Totally fed up!!! car runs like crap! help

[Pur Pony]

SO I decided to clean the engine up a little more on my notch over the winter… I have now been trying to get the stupid thing to run right for the past week.

I removed the egr, smog pump, tube behind the heads, TAP/TAD solenoids, cruise control

I also had the upper intake off the car. Put everything back together (turned the egr off with my tweecer) and the car is running like crap!!

I removed all the smog vacuum lines and plugged them, removed the egr spacer, and installed covers on the back of the heads….. whats going on???

If it decides to start it will rev right up to 2000rpm and just sit there… then it will fall to 1000, then to 500, then the car will want to die and catch itself and go back up to 2000. I just drove it around the block and its bucking and just running crappy. Anyone have any ideas that I could look into that I have missed?

 

[stang22]

Because you changed so many things at once, it will be hard to pin point. Sounds like it could be vacuum related. Double check all of your vacuum lines and double check all of your wiring... grounds etc.

Tim

 

[jrichker]

1.) Check for vacuum leaks as stang22 has recommended.

2.) Dump the codes and see what the computer says is wrong…

Here's the link to dump the computer codes with only a jumper wire or paper clip and the check engine light, or test light or voltmeter. I’ve used it for years, and it works great.

See http://www.troublecodes.net/Ford/
OR
See http://www.mustangworks.com/articles/electronics/eec-iv_codes.html

IF your car is an 86-88 stang, you'll have to use the test lamp or voltmeter method. There is no functional check engine light on the 86-88's except possibly the Cali Mass Air cars.

Codes have different answers if the engine is running from the answers that it has when the engine isn't running. It helps a lot to know if you had the engine running when you ran the test.

Trouble codes are either 2 digit or 3 digit, there are no cars that use both 2 digit codes and 3 digit codes.

For those who are intimidated by all the wires & connections, see http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16153 for what a typical hand scanner looks like. Normal retail price is about $30 or so at AutoZone or Walmart.

Or for a nicer scanner see http://www.midwayautosupply.com/detailedproductdescription.asp?3829 – It has a 3 digit LCD display so that you don’t have to count flashes or beeps.. Cost is $33.

3.) Clean & check 10 pin connectors.