Need some help gents...

[5LVENOM]

I've done so much to this car in the last couple months to get it ready for a dyno tune, and this morning it starts acting up. I've done headgaskets, valvesprings & seals, clutch, rear main, pilot bearing, 42 inj, and pro-m 80 etc. So my fuel press is at 35, and timing is at 13 initial with the knob on zero until dyno day. The car actually ran good and idled fine, even with the 95 cobra EEC. I haven't driven it but maybe 100 total miles this way, and not got on it very hard,with no probs. This morning after 2 days of heavy rain (sunny today) I decide to go for a spin. Started like a champ, let it run a minute, then headed up the street. First stop sign, my exhaust note changed bigtime, sounded like a 6 banger, and big loss of power, so I turned around and parked it. I immediatly thought I fouled a plug or two, smelled pig rich before anyways. Checked all drivers side plugs...look okay, cap and rotor and wires look okay, but I havn't checked the pass side yet (got dark). I noticed my blower belt was pretty loose too, and had planned on tightening it and going for a spirited roadtest to try and clear her out. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appriciated seeing as Apr.5th is right around the corner and want this fixed and ready to be tuned.

[Redsnk95]

Pull those passenger side plugs and see what they look like, and we will go from there. And, just as side note, 13 degrees initital timing with the knob on zero is extremely too much timing.

Troy

[Trey]

Originally posted by Redsnk95
Pull those passenger side plugs and see what they look like, and we will go from there. And, just as side note, 13 degrees initital timing with the knob on zero is extremely too much timing.

Troy

I agree. Thats way too much timing!

[blown89stang]

I would start my timing at 10 and work my way from there!

[RdRunnr]

Thats definitely way too low of fuel pressure with those pumps/injectors and way too much timing. Were you hard on the car between your house and that stop sign? I would run the btm at a minimum of 1 - 1.5 and the fuel pressure around 40 until you get it tuned if you didn't already do some damage. Sounds to me like you may have already popped a gasket though if the exhaust tone changed :( Hopefully it is just something stupid like a blown of vaccum line or something. I would do a leakdown test to be sure if you dont find anything else.

[Brcuda]

Your fuel pressure is too low and your timing was too high. Raise it to at least 39lbs and lower your timing to 10.

[5LVENOM]

Okay... heres an update. Weird, I pulled all the plugs and wire brushed and brake cleaned them all, none really looked that bad. I wiped out the dist. cap, and cleaned the terminals, and rotor. All tune items have maybe 150 miles. So I fire it up, and it sounds like a 6er still. Pissed now, I let it run awhile, till good and warm, I also bumped up the fuel press to 39. So being impatient I rev it to like 3000 and hold it there, I let off after a 30 seconds or so and it stumbles a bit and acts like it wants to die. So I rev it again, and hold it, and let it back down to Idle and it starts firing all 8, sounds normal again etc. So I back it out and go put gas in it, but it still sounds like its stumbling alittle, but the power and sound is back to normal....for now. I hope I don't have anymore issues before dyno day. What do you all think? BTW plugs were wet and it was fuel, oil looked good etc.

[Brcuda]

I would also suggest that you consider higher octane gas, cheap insurance, those cast heads will not be very forgiving.

[midnight]

My uneducated guess is moisture in the sp plug boot, or plugs just fouling out.Fuel press or timing either w/not cause those types of symptoms..however,i do agree that timing is high & fuel a little low, at least until you get it dynoed & get a look at the A/F ratio.Cold plugs on the street foul lots quicker than a hot engine at the strip, eventhough fuel press was low....I ran NGK plugs on the street,BRSe8 or 9's,can't remember..but they always fouled out and i went to autolite 3923's..since..no prob...