===>Common problems/stock performance/common mods
09-21-2007, 06:10 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Roseville, CA
Posts: 444
===>Common problems/stock performance/common mods
Common Problems
Erratic Idle
This is a common problem with the 94-95 5.0 Mustangs, and is almost always related to the IAC, TPS, and even a dirty throttle body. The IAC controls the amount of air entering the engine to control the idle speed. When the IAC fails to do its job properly (dirty, broken, etc.), the idle quality suffers. You may have a surging idle, rough idle, or the car may not idle at all.
If you experience this problem, you may want to try cleaning the IAC. This is done by taking it off the throttle body, and spraying carburetor cleaner into each oriface on it. Replace the IAC onto the throttle body, and crank the car. You may or may not experience a change. Also, you should check your TPS voltage if you have an erratic idle and reset it to .97-.99volts if it is out of range. Lastly, the throttle body can be cleaned by holding it open, and spraying carburetor cleaner to get rid of any deposits..
Weird Start Problems
Its quite common with high mileage 5.0s to have a problem starting once the motor comes to temp, or other random starting problems. If you find your 5.0 won't start to save its life sometimes, but others start right away, there are two things to replace that should solve it for you. The first is the stator/pickup in the distributor. It senses when to fire the coil to send the spark to each cylinder. After some time this sensor becomes flaky and can cause these problems The other part is the ignition module. It usually causes problems after the car gets to operating temps. The stator is inside the distributor, and requires removal of the distributor gear, and pressing it back on. I was able to do this with my bench vise, but your results may vary. The ignition module is quite easy to replace, being a single plug and located on the fenderwell.
Squeaking Windows
If your windows squeak while going up or down, particularly while wet, then either lubricate the weather stripping, or take the car back to Ford for them to lubricate it.
Seatbelt Retraction
LOTS of Mustangs are affected by a condition where they won't properly retract the seatbelts. This is most likely because of a broken part in the seatbelt mechanism, and you should take the car back to Ford for warranty replacement. There is an unspoken warranty on the seatbelts to (I believe) 80,000 miles.
Performance
HP & Torque - 215hp 285lbs-ft torque
0-60 - 6.7
1/4 Mile Time - 14.7-15.0
1/8 Mile Time - 9.2-9.5
Common Modifications
Gearing
The stock 2.73s are great for gas mileage on trips and those not concerned with performance. These cars scream for more gearing, and those 5 speed drivers who want the extra kick would probably be much happier with 3.73s or even 4.10s. The numerically higher gears allow the motor to reach its powerband faster, and also gives the engine a higher mechanical advantage over the wheels, making the car feel much more powerful.
Exhaust
The stock exhaust is ok for some, but for those interested in performance, it leaves a lot to be desired, such as sound, and extra power. Most start by adding a catback, the most popular being the Flowmaster American Thunder catback. Other catbacks include Magnaflow, Bassani, MAC, Spintech, and Borla.
In addition to a catback, many owners will add an off-road H or X pipe to increase flow, power, and sound volume. One benefit of the '87-95 Mustangs is the fact that there are only 2 O2 sensors on the H pipe, so when switching to an off-road pipe, you never have to worry about a "Check Engine" light.
The last exhaust modification most owners add is headers. A good set of headers, whether shorty or long tube will add a good amount of power. Most opt for a shorty header, whether equal length or unequal length. Others that are after every bit of power go for the long tube headers, which offer a more difficult install, and often times more difficulty in working on other parts of the car, such as the transmission and/or clutch.
Tires/Wheels
The stock wheels aren't so pretty to most, so many go after a set of aftermarket wheels. The most popular wheel by far would be the '95 Cobra R, followed by the '00 Cobra and the "Bullit" style wheels. Most aftermarket Mustang wheels are in 17" sizes, but many serios GT owners will opt for Weld (or similar) 15" wheels to save weight, and add to the straight line performance of the car.
Lets face it. The stock tires are barely adequate at keeping the stock car from spinning at launch. With gears and a few modifications, the traction becomes an even greater problem. A good set of tires will help here. Take a look at BFG KDW, BFG KD, BFG Drag Radials, Nitto 555 ZRs, and Nitto 555 R Drag Radials for better traction. A larger size of 275/40/17 will help a little more.
If you're looking for the best performance on the track, then take a look at Mickey Thompson ET Drags or ET Streets. This is the tire most of the serious guys will use.
Shifters
The stock shifters in these cars aren't known for their precise, short, or accurate shifts. If you're looking to improve on your shifting time, check out Steeda's Tri-Ax, the Pro 5.0, and other such aftermarket shifters. Again, any of these should be better than the stock piece, but the Tri-Ax and Pro-5.0 are considered the best.
Cold Air Inductions
There is a debate on Cold Air Induction systems. Many guys say that they won't make more power, many say they will. The truth of the matter is that with the stock MAF sensor, idle quality will be reduced with any CAI that has an elbow right before the sensor. The best way to go for these systems, is to pick up a Pro-M MAF sensor that is calibrated for these types of elbowed kits. You should see ~5-8rwhp gains with a good CAI system.
Springs
There are different sets of springs available for these cars, from those that will totally slam the car to the ground, to those that drop no more than 1", but provide a very stiff base for a nice handling car. To put your car in the weeds, look to H&R's Super Sports, and Eibach's Sportline kits. For a smaller drop, and factory like handling, look to the Eibach Pro-kit. For a small drop and stiff, but good handling, look to H&R's Race springs, or Maximum Motorsport's Coil-Over kits. Ford C springs and Steeda Sports are also good offerings with a medium rate (higher than Eibach Pro-Kits, but lower than H&R Race springs) and about a 1" drop.
Shocks/Struts
If you change the springs out for a stiffer aftermarket set, then you'll need a set of good shocks and struts to compliment them. Not only will the handling be improved, but the ride will be smoothed out quite a bit by a good set of matched shocks and struts. Call Maximum Motorsports or some other respected suspension experts for their recommendations on shocks and struts to match your springs.
Subframe Connectors
The stock Mustang frame is too flexy to offer good handling, so a set of subframe connectors is often added to assure a good solid frame. The connectors actually tie the front and rear subframes together, making a sort of full frame. They give you a good base to work from to make a good handling, and/or good launching car that won't twist and destroy sheetmetal over time.
Bumping Ignition Timing
The stock ignition timing is set at 10*, but many people bump that up to 14* or even higher in some cases. This adds torque and hp for free, and simply requires removing the spout connector, loosening the distributor bolt, aiming a timing light, and turning t
Erratic Idle
This is a common problem with the 94-95 5.0 Mustangs, and is almost always related to the IAC, TPS, and even a dirty throttle body. The IAC controls the amount of air entering the engine to control the idle speed. When the IAC fails to do its job properly (dirty, broken, etc.), the idle quality suffers. You may have a surging idle, rough idle, or the car may not idle at all.
If you experience this problem, you may want to try cleaning the IAC. This is done by taking it off the throttle body, and spraying carburetor cleaner into each oriface on it. Replace the IAC onto the throttle body, and crank the car. You may or may not experience a change. Also, you should check your TPS voltage if you have an erratic idle and reset it to .97-.99volts if it is out of range. Lastly, the throttle body can be cleaned by holding it open, and spraying carburetor cleaner to get rid of any deposits..
Weird Start Problems
Its quite common with high mileage 5.0s to have a problem starting once the motor comes to temp, or other random starting problems. If you find your 5.0 won't start to save its life sometimes, but others start right away, there are two things to replace that should solve it for you. The first is the stator/pickup in the distributor. It senses when to fire the coil to send the spark to each cylinder. After some time this sensor becomes flaky and can cause these problems The other part is the ignition module. It usually causes problems after the car gets to operating temps. The stator is inside the distributor, and requires removal of the distributor gear, and pressing it back on. I was able to do this with my bench vise, but your results may vary. The ignition module is quite easy to replace, being a single plug and located on the fenderwell.
Squeaking Windows
If your windows squeak while going up or down, particularly while wet, then either lubricate the weather stripping, or take the car back to Ford for them to lubricate it.
Seatbelt Retraction
LOTS of Mustangs are affected by a condition where they won't properly retract the seatbelts. This is most likely because of a broken part in the seatbelt mechanism, and you should take the car back to Ford for warranty replacement. There is an unspoken warranty on the seatbelts to (I believe) 80,000 miles.
