racecougar
Registered User
Running out of ideas, REALLY NEED HELP! (think it's EGR related)
Ok, here’s the deal folks. Now before anyone says anything about this not being an SC, I know. But there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who may be able to help me. I could really use some suggestions here. I swapped the splitport 3.8L from a 2000 Mustang into my 1994 Thunderbird. I installed DIS and I also used the 4R70W from the mustang. I had the car running, had it dynotuned, and everything was wonderful except that it didn’t have first gear. The car sat for a week before I could work on it. I had decided that the reason I didn’t have first gear was due to the fact that I didn’t repin the transmission connector when I changed transmissions. So without starting the car beforehand, I repined the connector as per the tech article, adjusted the MLPS (transmission range sensor), and cleaned the MAF. I tried to start the car, it would run for about 3 seconds then sputter and die. I tried using a spare MAF, a different MLPS (also adjusted it back to the way it was), tried pinning the transmission connector back the other way, even tried a spare EEC. Nothing changed.
At this point I assumed that the fuel had picked up condensation from sitting. I replaced the fuel pump (with a 190 lph), the filter, the fuel pressure regulator, and blew out the fuel lines. Still didn’t change anything.
This brings me to where I’m at now. Here are the next two things I think it could be:
O2 sensors – I bought the car with blown headgaskets, hence the engine swap. I know that O2 sensors are known to go bad after headgaskets go. I just didn’t think it would be them because it ran fine a week earlier, then all of a sudden it doesn’t.
Vacuum leak – It acts like the fuel injectors are being shut off, or there is a BIG vacuum leak somewhere. It is possible to keep the engine running for a little bit by playing with the throttle, but it pops and runs terribly.
Does anyone see anything that I might be missing? I was also thinking about the IAC. It just doesn’t make any sense that it ran great, then a week later I can’t keep the car running. I’m really thinking that it’s a sensor, because for the first 2-3 seconds the car runs fine, then it seems like the EEC sees something going wrong and goes crazy. Sorry for the long post, PLEASE HELP ME! It’s been months since I’ve heard the car run right.
Thanks,
Rod
Ok, here’s the deal folks. Now before anyone says anything about this not being an SC, I know. But there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who may be able to help me. I could really use some suggestions here. I swapped the splitport 3.8L from a 2000 Mustang into my 1994 Thunderbird. I installed DIS and I also used the 4R70W from the mustang. I had the car running, had it dynotuned, and everything was wonderful except that it didn’t have first gear. The car sat for a week before I could work on it. I had decided that the reason I didn’t have first gear was due to the fact that I didn’t repin the transmission connector when I changed transmissions. So without starting the car beforehand, I repined the connector as per the tech article, adjusted the MLPS (transmission range sensor), and cleaned the MAF. I tried to start the car, it would run for about 3 seconds then sputter and die. I tried using a spare MAF, a different MLPS (also adjusted it back to the way it was), tried pinning the transmission connector back the other way, even tried a spare EEC. Nothing changed.
At this point I assumed that the fuel had picked up condensation from sitting. I replaced the fuel pump (with a 190 lph), the filter, the fuel pressure regulator, and blew out the fuel lines. Still didn’t change anything.
This brings me to where I’m at now. Here are the next two things I think it could be:
O2 sensors – I bought the car with blown headgaskets, hence the engine swap. I know that O2 sensors are known to go bad after headgaskets go. I just didn’t think it would be them because it ran fine a week earlier, then all of a sudden it doesn’t.
Vacuum leak – It acts like the fuel injectors are being shut off, or there is a BIG vacuum leak somewhere. It is possible to keep the engine running for a little bit by playing with the throttle, but it pops and runs terribly.
Does anyone see anything that I might be missing? I was also thinking about the IAC. It just doesn’t make any sense that it ran great, then a week later I can’t keep the car running. I’m really thinking that it’s a sensor, because for the first 2-3 seconds the car runs fine, then it seems like the EEC sees something going wrong and goes crazy. Sorry for the long post, PLEASE HELP ME! It’s been months since I’ve heard the car run right.
Thanks,
Rod
Last edited: