SAD SHAPE:(
 

I think it is time to get rid of my stang.(88)lx just listen to the problems. not idoling good, cuts out sometimes when driving feels like running on 7 cyl some times(just did tune up about 5 month ago) just had gears and clutch put in ( by garage) and now it vibrates like he!! on the highway cant even drive over 75 feels like the whole drive line is going to fall out!
It feels like the shifter is getting harder to shift into gears just doesn't feel as smooth. sometimes it feels like it is running against it self (weird feeling!) get this the car only has 86K on it. I just dont know about all this any advice would be good
thanks alot.

Someone here mentioned to rotate the driveshaft 180 degrees and that might fix the vibration.

Change the big fuel filter back by the tank and that should make it stop cutting out.

Have you checked the fluid level in your transmission? It might be low.

Also, check and make sure the 4 bolts for the shifter are still tight.

Have you checked your timing recently? What's it set at?

i have not looked at the timing yet. we did turn the drive shaft also had it straighten and balanced. this helped quit a bit but still there the guy said he found a dent in it and said that it was a week spot guess i need an aluminum drive shaft there was another 100$ bucks down the drain to have it balanced and straighten. and the car is funny after it warms up it does not act to bad as far as running wise but still does it just not as bad. when i am idoling the car feels like it is missing and i stays at about 800 rpm then all of a sudden it quits running ruff and then stays at 1000 rpm then sound good then. but a few minutes later it sound like sh** again. the only time it feels like it is running perfect is when i have it hammerd to the floor

thanks rtz

Ditto w/rtz. That driveline vibration is most likely the driveshaft that was not put back on correctly and is out of balance. Take out the four pinion yoke bolts, rotate the driveshaft 180 degrees, then replace the bolts. I'd bet that will fix it.
You just did a tune up? What did you replace? Wires, plugs, cap and rotor, fuel filter are good start to replace. Check your plug gaps and that they are correct. Make sure your wires are not damaged, ie. burned by headers, and that they are seated on the plugs correctly and the cap. Did you put the wires back on in the correct order??? That is a good chance of being your problem. Maybe two of the wires are crossed or something. Go back and double check it. My 351 was running and idling a bit rough untill I changed all the above except fuel filter which had been changed a while back. Purrs like a kitten now. You might check and see that your TPS voltage is correct. Check the timing too. Your ignition coil could possibly be going bad as well.
Check and make sure that your tranny fluid is at the correct level. Also, your shifting problem might just be that they didn't line up the shifter correctly when they put it back on (if they had it off). Was the clutch cable re-installed correctly?
Hope this helps.

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1996 Mustang GTS <---Must sell. $10,900 obo

LOL, I guess, Vande97, that you and I were replying at the same time cause your second post wasn't there before I posted. I guess you can ignore some of the repetitive advice that I gave.
Check your TPS and the IAC, too. You could possibly have gotten a bad plug(s) or something. That just happened to me in my 96. Ran fine after about a month on new plugs, but the number 8 plug went bad. Go figure. It was running baddly between 1700-2500 rpm and at idle. Just one plug.....PITA

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1996 Mustang GTS <---Must sell. $10,900 obo

[This message has been edited by 96GTS (edited 03-11-2001).]

you should also check for vacuum leaks, if you have a tank of propane, hook up a hose and spray over the engine. if the engine revvs up then you have a leak. Does the check engine light come on? It sounds like you don't have any money to fix any of these. Buying another vehicle is a really drastic measure considering you can even take it to a shop and get it done for under like $750 dollars probable worst case scenario. The only way to get rid of problems is to actually fix them. just my $.02

well i dont really have that much money i just spent 1100$ getting new clutch and gears, u joints,yolk, seals etc.. but i am working on that. The engine light does not come on at all. guess i will just have to find another garage that is better and max out my visa to get things right. I am so sick of not having it run perfect. time to get crazy!

Vande, I had gears installed back in '98. When I changed my clutch last year, I had a nasty driveline vibration that I couldn't find for the life of me. (Reindexed the driveshaft then rebalanced the driveshaft - nothing) It even stumped the boys at Steeda for 3 days. Turns out an Aluminum Drive shaft fixed the problem. For what ever reason, the gears + a new clutch made for an unhappy stock driveshaft.

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93GT, K/N, 3.73 gears, Aluminum Driveshaft, FMS headers, Bassani X-pipe, Flowmasters, King Cobra Clutch, Cobra 4-disc brakes.

I feel for ya man. I've only been able to drive my car 3500 miles in the last year and a half because of it's chronic problems and also because i got another vehicle to use for the winter. Hell i just got it running last week again and i'm tearing it apart again to put on Exhaust (Flowtech - already written down on my signature). Sometimes i get mad...but what can you do? I just grin and imagine what my car will be like when i've got the mods to kill alot of things on the roads around here.

I'd start with cleaning your TB, EGR spacer, EGR valve, and all the other stuff up top. It should help with your idle problem. Also check the 10 pin connectors (two large connectors) behind the intake and make sure they are not gummed up. There is some compound you can put back on the connectors to keep the connection working smooth, but I'm not sure what it's called. Maybe someone else could tell you (and me) what that is. Good luck.

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Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

thanks alot guys. You have helped keep the faith! I dont think i could really give of my pony just that easy anyways shoot i treat that car to more attention than my girlfriend. She(girl friend) does not like that to well tho. but oh well. I cant drive her around town. I do have the drive shaft on the way and i will let you guys know if that solves the problems or not

88lx full exhaust, 65mmT/B 4.10's,FMS H/D clutch. 10in dragradials