And now the problems start.
05-27-2012, 12:51 AM
#1
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,127
And now the problems start.
Ok. As most of you know, I got a new fox recently after totaling the 87' I had. Well, the car was a dream...for three months. Now it has some pretty great problems.
First, since I changed my distributor from the stock to the MSD billet, the gas mileage went from 22mpg to 15mpg. What the hell happened here? The car runs fine save for idling awfully high. It idles around 1300-1700 at times but at other times it idles right at 800 like it always used to. Throttle response and everything else is still top notch though.
Also, around 70-80mph the car will vibrate and rattle very badly but after 80 it smoothes out completely . What's this about? I just recently changed the u-joints and it didn't fix this. My old fox did this same thing. -__-
Also, since doing my rear output shaft seal, when I drive the car hard or back it up into a space, there will be smoke coming from where the engine and the transmission meet. The smell is a mixture of burning oil and clutch. I thought my rear main was bad but I'm not losing any oil as far as I can see. The smoke also comes into the cabin of the car lightly if I have the windows closed and the A/C on. WTF is this?
Lastly, this happened today. The car never got even close to getting warm during the past 100+ degree days we've had in AZ, even when I drive the **** out of it but today, the car overheated badly on a rare 86 degree day. I wasn't even driving the car hard. Anyways, I took it to O'Reillys where I work and my coworker and I looked it over. The car was definitely overheating and when I opened the radiator cap, only steam came out. The coolant was extremely low. Well, no problem right? No. I had just checked and topped off the coolant four days ago. It took two and a half gallons to get the car back up to speed with coolant. The coolant isn't touching the ground and there are no leaks I can see. I've revved the car up while checking for leaks and nothing. There's not even a smell of coolant in the engine bay. The heater core was plugged and I just recently replaced it but I made sure to add extra to compensate for that. What's going on with that? Also there's no oil in the coolant nor smoke out of the tail pipe.
Well, shoot me some ideas guys.
First, since I changed my distributor from the stock to the MSD billet, the gas mileage went from 22mpg to 15mpg. What the hell happened here? The car runs fine save for idling awfully high. It idles around 1300-1700 at times but at other times it idles right at 800 like it always used to. Throttle response and everything else is still top notch though.
Also, around 70-80mph the car will vibrate and rattle very badly but after 80 it smoothes out completely . What's this about? I just recently changed the u-joints and it didn't fix this. My old fox did this same thing. -__-
Also, since doing my rear output shaft seal, when I drive the car hard or back it up into a space, there will be smoke coming from where the engine and the transmission meet. The smell is a mixture of burning oil and clutch. I thought my rear main was bad but I'm not losing any oil as far as I can see. The smoke also comes into the cabin of the car lightly if I have the windows closed and the A/C on. WTF is this?
Lastly, this happened today. The car never got even close to getting warm during the past 100+ degree days we've had in AZ, even when I drive the **** out of it but today, the car overheated badly on a rare 86 degree day. I wasn't even driving the car hard. Anyways, I took it to O'Reillys where I work and my coworker and I looked it over. The car was definitely overheating and when I opened the radiator cap, only steam came out. The coolant was extremely low. Well, no problem right? No. I had just checked and topped off the coolant four days ago. It took two and a half gallons to get the car back up to speed with coolant. The coolant isn't touching the ground and there are no leaks I can see. I've revved the car up while checking for leaks and nothing. There's not even a smell of coolant in the engine bay. The heater core was plugged and I just recently replaced it but I made sure to add extra to compensate for that. What's going on with that? Also there's no oil in the coolant nor smoke out of the tail pipe.
Well, shoot me some ideas guys.
05-27-2012, 09:02 AM
#3
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 347
1. Timing sounds like it could solve all those problems with your MPG and high idle.
2. Tires? I had mine replaced for inspection on my BMW, before that it did exactly what you're describing. Got new tires and it was like a new car and didn't vibrate hardly at all.
3. The smoke will be caught by the blower for your vents sometimes, my BMW did the same thing with a small valve cover gasket leak when it would hit the headers. I would definitely think rear main seal, the faster you go the faster the oil is going to pump, and one would assume pressure would go up as well. Maybe the leak isn't noticeable until you get the pressure up. And if it's hitting the clutch I would think it would make that stuff smoke when you shift too. See about replacing the rear main.
4. For your coolant issue I would think a bad thermostat or a bad gauge. Are you using stock gauges? They can be inaccurate. My brother had an 89 that had a bad temp gauge and thermostat and did almost the same thing yours is doing, he had the heater core blocked off too.
Hope this helps!
2. Tires? I had mine replaced for inspection on my BMW, before that it did exactly what you're describing. Got new tires and it was like a new car and didn't vibrate hardly at all.
