Tons Of Issues

[jayurface]

My poor cobra (1994). I am going to make a list here hopefully I can get some insight.

1. I need a motor for the odometer, but cannot find it. This guy wanted to charge me $425 to fix it but refused to sell me just the motor. I replaced the gears and it worked for 0.2 miles and went out so I assume I damaged the motor when I put the new gears on. I took it apart again and nothing is out of place everything was still lubricated. No fuses are blown.

2. The biggest problem. Cannot pass inspection because the car smells horrible. Been riding dirty for about almost a year now. So far I have already replaced:

1. All vacuum lines,
2. Adjustable fuel pressure regular set to 32 psi replaced all vacuum lines
3. EGR valve
4. Canister Purge valve
5. Intake Temp Sensor
6. Throttle Position Sensor
7. PCV
8. Spark plugs
9. PCM

I have check the emissions canister and it is good. TPS is pulling the correct voltage. Probably the only thing having to do with the fuel system or emissions I have not replaced yet are the fuel injectors. They are also pulling the correct voltage and are running. Another strange thing about this car is the RPMs hold at around 2,000 and never come down when the performance chip is off. I assume the chip was programmed around the problem because it keeps the RPMs down to around 1,000. No idea what the chip does because it was already installed on the car and none of the previous owners had that information. Timing is set to 11 degrees

I do believe this car is trying to kill me because it gets moody especially when it seems like it acts up when I drive another car; so I named it Kristine. But if it did not smell so bad even though there is no AC and driver side window just stopped working we would go everywhere. Hard to drive it when you can only go so long before you start feeling like you are going to pass out.
Thank you everyone for any suggestions.

Performance parts already installed: Ford Racing (X303) 5.0, Magnaflow exhaust, bassani shorty headers, Spec stage 2 clutch with fully adjustable cable, 4 program no name performance chip.

 

[603mustangs]

You will definitely get the help you need here. The techs are going to want your trouble codes first. 94 was the height of my mustang puberty, bought my first 5.0 that summer and couldn't wait to see the 94 fox bodies. Then these rounded smooth bubble looking things with 4.6 on the fenders came out, I was mortified! I've always had a chip on my shoulder for the 94/95 mustang and still do to this day.

 

[frank_mancuso]

Not sure if you could pass an emissions test with an x303, but I can tell you it probably will not run right without a custom tune. I put a b303 in my cobra and a custom tune was mandatory for driveability and good idle.

 

[jayurface]

Hello ARB039, The crazy thing about this car is it is not pulling any codes. Not one single code. Told you Kristine is very active in this car. Oh yeah I also forgot to mention the O2 sensors were also changed out.

Hello frank_mancuso. This car had no problem passing emissions before. I just had to retard the timing a little, but it has never smelled like this before. For the most part this car had been on the sidelines for a long time but because someone decided their google maps override what ever traffic lights say and destroyed my new focus titanium,. It is now necessary for me to drive this car it because I don't have a car because I did not get much from the insurance company. It was basically worth in millage what it cost to pay it off in the accident. I have been driving the cobra for about a year off and on with insurance but no emissions can be done on it, but cannot drive it for long because of the strong smell. The guys that perform the inspections said they will not attempt to touch the car not just because of the smell, but also the State of Texas wants the 900 RPMs or less and I cannot get it that low.

 

[603mustangs]

Hello ARB039, The crazy thing about this car is it is not pulling any codes. Not one single code. Told you Kristine is very active in this car. Oh yeah I also forgot to mention the O2 sensors were also changed out.

Hello frank_mancuso. This car had no problem passing emissions before. I just had to retard the timing a little, but it has never smelled like this before. For the most part this car had been on the sidelines for a long time but because someone decided their google maps override what ever traffic lights say and destroyed my new focus titanium,. It is now necessary for me to drive this car it because I don't have a car because I did not get much from the insurance company. It was basically worth in millage what it cost to pay it off in the accident. I have been driving the cobra for about a year off and on with insurance but no emissions can be done on it, but cannot drive it for long because of the strong smell. The guys that perform the inspections said they will not attempt to touch the car not just because of the smell, but also the State of Texas wants the 900 RPMs or less and I cannot get it that low.

 

[jozsefsz]

I've always had a chip on my shoulder for the 94/95 mustang and still do to this day.

Don't knock the 94/95's, there were none with the 4.6 badges, all 5.0 until '96. A lot of us thought the 94 was the most beautiful Mustang since the '60s when they first came out. I can understand the hate though, in '94 a Fox suddenly looked really old, and all the girlies wanted a guy with an SN95. These days, everyone wants a Fox.

Anyways, Op probably has some non-standard injectors in there along with the cam, so running it without the tune / chip (maybe a Moates or SCT chip is what you have) will cause it to run pig-rich. And throw off your idle and all kinds of other stuff. So you'll have to leave the chip in there, and work with that. Unless you want to get it all re-tuned or replace all the aftermarket parts with stock.

