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Mustang gone wrong...

3K views 37 replies 8 participants last post by  antnvlz1294 
#1 ·
Hey guys heres another fun thread.
So as you all already know I currently own a 1988 mustang 5.0 lx. I bought the car back in november and I've had multiple issues. I currently have a misfiring issue so I was told to replace multiple things. I would get a misfiring/popping sound from my vehicle under a load and would feel like I am losing power until the car would catch up and speed up the misfiring ended. I replaced the fuel filter, sparkplugs (motorcraft gapped at .052), ignition wires (autolites), MSD Cap and rotor, MSD Ignition coil, Oil & filter change, Did a 3g alternator upgrade to a 130 amp alternator(kit bought from latemodelrestorations.com) with a bigger gauge wire that goes from the alternator to the ignition system, cleaned out the Iacv(looks brand new and had no carb build up in it at all so I believe that the previous owner knew about the issue), tested the TPS and it was at a .97 so it checked out good, I replaced the tfi ignition module(made no difference) so I was told I couldve been the pip sensor in the distributor. I just replaced the distributor about 2 weeks ago and when I did I made sure the #1 cylinder was top dead center and made sure the rotor was pointed toward the number 1 cylinder/sparkplug and installed the distributor. Then my neighbor(builds cars for atco raceway here in sj) used a timing light and set my timing to 12 degrees. After the new distributor (the brand is Tough One?) was installed I noticed that the car actually now bucks/jerks forward if i stay at a steady/constant speed. For example if I drive 25 mph for a while it'll buck/jerk forward a couple of times until I increase acceleration. Although this problem doesnt occur if I accelerate or am sitting at a light in neutral. After all of that work, the misfiring issue is still present, although it did seem to go away for a day or two after the distributor install. About a week ago I installed 6 new speakers and a new headunit correctly, and last night when I turned on my headlights, I noticed another problem now. The headlights were flickering and so was the lite up dashboard. The battery gauge on the dashboard itself was bouncing up and down as well(not giant bouncing but bouncing up and down as fast as the flickering). I've never had this issue before and it hasnt gone away since last night. It cant be the aftermarket headunit or speakers because this problem just began to happen and theyve been in for a week already. The negative and positive cables arent loose either so what could be the problem? The car still misfires/pops and bucks/ jerks forward at a constant speed and now I have this issue on top of it. I am really about to bash my head through a wall... I've only had the car almost 3 months now... and it didnt seem to have these issues the first few weeks i've had it... please help me...? :banghead:

Thanks guys..
 
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#6 ·
Well the alternator has been in the mustang for about a month and a half now and this problem just started so I understand that I should replace it although the issue just started. The battery amp light is actually flickering now in the car so i'm thinking that it might be a bad cell in the battery. Maybe the alternator is trying to fully charge the battery so it is using more than its suppose to? I'm going to try to pull codes again and if i get nothing i'm just going to take her to autozone to get a system test on everything.
 
#5 ·
how does it idle?
 
#8 ·
Maybe wiring is torn up somewhere, rats like to get in there and chew, or cats...just take a quick look around and ensure all of that is good. People always hack up wiring when doing their own installs and hunting down problems ( I don't mean u, but previous owner).
 
#9 ·
I'll look but everything is good I just got the system checked. Battery is great putting out more than needed and alternator is perfect cranking system is fine. Wiring is okay nothing cut up.

---------- Post added at 12:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:00 PM ----------

Unplug the maf if nothing changes there's the bucking problem...you said the car idles fine tho?
My car is speed density. Not maf.
 
#18 ·
Just used my actron obd1 code scanner. On the KOEO test I got system pass. On KOER test however, I got code 41. Code 41: Exhaust Gas Oxygen (EGO) sensor: Voltage Signal always "Lean" (low value) - does not switch. This wouldnt have anything to do with my whole bucking/ jerking forward, dashboard and head light flickering and battery gauge jumping issue would it?...:banghead:
 
#23 ·
In my case I went to a place that installs troweling motors for boats because they have the 4 gauge cable and I had them make me up the cable to the length I wanted with one end with so that I could fasten it to bolt threaded into the engine and the other end with the battery connection.
 
#24 ·
So attach one side from the bolt threaded into the engine(that holds the negative battery cable onto the engine) and the other side under the original ground connection that is on the wall next to the battery that the screwdriver points at? also I have a 15 inch 4 gauge wire(attached).
 

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#25 · (Edited)
The cable runs from the - side of the battery to where I have it bolted to the block.
I had the people who did the cable for me cut the existing wire with the fuse connector and had the press the wire into the end into the battery connection so mine looks like this.

All my wires are hidden so mine won't be the same as yours but should give you a good idea of what I'm talking about.
 
#30 ·
I would replace o2's, I'm not sure how much they can effect your car such as jerking and bucking, but I know if they are fried they can keep it from starting at all. Sounds like you might try changing them, it's like 40$ to change em. They probably need it anyway.
 
#35 ·
The 4 gauge wire I tried to put from where the negative battery cable mount wasnt long enough to reach from underneath where the negative cable is mounted to the ground beside the battery so I bought a 4 gauge negative battery cable replacement(78 inches now I have too much wire left over o_O..) and the bouncing and dashboard and headlight flickering went away for the day. I started my car today and now its back...
 
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