newb2000GT

I have a 2000 GT with a Procharger P-1SC and it seems as though the car is running rich as I get into boost.

It doesn't bog completely and it still makes power, but it doesn't accelerate as smooth as the RPMs climb and just feels rougher. It's hard to focus completely on the boost gauge while driving at peak boost but I'm pretty sure it's only getting to about 6 psi when I swore it used to get all the way to 8.

Could this be due to a boost leak or is it just time to change the belt?

TIA!

08'MustangDude

You'd know if the belt was slipping or dragging across the SC pulley, you'd
smell that burning.

The engine can also be pulling time because the plug gap has widened due
use, or the plugs are fouling, or just need replaced. Under boost, in most
cases, you need to regap the plugs, the stock .054 is too wide for boost and
timing advances as your RPMs ramp up. While, you do not have VVT, you
still get spark advances.

For example:
The Ecoboost motors, the plugs are gaped at .028, and .026 if tuned and
adding boost. I know it's a VVT, but the + in boost means a smaller gap
to the engine doesn't pull time, or flood at WOT like my '15 TSI did. My '15
TSI, plugs needed regaped at .028 from .032 with the +6 boost setting on
my power module. It konked out on me once at WOT, and then I could
smell fuel... I even bought the Audi RS3 Coil Packs for it, and they still
needed regaped.

A boost leak would be heard if you are loosing 2lbs of boost through a leak,
or a bypass or BOV opens.

If it were me, I'd go with the plugs first... Maybe even new coil packs. I bought
an Accel SuperCoil for my V6 mustang, I know, again, different type of coil, but
it helped, even with bad plugs. Then I changed my plugs last week and even got
+2 MPG, so I am at 27 MPG, 93 Octane K&N Firm Shift Tune.

newb2000GT

Great insight, that is probably it.

Prior to this current issue (last summer or the summer before) I was throwing a misfire code. After swapping the COP of the misfiring cylinder with its neighbor, the code followed the COP and it was replaced.

I figured I'd replace all the plugs while I was under the hood (I had about 40k of boosted miles on everything at that time) and used exactly the same plugs the tuner installed. However, being a numbskull I just eye balled the gap and thought they looked good out of the box. I don't know what they were gapped to before unfortunately.

I'll pull them all and check each gap. Is there a good source for determining the proper gap or is that something you have to identify by trial and error?

08'MustangDude

They are usually gaped out of the box. When I bought mine, they were gaped correctly, they
tell you that when you buy them. So, your plugs are, more then likely, gaped to .052, but now
you're went from naturally aspirated to boosted. When an engine is converted to being
supercharged, the gap is reduced to approximately.035 to .032. You should also
use a colder range plug to prevent detonation. The smaller gap is needed to prevent spark
blow out.

When you buy a plug, the specs have the heat range on it. The heat range called for is 5,
naturally aspirated. You need to go 3 or 4. Most say to go to a 2 heat range, and check
for too hot, or fouling after 200 miles. If there is, then go to 3 heat range if fouled, 1 if shows
hot:

-TOO HOT - TOO COLD -- GOOD:



I also read:
One final way to enhance any forced induction system is to upgrade your ignition system to a CD, for
Capacitive Discharge ignition. This is a box that takes the normal spark plug signal, which is one spark
at a time, and turns it into a multiple spark distribution, like MSD. With the CD box, the solitary spark signal
is turned into mutiple high-speed sparks for the same duration. The box basically tells the stock computer
system to instruct the coil to make the multiple sparks as opposed to the 1 spark per interval. The major
benefit is that this is all done in the same amount of time, and with the same amount of energy, as a standard
spark setup. The spark lasts a little longer to make sure that it fired properly.

The main thing is, your GAP, you can't be at the factory .052 under boost, it should be .035 to .032
under boost.

newb2000GT

I pulled my plugs and they are TR6's and they match the "Good" pic. If I can find one of my spark plug gap discs or feeler gauges I'll get the gap identified.

08'MustangDude

Heat range on those are 6, motor calls for 5, and if your super charged, should be even
less, but you'll find out once they're all gaped correctly for your application, they're
.039 out of the box, so pretty close to what they're saying for boosted applications.
They recommend that you check each one though so they're all the same gap.

The reach is also .709" - Plugs for this car vary from .691", .708", .709"

Application chart for the ones you have in there start at 2003 and up models, and
the fitment chart for that says not for your motor. Not that it won't work, but because
the heat range on that plug is higher than '00 factory, and the preset gap is smaller than
'00 factory.

newb2000GT

Well, all of the plugs that came out were TR6's gapped to .038-.040, which is what my new TR6's came out of the box gapped at. So like I mentioned above, when I swapped out the plugs previously I didn't check the gap on the ones coming out or re-gap the new ones going in.

This evening I got them all gapped to .030-ish and took it for a spin. She's running like a champ again, the right gap made all the difference.

Next on the list is a head unit rebuild and to decide if I am rebuilding the current motor or build up the Teksid block I have laying around.

Thanks for the wisdom 08MustangDude!