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Topic: Still having an issue...UPDATE... (Read 10088 times) previous topic - next topic

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #45
Troubleshooting is a process of luck experience feel and loads of experience in the car business. A dyne is best for this and having a cylinder scope is mandatory in most cases. Trying to do an intermittent trouble on the road is frustrating at best. I know most people do not have access to a Dyne of course. But with a trouble like this you are at a great loss. So with that you have to determine whether it is fuel or spark. My gut feeling is spark. Normally fuel is mostly stable. But spark especially a TFI is the killer. Now do you have a stock FORD COIL?? If not buy one. Or swap a known good one. Also what is your plug gap. On turbo cars this is extremely critical. I know you are NA so dont jump on me. Anything that can cause an interruption of spark should be checked. I am betting it is spark. As i have found over the years that fuel delivery is very stable on these cars. But check the fuel pressure and volume. That is important. And the injectors to see if one is hanging up. That might be an issue as the pintle injectors can do funny things. Also change your fuel filter. Unless it has been checked. Do you have a sock in the tank that is NEW. They clog up some times.  Good luck

:flame::burnout:
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #46
Jay got my monthly service bulletins from the car companies. Catch this TOYOTA has an issue with a TPS code. Cure and cause id an incorrect brake light in the tail light assembly. GO FIGURE!!! I cant figure that one out???
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #47
If nothing else works try finding another computer idk I've had similar problems and it was the computer

I have a buddy having the same issue and he is not having any luck ether

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #48
I have another computer coming.

I think it's a spark issue as well. It runs awesome for a bit, then the  starts again. I think it's ignition related somehow, and that may be the reason for the popping through the throttlebody. But when it's running good, it's very strong and fast.

No mice or rodents. LOL.
 
The fuel tank was replaced about 3 1/2 months ago or so with a brand new one. And the filter and fuel pump filter (sock/screen). I plan on replacing the filter this week as a just in case.

The coil was replaced about 10 weeks ago with a new one..

Crazy stuff.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #49
x2 on the ignition related. I have never seen a fuel issue cause a backfire through the intake side before. I would assume with it being you, timing is spot on. Carbon build up is out of the question as well, because your engine's insides are clean enough to eat off of. Fuel system testing would not be a bad idea, including trying the 19# injectors, however, I don't think that is where your problem is at. My best guess is TFI or PCM. Mice can do quite a number on electrical, but a mouse eating a bird is quite backwards! Lol

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #50
I'm going to swap the TFI asap (on my next day off), but at this point, I'm thinking maybe....Juuuuuuust maybe the computer. I say that because as I have stated, I've installed two brand new distributors, both with their own new electronics, plus the TFI from my old distributor (it's not but a couple of months old) and they all have the same issue. Granted, O'Rielly's TFI's may not be up to Ford standards, but I doubt all 3 would suck at the same time.

Graham has an A9P I bought some time ago from a third party through him, and he's shipping it to me. I have never had a computer go bad, or known anybody personally who has, but, it can happen.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #51
Bad computers are common on Dodges. Kind of rare on a Ford. I kind of suspect a problem with mine. Check engine light will not come on....even with stored codes. And yes, the bulb is fine.

By the way, I believe you have proved the TFI is not the problem.

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #52
My check engine light hasn't come on either.....

Well, off to work. if anybody has any more ideas, I'll be home later to read them. Thanks guys.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #53
Have you done a compression test yet?

The E7 heads on my 5.0l were rebuilt and had gt40 size Ferrara valves installed with new guides, seats  and Crane matched valvesprings that came with my cam.  These heads were installed on a rebuilt .030 block with hyperteuctic valve relief pistons, bearings, etc.  This engine ran strong as hell with the Crane 2020 cam and speed density computer when I first resurrected my Cougar back in 2005.  It just started suffering from the quirk you are talking about.  Once in awhile it would cut out and pop through the throttle body upon takeoff or a sudden hard accelleration. 

Eventually I ended up sticking an intake valve in the guide, bending the  head of the valve and breaking the corner off a lifter with a bent pushrod.  Thank God I had the good valves or I would have really munched things up even more if the head of the valve broke off!

Well the final buttstuffysis was that the one valve guide was not installed symetrically correct, being off just enough to stick the valve.

I probably could have found this on a compression test.

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #54
my symptoms are not showing back fire, so this is different for sure.

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #55
Quote from: vinnietbird;406463
My check engine light hasn't come on either.....

Well, off to work. if anybody has any more ideas, I'll be home later to read them. Thanks guys.

Aha! Computers don't like to tell on themselves.

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #56
Swap out a good known ECM and give it a go. Nothing to loose. But it seems funny to me that it backfires. That normally is a LATE indication on fords. Did you set up TRUE TDC?? Just a hunch did you do a leak down test and plot your compression. These two things will modt likely come out ok as if i am not mistaken you do have a smooth idle??? Well backfiring is lean and or late . Good luck!!
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #57
Quote from: Chrome;406462
Bad computers are common on Dodges. Kind of rare on a Ford.

As someone who's changed out bad Ford computers 3 times now, I respectfully disagree. ;)

Vinnie...did you clean the MAF sensor with the correct cleaner?

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #58
Just tossing a dart at the board here but would vacuum cause issues like this (really a question for Tom or Foe)?  You could get a vacuum gauge and some tubing and run that into the cabin so you can see it under load.  If you know the fuel and vacuum are good then it would point to ignition.

I just remembered something, I had a similar problem on my Coupe about six years ago and it turned out to be the wiring harrness adapter for the MSD-6AL.  This is the one that plugs into the factory harness at the coil and allows the MSD to be used without cutting up the factory harness.  I bypassed the MSD and the car ran fine.  Shipped the 6AL back to MSD for them to check out and they could not find any problems so in the mean time I ordered a new one.  I installed the new one and it promptly did the same thing.  It finally donned on me what was actually being removed from the equation when I was swapping back and forth between the stock and MSD ignitions.  Ordered and new wiring harness adapter and the problem went away.  Long story but thought it was worth mentioning.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Still having an issue...UPDATE...

Reply #59
I actually cleaned the MAF some time ago, but not lately. I will Thursday on my day off. I have a list written right here next to me.

The timing chain was dot to dot, and the number 1 piston at TDC.

Graham is sending me an A9P asap, so I'll swap it as well if I need to by then. I'm going to check all I can on my one day off.

I may be totally wrong, but it would seem that if a valve was bad, it wouldn't allow me to have 30 minutes of smooth happy driving, low and high rpms, then all of the sudden, shuddering, hesitation, then BAM !!! full power.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..