tune up time any tips?
 

After the.purchase of my mustang I've noticed it kinda shakes at idle. So I decided to do a tune up. Air filter, spark plugs, clean Tue maf sensor, change the oil check all fluid levels. Any opinions on which brand of these parts to.get? Also any tips? Lol

What MY is your Mustang, how many miles on it?

2004 gt 5 speed just turned 63000 miles.

At 7 years old all fluids; brake, coolant, power steering, transmission and rear-axle; should replaced (I assume the engine oil has been changed regularly). Also at that age the coolant hoses should be examined, checking for cracking or "mushy" feeling spots--you probably won't find any problems as modern hoses are very long-lived--but it's better to find a problem now than out in the middle of nowhere at 3:00 am.

The COPs should be pulled so that the boots can be examined for signs of hardening or arcing (a bad boot can burn out a COP), the OEM spark plugs are not due to be changed until 100k miles, however they are cheap enough that you may wish to do it anyway.

One last question/comment, how long do you plan to keep the car?

If only a couple years then there's no need to do most if any of the above--let the rusted brake lines, electrolytically corroded heater core, leaking water pump, steering rack and/or brake booster, worn synchronizing rings and LSD clutch discs, and blown radiator hoses be the next owner's problems.

They can also be the ones to replace the burned out COP(s)...

How do you do the cop boots.? I have never owned something newer than 1986 and this is newer to me.

The COPs are held in place by a single screw with a 7mm hex head. Unplug the electrical connector, remove the screw and then work the COP upward and free of the plug--all of the COPs can be removed without removing the fuel rails, on the passengers side you will have to remove the air intake tube and for some of the COPs unplugging the nearby injector(s) may assist in getting the COP out.

Once removed the COP may be disassembled into three components; the COP body, the boot and the conductive "spring" as shown below:

http://www.paladinmicro.com/images/OEM-COP-Diss01.jpg

The spring is pretty much incapable of wearing out, though I have seen a few that overheated and lost their "spring", however the boots can harden and crack, and develop high voltage leaks, "punch-throughs' that cause the COP voltage to pass through to ground, the plug well's walls. That is what you need to look for, Often the boot will smell "burned" or have brown streaks indicative of arcing...

Cool thanks for the help. i have a couple other questions to. it seems like when im at lower engine speeds it feels as iff theres a slight hesitation in the motor. could it be that its time for plugs. also when im cruising i can hear a slight hiss that goes away when i lift off the pedal but comes back as i hit the throttle.

Sounds like a vacuum leak to me. Rough idle and that has points to that. Check for abrasions and cracks in your vacuum lines.

+1 ^ I had a similar problem on my 02 GT. I replaced the plugs on mine w/ motorcraft plugs and that cleared it up. Cliffy likes the champion plugs and most others say stick with motorcraft plugs, either way you should be fine. Also wouldnt hurt to check your fuel filter.

I will not run champion plugs in my lawn mower, auto lights are cheap enough and are the ones that make motor craft plugs. I have also never seen a set go 100k, for less then a case of beer I do them 50k or so.

Oil and filter (motorcraft oil filter and valvoline) trans (tremec recommends gm synchromesh but you can use merc ATF) rear diff, fuel filter air filter, and clean the maf. Also for $60 it might not hurt to do the IAC. Unless they are contaminated there really is no reason to "flush" brakes or power steering.