3. The smoke will be caught by the blower for your vents sometimes, my BMW did the same thing with a small valve cover gasket leak when it would hit the headers. I would definitely think rear main seal, the faster you go the faster the oil is going to pump, and one would assume pressure would go up as well. Maybe the leak isn't noticeable until you get the pressure up. And if it's hitting the clutch I would think it would make that stuff smoke when you shift too. See about replacing the rear main.
4. For your coolant issue I would think a bad thermostat or a bad gauge. Are you using stock gauges? They can be inaccurate. My brother had an 89 that had a bad temp gauge and thermostat and did almost the same thing yours is doing, he had the heater core blocked off too.
Hope this helps!
05-27-2012, 11:07 PM
#4
1st Gear Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: CA
Posts: 112
You also might want to check your fuel temperature sensor, MAF, and MAP. Is your check engine light on? If not, then it ain't a voltage problem, it will be mechanical, not to state the obvious. Check gaskets and vacuum lines. My mustang rattles at 70 as well but then smooths out. That was after I got my tranny replaced.
05-27-2012, 11:08 PM
#5
1st Gear Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: CA
Posts: 112
You also might want to check your fuel temperature sensor, MAF, and MAP. Is your check engine light on? If not, then it ain't a voltage problem, it will be mechanical, not to state the obvious. Check gaskets and vacuum lines. My mustang rattles at 70 as well but then smooths out. That was after I got my tranny replaced.
05-28-2012, 05:12 AM
#6
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,127
Well, the coolant problem has been fixed. Turns out it was the water pump. I didn't notice the coolant flowing from the little weeping hole on it.
As for the smoke, I'm guessing the general concensus is that it's the rear main? Guess I'll do that when I do the clutch. It seems to be quite a small leak if any anyway so it can wait.
For the vibrating, it has new tires all the way around. I've had them mounted and balanced three times. It's definitely not the tires.
And isn't stock timing supposed to be 10 degrees with the spout disconnected?
As for the smoke, I'm guessing the general concensus is that it's the rear main? Guess I'll do that when I do the clutch. It seems to be quite a small leak if any anyway so it can wait.
For the vibrating, it has new tires all the way around. I've had them mounted and balanced three times. It's definitely not the tires.
And isn't stock timing supposed to be 10 degrees with the spout disconnected?
05-28-2012, 09:03 AM
#7
And away we go...
at ford we replace both the TFI (Ignition Module) and PIP (Profile Ignition Pickup) at the same time. usually if the engine runs the TFI module is "Usually Good" but can be affected by heat causing a stalling or no start problem when hot. yes the timing should be 10 egrees BTDC with the spout connector removed and the engine hot. also check the throttle body for buildup around the throttle plates Just check my posts for the proceedure to clean and reset the base idle. as for the oil leak, the rear lower corners (closest to the exhaust) are notorious for leaking on SBF motors. also the rear main seal. easy enough to replace whe doing the clutch. (and the oil pan gasket too) as far as the rear main seal it is under no pressure except crank case pressure so you should replace the pcv filter screen in the intake manifols and grommet and pcv valve. it the pcv hose is soft (they usually are) replace it as it will crush or collapse when the engine is running. i assume from the initial post that you replaced an automatic trans. if so the eec computer may be at fault or when the engine was tilted back 1 or more lines may have been damaged or cut.the TAB/TAD solenoids run off of the vac T on the firewall make sure that is not cracked or broken and all the lines are good. the stalling may be due to the egr valve too, if the sensor is bad, the ecu will keep trying to open the egr and then it goes lean and dies. also if the valve sticks (check with a vacume pump) and see if it pops. you should not hear it open if it pops replace it. if all elas fails, pm me and i will send my phone number.
at ford we replace both the TFI (Ignition Module) and PIP (Profile Ignition Pickup) at the same time. usually if the engine runs the TFI module is "Usually Good" but can be affected by heat causing a stalling or no start problem when hot. yes the timing should be 10 egrees BTDC with the spout connector removed and the engine hot. also check the throttle body for buildup around the throttle plates Just check my posts for the proceedure to clean and reset the base idle. as for the oil leak, the rear lower corners (closest to the exhaust) are notorious for leaking on SBF motors. also the rear main seal. easy enough to replace whe doing the clutch. (and the oil pan gasket too) as far as the rear main seal it is under no pressure except crank case pressure so you should replace the pcv filter screen in the intake manifols and grommet and pcv valve. it the pcv hose is soft (they usually are) replace it as it will crush or collapse when the engine is running. i assume from the initial post that you replaced an automatic trans. if so the eec computer may be at fault or when the engine was tilted back 1 or more lines may have been damaged or cut.the TAB/TAD solenoids run off of the vac T on the firewall make sure that is not cracked or broken and all the lines are good. the stalling may be due to the egr valve too, if the sensor is bad, the ecu will keep trying to open the egr and then it goes lean and dies. also if the valve sticks (check with a vacume pump) and see if it pops. you should not hear it open if it pops replace it. if all elas fails, pm me and i will send my phone number.
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