Performance
HP & Torque - 215hp 285lbs-ft torque
0-60 - 6.7
1/4 Mile Time - 14.7-15.0
1/8 Mile Time - 9.2-9.5
Common Modifications
Gearing
The stock 2.73s are great for gas mileage on trips and those not concerned with performance. These cars scream for more gearing, and those 5 speed drivers who want the extra kick would probably be much happier with 3.73s or even 4.10s. The numerically higher gears allow the motor to reach its powerband faster, and also gives the engine a higher mechanical advantage over the wheels, making the car feel much more powerful.
Exhaust
The stock exhaust is ok for some, but for those interested in performance, it leaves a lot to be desired, such as sound, and extra power. Most start by adding a catback, the most popular being the Flowmaster American Thunder catback. Other catbacks include Magnaflow, Bassani, MAC, Spintech, and Borla.
In addition to a catback, many owners will add an off-road H or X pipe to increase flow, power, and sound volume. One benefit of the '87-95 Mustangs is the fact that there are only 2 O2 sensors on the H pipe, so when switching to an off-road pipe, you never have to worry about a "Check Engine" light.
The last exhaust modification most owners add is headers. A good set of headers, whether shorty or long tube will add a good amount of power. Most opt for a shorty header, whether equal length or unequal length. Others that are after every bit of power go for the long tube headers, which offer a more difficult install, and often times more difficulty in working on other parts of the car, such as the transmission and/or clutch.
Tires/Wheels
The stock wheels aren't so pretty to most, so many go after a set of aftermarket wheels. The most popular wheel by far would be the '95 Cobra R, followed by the '00 Cobra and the "Bullit" style wheels. Most aftermarket Mustang wheels are in 17" sizes, but many serios GT owners will opt for Weld (or similar) 15" wheels to save weight, and add to the straight line performance of the car.
Lets face it. The stock tires are barely adequate at keeping the stock car from spinning at launch. With gears and a few modifications, the traction becomes an even greater problem. A good set of tires will help here. Take a look at BFG KDW, BFG KD, BFG Drag Radials, Nitto 555 ZRs, and Nitto 555 R Drag Radials for better traction. A larger size of 275/40/17 will help a little more.
If you're looking for the best performance on the track, then take a look at Mickey Thompson ET Drags or ET Streets. This is the tire most of the serious guys will use.
Shifters
The stock shifters in these cars aren't known for their precise, short, or accurate shifts. If you're looking to improve on your shifting time, check out Steeda's Tri-Ax, the Pro 5.0, and other such aftermarket shifters. Again, any of these should be better than the stock piece, but the Tri-Ax and Pro-5.0 are considered the best.
Cold Air Inductions
There is a debate on Cold Air Induction systems. Many guys say that they won't make more power, many say they will. The truth of the matter is that with the stock MAF sensor, idle quality will be reduced with any CAI that has an elbow right before the sensor. The best way to go for these systems, is to pick up a Pro-M MAF sensor that is calibrated for these types of elbowed kits. You should see ~5-8rwhp gains with a good CAI system.
Springs
There are different sets of springs available for these cars, from those that will totally slam the car to the ground, to those that drop no more than 1", but provide a very stiff base for a nice handling car. To put your car in the weeds, look to H&R's Super Sports, and Eibach's Sportline kits. For a smaller drop, and factory like handling, look to the Eibach Pro-kit. For a small drop and stiff, but good handling, look to H&R's Race springs, or Maximum Motorsport's Coil-Over kits. Ford C springs and Steeda Sports are also good offerings with a medium rate (higher than Eibach Pro-Kits, but lower than H&R Race springs) and about a 1" drop.
Shocks/Struts
If you change the springs out for a stiffer aftermarket set, then you'll need a set of good shocks and struts to compliment them. Not only will the handling be improved, but the ride will be smoothed out quite a bit by a good set of matched shocks and struts. Call Maximum Motorsports or some other respected suspension experts for their recommendations on shocks and struts to match your springs.
Subframe Connectors
The stock Mustang frame is too flexy to offer good handling, so a set of subframe connectors is often added to assure a good solid frame. The connectors actually tie the front and rear subframes together, making a sort of full frame. They give you a good base to work from to make a good handling, and/or good launching car that won't twist and destroy sheetmetal over time.
Bumping Ignition Timing
The stock ignition timing is set at 10*, but many people bump that up to 14* or even higher in some cases. This adds torque and hp for free, and simply requires removing the spout connector, loosening the distributor bolt, aiming a timing light, and turning t
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