Project 5.GO!

Hey everyone!

The stang is faltering above 3500 rpms, and had codes run that pointed out EGR problems. I replaced the EGR valve, and it didn't help (so I returned it! ). A guy at Advance that I know suggested that I try the EGR vacuum solenoid to see if that does it, so I ordered the part, and when it got here, it looks very similar to the one in the car, but the electrical plugs don't match. Their computers say its the right one. Who knows where I can get the RIGHT one?

Second problem: The radio presets are being lost when I turn the car off, too, and I figured that maybe the grounds are giving me crap, since I already did the ignition switch last month. Does that sound logical?

Even if the grounds aren't the problem, I have read that eventually the grounds may cause problems, and I think I remember reading about upgrading the grounds and suggested guages of wire to use, but I dont know where the grounds are (sorry, I'm a newbie. ) and I need help with where they run from and to, which guage to use for which ones, and where to buy the wire. That sound like it might be something someone knows well?

Thanks in advance!

Matt

AdderMk2

EGR wont cause problems over 3500rpm's... I bet you are still running your stock mid pipe with cats.. arent you

Project 5.GO!

Yeah. I guess where you're going with that is that the cats are clogged.

I first noticed the problem a month ago, and the car started slowly developing a falter under load all over the rpm range, but noticeably after 2000 rpms, and the car would jerk violently, like it was misfiring. This would ONLY happen after the car got up to operating temperature. When I'd first start it up from a cold state, it would run fine, until it was running under load for at least 5 minutes, and then it would slowly get worse and worse. Because I had a CEL, I took it to get codes run, thinking probably the O2 sensors, but the codes came back with the EGR stuff. after I found out that the valve didnt fix the problem, I took it to the mechanic, who found that there was an issue with the distributor being all gunked up with old oil and causing problems.

He got that reamed out, and that took care of the temperature-related faltering, and now it only happens after 3500 rpms and not as violently as before. Before it felt like the car was actually turning off and turning back on, and it would snap your neck around under full accelleration. Now it is just kinda hesitating, especially past 4000 rpms.

Could the cats be to blame, and if so, would they just show up at the same time as the distributor being clogged? It seems kinda coincidental. In any case, the CEL needs to go away, so I'm betting on the EGR vacuum solenoid being responsible for it, unless the cats being clogged could make the car throw EGR codes... is that possible?

mjr46

as stated take egr crap back, all you had to do is remove the vaccum line from the egr to know it wasn't a selonoid

Project 5.GO!

Thats why I come to you guys, cause I don't know these handy tricks! I only know what a solenoid IS in the most basic sense. So clogged cats will throw a CEL for an EGR malfunction, and all I have to do is replace the whole setup with some longtubes to fix both the hesitation and the CEL?

mjr46

if you feel the cat's are clogged remove the o2 sensors ,which will create an exhaust leak and allow any build up to exit reducing the restriction thus returning power

Project 5.GO!

See, that's the thing... Adder asked if I was running the stock midpipe with the cats, which makes me think that he's saying that the cats are clogged. I have been running the original cats for the last 14 years I've had the car, so I guess it's possible.

So to test that, you're saying I could remove the o2 sensors and create an exhaust leak to see if it still hesitates?

mjr46

generally when cats are clogged severe enough car will run like someone stuffed a rag in the intake and have a severe lack of power and car will struggle to achieve rpm

Project 5.GO!

It doesn't struggle to attain RPM in neutral, and no hesitation or stuttering either, just under load. When its in gear, there is no loss of power under 3500, but as soon as it passes 3500, it will stutter erratically. It will still go up to 5000, but with the intermittant stuttering, it takes a while.

The under load thing and the EGR code was made the guy at Advance think that it could be the solenoid.

mjr46

sounds like an ignition system misfire, like a bad plug, wire and or cap or rotor, also if it's a maf car , clean that for good measure