What gives?

84_GT350 · 08-11-2001, 04:13 AM

Lately I've noticed my car is a bit off. First off...it takes pretty long to start. probably cranking for about 5-10 seconds. Doesn't sound like much...but count it out sometime and that's a long *** time for a car to crank. After it does start, it has a tendency to die unless I rev it for about 30 seconds or so and even then it'll usually try to die when i put it into gear unless I apply more gas. Then, once on the road, the car kinda stutters when given little or part throttle. Now lately...after driving it for less than 5 minutes today the car seemed to lose some pulling power. This is normal for my car (I think my transmission sucks power bad as it warms up seeing as how I haven't changed the fluid since I've had the car) but never this fast. It usually takes about 15 minutes or so or if I drive, turn my car off, then turn it back on shortly after. I'm thinking it could be my timing, my fuel pump (even though it was replaced about 8 months ago) or my carb (which was fixed about 4 or 5 months ago due to a bad float). Any help would be most appreciated.

------------------
1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

PKRWUD · 08-11-2001, 06:39 PM

Sounds like a sticking EGR valve to me. Could be fuel pressure, but I doubt it. If you can get your hands on a vacuum pump, tey applying and releasing vaccum to your EGR valve several times before trying to start it cold, and see if that makes a difference.

Take care
~Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: JimPorterRacing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

84_GT350 · 08-12-2001, 02:57 AM

All my emissions stuff has been disconnected. When I ditched my CFI intake for a carb and cam, I took all of it off.

------------------
1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

PKRWUD · 08-12-2001, 04:42 AM

Well, then it's probably not the EGR valve, is it. Try this: next time you have a few minutes, try to start it cold, but stop before it fires, say, 5 seconds. Pull a plug. Is it wet or dry? This will tell you if it's an ignition problem or a fuel problem. I don't see your timing causing this, but you might want to check it anyway. It kinda sounds like the idle passages in your carb may be clogged, but it's hard to say. That wouldn't affect regular driving. It could be your coil cutting out. Might want to double check the connections. Try what I suggested and post the results, and that way we'll know which way to go.

Take care
~Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: JimPorterRacing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

[This message has been edited by PKRWUD (edited 08-12-2001).]

84_GT350 · 08-12-2001, 05:00 AM

The reason I suspected my timing is because while it's cranking it will sputter a bit and then go back to cranking. Also...if I'm driving next to a wall or guard rail, I can hear something ticking. Haven't figured out if it's the motor or a suspension piece. Not like I have a chance to lean out the passenger side at 65mph. Hehe.

------------------
1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

PKRWUD · 08-12-2001, 07:47 AM

Chicken.

What's your timing set at? It's pretty easy to retard it a couple degrees and see if it makes a difference. I still don't think that's it, but it's easy enough to check. Try what I said though. i want to know if the plugs are dry when this happens.

Take care
~Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: JimPorterRacing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

84LX89GT · 08-12-2001, 06:15 PM

Do you have an electric choke or a manual choke with a choke cable? Does it run better when it gets warmer, worse, same? I think on some carbs you can adjust the choke, but i don't have much experience with electric chokes, so i don't know how. Like PKRWUD said, try cranking it and seeing what the plugs look like before it starts up. I've tried to start my '84 (which has a manual choke) without putting the choke on and it does the same thing that you're car is doing.

------------------
previous name: 84stangLX
'84 Mustang 5.0 LX
my LX
'89 Mustang GT
my GT

84_GT350 · 08-12-2001, 08:38 PM

I'll have to try that when I get a few free minutes. The carb does have an adjustable choke. The car runs best when, after starting it, I stomp on it a few times while driving. The idle mellows out considerably but the idle hasn't been my problem to begin with. I'll try pulling my plugs and see if their wet.

------------------
1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

vande97 · 08-12-2001, 09:48 PM

my truck was doing this for awhile one time and it turned out to be a cloged fule filter, the one right before the carb,

PrplMonster · 08-13-2001, 12:56 AM

sheer curiosity.... how many miles are on the engine, your timing chain may be spanked. my .02

.dave

PKRWUD · 08-13-2001, 01:44 AM

Ooooohh, good call! I didn't even think about that. I must be losing it!

Take care
~Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: JimPorterRacing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

84_GT350 · 08-13-2001, 02:43 AM

The engine has 53,000 miles on it and I had the timing chain replaced in January of '99 when I did my cam/carb/intake swap.

------------------
1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

429AL · 08-13-2001, 03:10 AM

Next time just before cranking it over pull out two plugs,see if they are wet. carb float level may have gone down. internal leak ?

------------------
Stock 89 GT with 147000 miles,but not for long. Now with 3.73`s, soon 306 from 85 install.

