phil_bradley

Aright finally got the guy to come make keys for the 92 LX 2.3. After a new battery, suprisingly it fired right up, but two problems:

1.) It will start, run for a few seconds, but after a few seconds if you don't continue to give it gas, it'll sputter and die off. The guy we 'got' it from (it's a whole 'nother story, and no, we didn't steal it) had the exhaust flange un bolted after the mid-pipe, after the cat but before the muffler. Is that what is causing the engine to die because it is not getting enough back pressure?

2.) The amp meter on the instrument cluster sits all the way dead, way lower than 8, as if the alternator is putting out no power. But we popped the hood and the belt seems to be spinning the alternator pulley fine and it seems to be fine. That guy also has two wires spliced together with one of the residential, orange end caps (think it is a lime green wire and forest green wire; not sure, but will check for sure tomorrow). Haven't tested to see if the battery runs completely dead eventually, but that is probably next. Just didn't know if any one had this same deal. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance...

P.S.- LOL If anyone is interested, I will tell how I got the car, just didn't want to if it wasn't necessary. /\ That was enough typing as it is.

phil_bradley

Come on! You guys make up the quickest forum I've ever posted in! Still nothing?

phil_bradley

???

wiseguy

Hook up a voltmeter to the battery, and see if the voltage increases to around 14 while the engine is running. If it doesn't, it's a sure bet that the previous owner screwed something up. More than likely the ammeter is the problem. If the battery wouldn't crank the engine, then I'd say it might be the alternator. But check the voltage anyway, and get a manual so that you can find out what that genius did to the wiring.

phil_bradley

Aright thanks...

Any ideas about the engine not staying running, or why the pshyco unbolted the cat-back? You'd call him a pshyco too if you had cleaned out what I did outta that bitch. Distgusting....!

slegos888

are you kidding this is the slowest forum for responses ive ever seen you need to go to some big boards if you want fast answers but you'll have to deal with stupid answers too!! want aquick replys go to the clubhouse section of mustangworld!!!

phil_bradley

Well I figured out that the think with the amp meter was a fuse, but not one that was blown. This pshyco just had no fuse in that fuse slot.

Another problem found: my instrument cluster doesn't light up when you turn the lights on. Haven't got into the cluster yet, but I plan to. Just want to know if anyone has any suggestions on what to do other than going through all of that...

Thanks in advance...

wiseguy

Anytime I've bought a used car, it always takes a couple months of work to get it "right". You may want to start by making sure the right size fuses are in the right slots. Second, see if the dimmer for the dash lights works. If there's any evidence that wiring elsewhere in the car was butchered, then there's a good chance they may have screwed around in that area.

phil_bradley

Aint a fuse, don't think it is the dimmer switch, but will check into that (Chilton's Manual is under the tree).

UPDATE: Catback wasn't unbolted, just looked as it was. The reason it sounds like a lawn mower is because of the hole in the muffler he fixed with a $3.00 muffler patch and duct tape.

Cleaned out the interior and it looks halfway decent.

Used my air dremel tool and sand paper to get all the rust out of the dented part in the left-rear quarter panel. Haven't decided if it's worth it of going through filling it with body filler.

It runs better and better everytime I turn it on. Actually stays on by itself now. I can hardly get it to move, but it's because I've never driven a stick (last and first car was an automatic).