Does it have catalytic converters on there? It shouldn't smell of gas unless those are gone, and wherever you are that probably factors into your inspection. If it does, running like that will kill those cats pretty quickly. And wipe out the o2 sensors and your new plugs while it's at it.

Try dropping the fuel pressure on the AFPR you installed to see if you can get it to run reasonably clean-smelling. I'd be very surprised if it were truly running very rich you wouldn't have any codes. Where are you pulling the codes -- if you're trying the obd2 port then you aren't going to get anything, you need a special scan-tool or knowledge of how to jump the test port under the hood to read codes.

If it used to run ok and this is a recent problem, one of your injectors may have gotten stuck open. You can run a cylinder balance test to see which one is having a problem. Pull the spark plugs and tell us how those look. If an injector is stuck open, the affected plug will be quite wet. Cap, rotor, and wires would be other suggestions for maintenance items unless you know how old they are.

 

[603mustangs]

Don't knock the 94/95's, there were none with the 4.6 badges, all 5.0 until '96. A lot of us thought the 94 was the most beautiful Mustang since the '60s when they first came out. I can understand the hate though, in '94 a Fox suddenly looked really old, and all the girlies wanted a guy with an SN95. These days, everyone wants a Fox.

Anyways, Op probably has some non-standard injectors in there along with the cam, so running it without the tune / chip (maybe a Moates or SCT chip is what you have) will cause it to run pig-rich. And throw off your idle and all kinds of other stuff. So you'll have to leave the chip in there, and work with that. Unless you want to get it all re-tuned or replace all the aftermarket parts with stock.

Does it have catalytic converters on there? It shouldn't smell of gas unless those are gone, and wherever you are that probably factors into your inspection. If it does, running like that will kill those cats pretty quickly. And wipe out the o2 sensors and your new plugs while it's at it.

Try dropping the fuel pressure on the AFPR you installed to see if you can get it to run reasonably clean-smelling. I'd be very surprised if it were truly running very rich you wouldn't have any codes. Where are you pulling the codes -- if you're trying the obd2 port then you aren't going to get anything, you need a special scan-tool or knowledge of how to jump the test port under the hood to read codes.

If it used to run ok and this is a recent problem, one of your injectors may have gotten stuck open. You can run a cylinder balance test to see which one is having a problem. Pull the spark plugs and tell us how those look. If an injector is stuck open, the affected plug will be quite wet. Cap, rotor, and wires would be other suggestions for maintenance items unless you know how old they are.

You're right, I knew where an abandoned 95 was, stopped and looked. Says Gt mustang. It was too drastic a change all at once, 79 to 93 was subtle. It was really the taillights I didn't like, 96 to 04 looked good, then 05 came along, blah. But the movie I am Legend turned that thinking around. I still lay on the floor with the surround sound blasting for the first 5 minutes of the movie.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Have you attempted the idle reset procedure?

Unplug the idle air controller, and set the idle using the set screw. Drop it down as low as you can possibly get it while the engine still runs smoothly.

Unplug the battery for 30 minutes, then rehook it up, plug the IAC back in and start it. Idle should be lower, and give it a few mins to relearn the procedure.


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[Mustang5L5]

Hello ARB039, The crazy thing about this car is it is not pulling any codes. Not one single code. .

If you are idling at 2k, you should have a code pertaining to that.

What method are you using to pull codes? Are you doing engine off and engine on codes?

What chip is attached to the computer?



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[Bill2001gt]

My mechanic took slack out of throttle cable by using a spacer on pedal. My rpm is on 500 and doesnt hit the stop screw. I adjusted the stop screw up to where the RPM's for about 800 and I got a idle air flow code service engine soon light. Should I take the spacer back out of the cable , my gas mileage is also bad around 15 and a half when I used to get 18 I've replaced and cleaned everything you possibly can from Filter, maf, throttle bodies new IAC new TPS Etc. My car runs awsome, just poor mileage and very low idle. New plugs, coils,

 

[603mustangs]

Don't knock the 94/95's, there were none with the 4.6 badges, all 5.0 until '96. A lot of us thought the 94 was the most beautiful Mustang since the '60s when they first came out. I can understand the hate though, in '94 a Fox suddenly looked really old, and all the girlies wanted a guy with an SN95. These days, everyone wants a Fox.

Anyways, Op probably has some non-standard injectors in there along with the cam, so running it without the tune / chip (maybe a Moates or SCT chip is what you have) will cause it to run pig-rich. And throw off your idle and all kinds of other stuff. So you'll have to leave the chip in there, and work with that. Unless you want to get it all re-tuned or replace all the aftermarket parts with stock.