08-11-2001, 04:13 AM	#1
84_GT350 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Overland Park, KS, USA Posts: 1,631	What gives? Lately I've noticed my car is a bit off. First off...it takes pretty long to start. probably cranking for about 5-10 seconds. Doesn't sound like much...but count it out sometime and that's a long *** time for a car to crank. After it does start, it has a tendency to die unless I rev it for about 30 seconds or so and even then it'll usually try to die when i put it into gear unless I apply more gas. Then, once on the road, the car kinda stutters when given little or part throttle. Now lately...after driving it for less than 5 minutes today the car seemed to lose some pulling power. This is normal for my car (I think my transmission sucks power bad as it warms up seeing as how I haven't changed the fluid since I've had the car) but never this fast. It usually takes about 15 minutes or so or if I drive, turn my car off, then turn it back on shortly after. I'm thinking it could be my timing, my fuel pump (even though it was replaced about 8 months ago) or my carb (which was fixed about 4 or 5 months ago due to a bad float). Any help would be most appreciated. ------------------ 1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

08-11-2001, 06:39 PM	#2
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Sounds like a sticking EGR valve to me. Could be fuel pressure, but I doubt it. If you can get your hands on a vacuum pump, tey applying and releasing vaccum to your EGR valve several times before trying to start it cold, and see if that makes a difference. Take care ~Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: JimPorterRacing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

08-12-2001, 02:57 AM	#3
84_GT350 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Overland Park, KS, USA Posts: 1,631	All my emissions stuff has been disconnected. When I ditched my CFI intake for a carb and cam, I took all of it off. ------------------ 1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

08-12-2001, 04:42 AM	#4
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Well, then it's probably not the EGR valve, is it. Try this: next time you have a few minutes, try to start it cold, but stop before it fires, say, 5 seconds. Pull a plug. Is it wet or dry? This will tell you if it's an ignition problem or a fuel problem. I don't see your timing causing this, but you might want to check it anyway. It kinda sounds like the idle passages in your carb may be clogged, but it's hard to say. That wouldn't affect regular driving. It could be your coil cutting out. Might want to double check the connections. Try what I suggested and post the results, and that way we'll know which way to go. Take care ~Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: JimPorterRacing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!! [This message has been edited by PKRWUD (edited 08-12-2001).]

08-12-2001, 05:00 AM	#5
84_GT350 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Overland Park, KS, USA Posts: 1,631	The reason I suspected my timing is because while it's cranking it will sputter a bit and then go back to cranking. Also...if I'm driving next to a wall or guard rail, I can hear something ticking. Haven't figured out if it's the motor or a suspension piece. Not like I have a chance to lean out the passenger side at 65mph. Hehe. ------------------ 1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

08-12-2001, 07:47 AM	#6
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Chicken. What's your timing set at? It's pretty easy to retard it a couple degrees and see if it makes a difference. I still don't think that's it, but it's easy enough to check. Try what I said though. i want to know if the plugs are dry when this happens. Take care ~Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: JimPorterRacing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

08-12-2001, 06:15 PM	#7
84LX89GT Mustangs Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 1,938	Do you have an electric choke or a manual choke with a choke cable? Does it run better when it gets warmer, worse, same? I think on some carbs you can adjust the choke, but i don't have much experience with electric chokes, so i don't know how. Like PKRWUD said, try cranking it and seeing what the plugs look like before it starts up. I've tried to start my '84 (which has a manual choke) without putting the choke on and it does the same thing that you're car is doing. ------------------ previous name: 84stangLX '84 Mustang 5.0 LX my LX '89 Mustang GT my GT

08-12-2001, 08:38 PM	#8
84_GT350 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Overland Park, KS, USA Posts: 1,631	I'll have to try that when I get a few free minutes. The carb does have an adjustable choke. The car runs best when, after starting it, I stomp on it a few times while driving. The idle mellows out considerably but the idle hasn't been my problem to begin with. I'll try pulling my plugs and see if their wet. ------------------ 1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

08-12-2001, 09:48 PM	#9
vande97 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: okemos Posts: 205	my truck was doing this for awhile one time and it turned out to be a cloged fule filter, the one right before the carb,

08-13-2001, 12:56 AM	#10
PrplMonster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Posts: 88	sheer curiosity.... how many miles are on the engine, your timing chain may be spanked. my .02 .dave

08-13-2001, 01:44 AM	#11
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Ooooohh, good call! I didn't even think about that. I must be losing it! Take care ~Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: JimPorterRacing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

08-13-2001, 02:43 AM	#12
84_GT350 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Overland Park, KS, USA Posts: 1,631	The engine has 53,000 miles on it and I had the timing chain replaced in January of '99 when I did my cam/carb/intake swap. ------------------ 1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

08-13-2001, 03:10 AM	#13
429AL Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Tacoma,wa,usa Posts: 41	Next time just before cranking it over pull out two plugs,see if they are wet. carb float level may have gone down. internal leak ? ------------------ Stock 89 GT with 147000 miles,but not for long. Now with 3.73`s, soon 306 from 85 install.