rshockey78

I have a 2005 GT, manual. It semms to boggle back and forth in lower gears 1st, 2nd and 3rd really bad between 15 and 35 mph, like its milkshaking, and jerking back in forth. As I slow and smoothly step on the gas, the car jerks back and forth, the harder I accelerate the more smooth it is. I made some bolt on mods. It has the 62 MM BBK throttle body, cold air intake, BBK pulleys, BBK long tube headers into a BBK catted X-pipe into a cat back magna flow exhaust, and I also replaced the coils with MSD masterblasters, and changed the plugs at the same time, and I have a Diablo predator tuner for it, and the jerking has steadily gotten worse over the past few months. When I got the exhaust put on, it did not come with rear 02 extenders, so I drove around for a bit like that with my engine light on, and figured this may be a problem so I finally put the extenders on it, and I reset the computer back to the stock program, and then back to the 93 performance program. I talked to a buddy after it still kept on doing it, and he recommended I change out the throttle response sensor, so I did, and it got a little bit smoother, but 2 days later it was back to doing the same thing. Someone else recommended the fuel filter, or the timing is off on it. I know I can modify the timing on the Diablo programmer, but don't know exactly how to do it, or set it. If anyone has any ideas and can help make it run smooth again, I would appreciate it. You can email me directly at rshockey78@yahoo.com

onlymustangfords

A couple of questions and maybe a few answers.

1. What is the car like at idle? Does it run smoothly or does it shake?
2. If you blip the throttle, does it hesitate or rev freely?
3. Did it exhibit any of these issues before the mods?

I assume you were saying that you ran the car without oxygen sensors and a check engine light until you got the O2 extenders.

It's difficult, with all the stuff you did at the same time. I'd recommend you start by returning it all back to stock except the exhaust system, clear the codes and see how it runs. If it goes away, its one or more of the parts you added.

If it runs fine in limp mode, but not in closed loop, you have either a sensor or computer issue. I'd get it checked out on a computer scanner and make sure that's all good before you get further.

I was doing a fuel injection swap on an older car, and it turned out that my brand new edelbrock setup had two defective parts. The computer and the mass air flow sensor!

One last thing. Hope you used the proper approved sealer when installing the O2 sensors, or you could have killed them. (no regular silicone).

Good luck.

rshockey78

I had a noticeable difference in power and performance with the mods I made. Originally the car was running like a well oiled machine, I was stationed at Fort Benning and we only had an 1/8 mile track nearby, but the first thing I did was put on the throttle body and CAI with the Predator CAI tune, and there was a big difference at the track and just driving it around. I wish I had a dyno nearby so I could have tracked the improvements. But on street tires no slicks, I was running 7.9's to 8.1's in the 1/8 after those mods, I was originally running 8.3's to 8.5's. My buddy had a stage 4 turbo neon I was beating and going back and forth with, and he knew it wasn't a stock mustang, I told him the mods on it, and he didn't even believe the throttle body and CAI + tune would do that much, because he had raced stock GT's before, and blew them away, it convinced him to put slicks on the neon and I couldn't come close. So then I ordered the LT's, X-pipe, exhaust, Pulley's and coils, and took it to the track immediately, without getting it dyno'd and tuned, there was a lot more power, before with just the throttle body CAI + tune I would burn a little in first, and a little squeek in second, after the new mods, I had no traction in first, and I would continue to burn in second, I had no grip unless I let off. So yes I need the slicks, and I know there was definate power increase from the mods I did. All the mods I did had good reviews and good documented power gains, but your not the first one that has told me I wasted some money. The car ran really good after the 1st upgrades, then after the 2nd upgrades, thats when the problems started. The exhaust shop that did the install, said the kit didn't come with any O2 extenders, so my rear 2 were not connected for a few weeks until I could get those, I would have some throttle response problems when I got low on fuel, and my engine light was on, until I put the extenders on, but originally the car wasn't jerking like it is now, so I'm wondering if it can be as simple as replacing the O2 sensors, or I'm hoping so. If that doesn't work, I'll try putting the stock coils back in, but I don't think it's the throttle body, the BBK throttle body was good for me, and I never had a problem until I did the exhaust and coils. I would like to find a dyno in the Nashville area since I am at Fort Campbell now and get it tuned that way, but I'll call Bama and see what they can offer. I need to get it back to running smooth again before I deploy to Afghanistan, so my wife doesn't have any problems or get worried driving it around while I'm gone, we plan on going down to one car while I'm deployed to save money, but I know she won't like the jerking action. I didn't install the O2 sensors, Wolf Muffler did the exhaust and did that all, I just connected the male and female ends on the extenders.

