michiganman5

Hey all, thanks in advance.

94 Mustang, 3.6l Manual Trans, stock!

Car was running normally, starter stopped working. Had friend replace starter. Starts just fine, but runs rough, drive down road, LOW power, VERY rich mixture, smokes, missing. Sounds like a fouled out spark plug. (oxygen sensor got hit during installation???)

Spoke with buddy again, looking at it, and pull off air nozzel (going to mass air induction) and car spits, sputters and dies. wouldn't start up for more than a sec, dies.

play with it for an hour, get a tow home. try for the heck of it one more time, and it starts up, runs rough, like before and seems fine with the exception of the fouled plug (guessing).

Play with the nozzel again and i can hear a fan going on and off, gets rough, then better, etc.

I am going to replace plugs and wires in a few (as they are original) but....


WHAT THE HECK IS UP WITH THE mass air induction thingy???

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks
Jay

JKs95stang

Are you getting a flashing Check Engine Light? Does the exhaust spit out raw gas?

michiganman5

no, not raw gas, just white smoke that smells very rich.

I have tried to find a place that will look at my engine codes, but it's a 94. They say 96 or higher.

I think my light is burned out to be honest. don't know if it's on or not.

Thanks,

JKs95stang

Not true, an obdII will work for the 94's or 5's(scanner only, no tuning), there cheap nowadays too, or find one through a friend or something. If it's smelling really rich, almost raw gas, and runs with half the power, it could be the computer. I had the same problem with my old 95, smelled real rich, like i said, almost raw gassy smell. If you aren't getting a flashing CEL, it may be something else, it's not likely the light is burned out for the CEL. You could pull a few spark plugs and check if there real gassy too. Let us know, I love a challenge.

I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that it's probably the computer from what you described, had the same exact issues.

michiganman5

After everything, it appears the problem is something STUPID.

Finally had a guy come over with a computer that will read my car, and NO error codes!

We put some ether in the fuel injection and it seemed to run fine with a steady streem of ether. We tried that the day before, but apparently didn't put enough in, because it seems to run fine with enough starting fluid.

The air nozzle near the fuel injection system where when you put a screw driver in it, it sprays gas, wasn't spraying gas!

So I am thinking, one of three things. Either when he put the starter in, he might have crimped the fuel line, clogged fuel filter, or bad fuel pump. Both of which i replaced 1 -1/2 years ago.

Oh well, check lines first, then will replace filter, see if that fixes it, then pump.

Will let you know what it is.

Thanks,

Jay

JKs95stang

Well, it's not the computer then, you would know with the flashing Check engine light(limp mode). Cheap gas will clog fuel filters, then fail the pump. The filter is easy to change in the rear of the car near the tank, that would be sweet if it's an easy fix.

michiganman5

*** Update ****

I am beginning to hate my life!

Ok, Jacked up the car, checked the fuel lines, NO CRIMPS, that's good. Pulled off the fuel filter, FILTHY, pouring gas out of the tank side looked like I was pouring out watered down red paint! Put a bucket under from tank side, turned off and on the key 4-5 times, a lot of junk came out. Did it a few more times, nice and clean.

New filter, car started right up!~~

Yeah, right?


NOT ~~~~~~~~~

Car is still missing badly, same as prior to it dying after the starter issue!

Checked all the plugs and AGAIN, #2 was wet, and when I pulled the plug wire off, there's no change. Pulled it out and it was wet (although didn't smell like gas to be honest) - took a lighter to the plug, DIDN't light up???
- checked spark with plug out and it's firing fine.
- stuck my finger in the hole, start car, it sprayed all over my hand, seems like decent compression (don't have a compression tester).

Car runs, drives down the road, idles, although you can definately tell theres a miss, not as much power etc. Smokes white smoke upon takeoff, NOt a lot, but enough to see it.

- Is not over heating, just running crappy.

Oh, another big weird one::::::

When I replaced the fuel filter, it was fairly low on gas, just above empty (would explain all the crap), so I stuffed a can of fuel injection cleaner in it, Filled her up with Premium and drove a total of 30 miles give or take.... and.......

I have a little over a half of tank left! WTF!!!!!!!!!

My theories:
- Blown head gasket, leaking coolant into #2 cylinder, would explain everything except gas usage.
- Computer screwing up, throwing way to much gas in and bogging engine down causing lack of power, smoking, fuel consumption problem, but NOT #2 cylinder non gas smelling stuff and no change in idle when #2 wire is pulled.
- Valve seat stuck open on #2???

- Aliens have invaded my car and are trying to tap into my thoughts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HELP!

michiganman5

Oops, forgot to say I checked the ground while off and running, NOT gas leaks.

Checked connection on fuel filter and it's tight, no leaks!

brent4

Sounds like you have a blown head gasket..

JKs95stang

I'd say at this point, it's the computer, or you have a blown head gasket, but you said it isn't overheating tho' right? Usually you will lose coolant internally when your head gasket is blown and run hot FAST. The water passages in the heads where it meets the gasket will burn off into steam and you lose the water through the exhaust. I wish you luck man, I hate working on cars.