What is wrong with my car?

G

Green 94 5.0

Founding Member

Mar 25, 2002

2,601

12

79

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Jul 13, 2005

#21

• Jul 13, 2005

• #21

well, an air pocket will send a coolant temp sensor to the end of the gauge almost immediately. whenever i do something involving the cooling system, i normally squeeze the top hose as im filling it to release some of the air in there. after that, i start the car and let it warm up until the thermostat opens, and shut it down about a minute after that. wait until the car cools and refill the radiator. (the level should have dropped considerably) i repeat that process twice and that is normally enough to get all the air pockets out of the system. as far as the smoke goes, can you tell where exactly it is coming from? when my head gaskets went, there was a TON of white smoke.

 

94TURBO5 O

New Member

Mar 14, 2004

2,509

0

0

VA

Jul 13, 2005

#22

• Jul 13, 2005

• #22

Yeah if you have a fouled out plug and that cylinder is not firing properly then it would miss like a mofo giving you no power. As for the white smoke as long as you don't see it in a stream like a rock concert then it prob isn't the hg just a rich cylinder.
My car was missing like a mofo when I finished up my hg install. After tons of investigating everything I didn't find the source. I noticed that same night while looking at the motor running that there was a small arc coming off the #3 boot and arcing off the block by the base of the plug. I pulled the plug and it was cracked on the ceramic part in 2 spots. So sometimes it can be the smallest thing that makes your car act funny and run like chit.

 

WHITE94COBRA

New Member

Nov 14, 2003

816

0

0

HUNTINGTON BEACH

Jul 13, 2005

#23

• Jul 13, 2005

• #23

Could of also just had a little coolant leak into the cylinders after putting heads and intake back on. (just some residual left overs), so until it just burned off it blew white smoke. let us know how the adjustment goes for ya!!!

 

G

Green 94 5.0

Founding Member

Mar 25, 2002

2,601

12

79

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Jul 13, 2005

#24

• Jul 13, 2005

• #24

that brings back a memory. the last time i did my lower intake, i accidentally got the #1 and #2 wires backwards. the car ran like absolute butt. no power at all. make sure the firing order is right 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8.

 

CManT1914

New Member

Feb 5, 2004

3,172

2

0

Killeen, Texas

Jul 13, 2005

#25

• Jul 13, 2005

• #25

Well I just got back from lunch, so I'm gonna start on the rockers. The smoke wasn't bad, just a little bit, nothing like you mentioned JR. I should be able to reset the rockers, then do a compression check with the VC's off and get an acccurate reading right? I should be looking for around 180 or so?

 

CManT1914

New Member

Feb 5, 2004

3,172

2

0

Killeen, Texas

Jul 13, 2005

#26

• Jul 13, 2005

• #26

Okay what's the deal? I set the lash on the #1 cylinder, and did a compression check on it real quick, and I came up with 30psi! WTF?!?! Now I'm not so sure it was the rockers after all.

 

WHITE94COBRA

New Member

Nov 14, 2003

816

0

0

HUNTINGTON BEACH

Jul 13, 2005

#27

• Jul 13, 2005

• #27

Ok lets see were losing a chit load of compression hmmmm, what cam are you using? Check firing order, is the car starting at all?? Is the dizzy installed correctly?? it sounds like the valves are staying open, when you had the motor stripped down did you notice anything wrong with the rings or pistons? Probably all stupid questions but it may track down a problem. Where did you get the cam from?


Sorry couldnt read your sig, that yellow really sucks!!
Ok all trick flow stuff, have you called trick flow tech support yet? If not give them a call.

 

CManT1914

New Member

Feb 5, 2004

3,172

2

0

Killeen, Texas

Jul 13, 2005

#28

• Jul 13, 2005

• #28

WHITE94COBRA said:

Ok lets see were losing a chit load of compression hmmmm, what cam are you using? Check firing order, is the car starting at all?? Is the dizzy installed correctly?? it sounds like the valves are staying open, when you had the motor stripped down did you notice anything wrong with the rings or pistons? Probably all stupid questions but it may track down a problem. Where did you get the cam from?