rshockey78

I got in the car this morning and engine light was on. Checked the codes and got P0430- Catalyst Sensor Efficiency Below Threshold ( Bank 2) and P2197- O2 sensorsignal stuck Lean-Bank 2, sensor 1. So I called American Muscle to talk to a tech since thats where I ordered all this from, and explained what's going on since putting the parts on, he told me that the car needs to be tuned, and to call Diablo and talk to them. So I called Diablo and talk to a tech, and I told him the trouble codes, and he said it doesn't need a tune, he said whoever put in the headers probably installed them with the sensors connected and therefore basically one of them is not working on the passengers side, so he said to look at the sensors and harnesses and find out which one is bad. So I put it on a lift today, and could not find anything noticeably wrong with any of the sensors or harnesses. The only odd thing I noticed is, 3 of the sensors are the stock ford one's, and 1 of the sensors looks like an aftermarket Bosch sensor, but that one is on the front drivers side. The tech believes replacing the bad sensor should fix the problem, so I'm trying to decide on replacing the 2 passenger side sensors, or just replacing all 4?

rshockey78

It's difficult, with all the stuff you did at the same time. I'd recommend you start by returning it all back to stock except the exhaust system, clear the codes and see how it runs. If it goes away, its one or more of the parts you added.

One last thing. Hope you used the proper approved sealer when installing the O2 sensors, or you could have killed them. (no regular silicone).

Good luck.[/QUOTE]

I really don't think its the throttle body or CAI, because all of that was working fine before, I really think and hope its not the pulley's, because I really don't want to do that again, pain in the rear, but I am pretty convinced its the coils, or the O2 sensors or something that Wolf Muffler did, the installers of the exhaust and headers. Because thats when the problems started. We installed the Pulleys and coils a few days after the exhaust, but the problems didn't start untol a few weeks later. I did also notice a shallow annoying knocking noise as well. A mechanic friend of mine looked at it, and told me its the front driver side rocker. I was gonna replace it, but after I researched it, it wasn't worth the money, almost everyone that had replaced them, the problem came back within 6 months, and Ford calls it normal wear and tear.

onlymustangfords

Actually, its good that you didn't do everything at once. I agree, if the problems happened only after the pulleys and coils.

You didn't say what it runs like cold so..

I'd be inclined to think O2 sensors at this point too, but you may want to try something first.

Clear any codes, then disconnect the battery and just replace the coils with the originals, if you still have them. If not, just disconnect the battery and don't reconnect it yet.

If you haven't run the car yet that day, then reconnect the cables only after a minimum of 5 minutes to clear the volatile memory. Any radio presets etc, should be gone as well.

This should allow enough time for the computer to forget what it's learned about your driving habits (more or less). If you have run the car and it's not completely cold, wait till the end of the day, or leave the cables disconnected overnight. The time isn't all that critical, just that you'll be able to start the car cold and the computer will have to learn again.

Then reconnect them, start the car and take it for a drive to see how it runs. If it runs fine cold and not well once it warms up, its a likely a sensor issue because it runs fine in open loop till its warmed up.

If it runs fine,both ways you're good. You could then try the coils again or maybe even wait a week or 2 to make sure it all stays good.

rshockey78

It runs the same cold, as it does warm, it usually idles at the same, but every once in a while it will get stuck at 1000 or so for a few seconds when I stop at a light or something and then go back down.
Had a busy day today, just got home like 20 minutes ago, but I will try what you suggested tomorrow and disconnect the battery when I get to work and then reconnect it when I get back from the range tomorrow, and see what it does, cold and once it warms up. Thanks

rshockey78

OK, I tried it all today.
I unhooked the battery last night and let it sit, hooked it back up this morning, took it for a ride and it did the very same thing.
Then I took out the coils unhooked the battery and put the stock coils in, took it for a ride, no difference.
Put the MSD coils back in, reset the tune that is in it, and got the same thing. Had a new error code though- P1000, and still the same P2197, so I guess the next step is to call Bama Chips, and then most likely, replace the 2 passenger side O2 sensors. Thanks for the help though, any other suggetstions, please ablige me.

rshockey78

What did strike me odd about the MSD coils I took out, 2 of them didn't even smell like fuel, like all the other ones, they were almost brand new, the other six all had some black like exhaust smoke spots up near the top, underneath the base of the top part, but those other 2 had no black marks, and were very clean.