19, 2026
  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
  • 2 3
Replies
40
Views
729
1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk- Thursday at 8:32 PM
General karthief
Engine Suggestions on an engine rebuild. Stock cam/GT40Ps or aftermarket on both for a fun weekend driver?
  • MadSquirrelTech
  • Apr 28, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2
Replies
23
Views
596
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 7, 2026
MadSquirrelTech
T
  • Locked
Digital Tuning A9l issue or something else
  • Tufgriz
  • Sep 11, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
2
Views
264
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Sep 11, 2025
Noobz347
T
Fuel Looking for a little guidance
  • Tufgriz
  • Sep 11, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
9
Views
311
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Sep 12, 2025
Noobz347
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?