Sorry couldnt read your sig, that yellow really sucks!!
Ok all trick flow stuff, have you called trick flow tech support yet? If not give them a call.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I was hand cranking the motor to check compression. When I cranked it with the starter, I came up with 135-145 on the cylinders. Which is still really low. My pistons and rings looked fine, I still had a NICE hone on the cylinders. Even my mechanic friend who stopped by said they looked good still. The car ran GREAT before the swap, so while I never checked compression then, I wouldn't think it would have been this bad and still run so good. I also don't think I could have blown the head gaskets so bad that all the cylinders lost compression.

 

WHITE94COBRA

New Member

Nov 14, 2003

816

0

0

HUNTINGTON BEACH

Jul 13, 2005

#29

• Jul 13, 2005

• #29

Actually thats pretty good, is the engine starting? Are you getting a backfire if and when it does start? Do you have stud mount rockers? can you turn the pushrods when not compressed?

 

CManT1914

New Member

Feb 5, 2004

3,172

2

0

Killeen, Texas

Jul 13, 2005

#30

• Jul 13, 2005

• #30

The engine would start, no backfiring, stud mount rockers, and I couldn't spin the pushrods when compressed. My compression was at 135 until I backed off the rockers. Now it's at around 170, but the rockers are real loose, I can lift them off the pushrod when the valve is closed. That is too loose. What next?

 

WHITE94COBRA

New Member

Nov 14, 2003

816

0

0

HUNTINGTON BEACH

Jul 14, 2005

#31

• Jul 14, 2005

• #31

Now you can physically move the pushrod? now tighten down the lock nut until you can barely turn the pushrod. start the motor and let idle until warm, then readjust.

 

CManT1914

New Member

Feb 5, 2004

3,172

2

0

Killeen, Texas

Jul 14, 2005

#32

• Jul 14, 2005

• #32

All right, well I set the rockers again, and managed to get about 145psi compression at the same time. I put everything back together, and fired her up. She runs a lot better, the idle is a lot less choppy, and she revs (I wasn't revving hard, and only up to 2500 or so) a lot smoother.

The only problem now is she still idles so low I can't get her to stay running long enough to check the timing. She'll start to surge then die. Plus my fuel pressure is at 40psi at idle, and 50 under load. I haven't set my afpr yet, but she won't idle long enough for me to do so!!

 

WHITE94COBRA

New Member

Nov 14, 2003

816

0

0

HUNTINGTON BEACH

Jul 14, 2005

#33

• Jul 14, 2005

• #33

Set the idle set screw on the side of the TB higher, adjust fuel pressure, to about 38 (since your idle is higher) at idle. then re adjust you idle down to 750 - 800 rpm for a 5 SP. and 850 - 950 for a auto, then you should have no trouble adjusting timing. Also remember that it takes 5 start cycles for the computer to "learn" what is going on with new mods. Just out of curiosity have you reset the puter? (IE: unplugged the neg from the battery terminal for a little while?)

 

18mustangs

New Member

Jun 8, 2005

533

1

0

Virginia Beach, VA

Jul 14, 2005

#34

• Jul 14, 2005

• #34

CManT1914 said:

All right, well I set the rockers again, and managed to get about 145psi compression at the same time. I put everything back together, and fired her up. She runs a lot better, the idle is a lot less choppy, and she revs (I wasn't revving hard, and only up to 2500 or so) a lot smoother.

The only problem now is she still idles so low I can't get her to stay running long enough to check the timing. She'll start to surge then die. Plus my fuel pressure is at 40psi at idle, and 50 under load. I haven't set my afpr yet, but she won't idle long enough for me to do so!!

Click to expand...

Chris, don't put too much into the choppy idle. The TFS Stage 1 cam has a choppy idle (and probably more so until the computer learns the new setup). Also, if you think fuel pressure is a factor put the stock FPR back on until you get the car running and once it runs put the new AFPR on and set the fuel pressure to suit your new engine setup.
Tim