Does it have catalytic converters on there? It shouldn't smell of gas unless those are gone, and wherever you are that probably factors into your inspection. If it does, running like that will kill those cats pretty quickly. And wipe out the o2 sensors and your new plugs while it's at it.

Try dropping the fuel pressure on the AFPR you installed to see if you can get it to run reasonably clean-smelling. I'd be very surprised if it were truly running very rich you wouldn't have any codes. Where are you pulling the codes -- if you're trying the obd2 port then you aren't going to get anything, you need a special scan-tool or knowledge of how to jump the test port under the hood to read codes.

If it used to run ok and this is a recent problem, one of your injectors may have gotten stuck open. You can run a cylinder balance test to see which one is having a problem. Pull the spark plugs and tell us how those look. If an injector is stuck open, the affected plug will be quite wet. Cap, rotor, and wires would be other suggestions for maintenance items unless you know how old they are.

So I keep eyeballing that 95 every time I go by it now. I think it has grown on me, looks pretty nice. Not as rounded as it once seemed. Is that avatar car yours?

 

[Mustang5L5]

My mechanic took slack out of throttle cable by using a spacer on pedal. My rpm is on 500 and doesnt hit the stop screw. I adjusted the stop screw up to where the RPM's for about 800 and I got a idle air flow code service engine soon light. Should I take the spacer back out of the cable , my gas mileage is also bad around 15 and a half when I used to get 18 I've replaced and cleaned everything you possibly can from Filter, maf, throttle bodies new IAC new TPS Etc. My car runs awsome, just poor mileage and very low idle. New plugs, coils,

Unplug the IAC when you set idle. Asjust the stop screw to a low comfortable idle. After, unplug the battery for 30 mins.

Hook it back up, plug IAC back in and start it. Computer would control idle to 750 on its own. The set screw is just used to set an absolute minimum idle and the IAC will open slightly.




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[jozsefsz]

So I keep eyeballing that 95 every time I go by it now. I think it has grown on me, looks pretty nice. Not as rounded as it once seemed. Is that avatar car yours?

You can pick up a 94/95 dirt cheap so go for it! They did a really nice job stiffening the chassis from the Fox too, I've always liked the way it handles. The one in the pic is mine, well soon to be my son's (I kept it around to give to him after my minivan years). The bumper's a Duraflex evo which I got mostly to get some more air to the intercooler, the kids seem to like the style too (a lot of Mustang purists don't).

 

[603mustangs]

You can pick up a 94/95 dirt cheap so go for it! They did a really nice job stiffening the chassis from the Fox too, I've always liked the way it handles. The one in the pic is mine, well soon to be my son's (I kept it around to give to him after my minivan years). The bumper's a Duraflex evo which I got mostly to get some more air to the intercooler, the kids seem to like the style too (a lot of Mustang purists don't).

I'm going backwards in time, 93 to 86. When I start my garage museum I would consider it.

 

[jrichker]

Hello ARB039, The crazy thing about this car is it is not pulling any codes. Not one single code. Told you Kristine is very active in this car. Oh yeah I also forgot to mention the O2 sensors were also changed out.

Hello frank_mancuso. This car had no problem passing emissions before. I just had to retard the timing a little, but it has never smelled like this before. For the most part this car had been on the sidelines for a long time but because someone decided their google maps override what ever traffic lights say and destroyed my new focus titanium,. It is now necessary for me to drive this car it because I don't have a car because I did not get much from the insurance company. It was basically worth in millage what it cost to pay it off in the accident. I have been driving the cobra for about a year off and on with insurance but no emissions can be done on it, but cannot drive it for long because of the strong smell. The guys that perform the inspections said they will not attempt to touch the car not just because of the smell, but also the State of Texas wants the 900 RPMs or less and I cannot get it that low.

Here's where you got to fix your idle problems - all type of idle problems, it is a proven winner in that department.

No code 11 (two flashes when the computer dumps the codes)? A perfectly functioning system will always get a code 11, it is the everything is OK code. The 11 code is computer passed its internal self test.
If you don't get an 11, you have computer or wiring problems.
Please check and repost.

You guys with idle/stall problems could save a lot of time chasing your tails if you would go through the Surging Idle Checklist. Over 50 different people contributed information to it. The first two posts have all the fixes, and steps through the how to find and fix your idle problems without spending a lot of time and money. It includes how to dump the computer codes quickly and simply as one of the first steps. I continue to update it as more people post fixes or ask questions. You can post questions to that sticky and have your name and idle problem recognized. The guys with original problems and fixes get their posts added to the main fix.

It's free, I don't get anything for the use of it except knowing I helped a fellow Mustang enthusiast with his car. At last check, it had more than 200,000 hits, which indicates it does help fix idle problems quickly and inexpensively.