1990 Ford Mustang 1990 Mustang Itermittent Stalling

Tiny
JAY.ALFORD.1
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 FORD MUSTANG
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 66,600 MILES
I have a modified 1990 Mustang GT, (cold air, performance pcm, 24lb injectors) The problem I am having is an intermittent stalling issue. In gear, the engine sputters, stumbles, then dies. When I go to restart the engine, I usually have an electrical "crackling" sound coming from under my intake manifold and my tachometer needle bounces up and down. I have so far replaced the entire distributor, including the TFI module and plug wires. I put a pressure guage on the fuel line and have 32psi at start up and during operation, but a loss in pressure (10-12 psi over the course of about 15-20 seconds) when the key is out of the ingition. I have also replaced the fuel pump relay and fuel pump. I've also checked my grounds and my igntion switch. Today, when it died, I had a large amount of white smoke come out of the exhaust before it turned over and it was struggling to continue running for a few seconds. Then it settled down and ran well enough to get me the mile or so back to the house. Any ideas?
Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 AT 6:48 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Try checking for vacuum leaks, get a can of spray throttle body cleaner, spray around vacuum lines and egr vac supply hose, if the engine idle changes, you found a leak, the other problem could be the idle air control valve, it's bolted to the throttle body. When the white smoke comes out of your tailpipe, is the engine dieseling?
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Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 AT 7:27 PM
Tiny
JAY.ALFORD.1
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Yes, it is dieseling when the smoke comes out I've already replaced the IAC. Initially, I was thinking it may have been a vacuum leak, but where is the bouncing tachometer needle and the top end electrical noise coming from? Thanks for the reply, let's see if we can't fix this mofo :)
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Sunday, October 24th, 2010 AT 12:02 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Have a look where the PCV plugs in at the back of the motor, the rubber base gasket dries and shrinks allowing air in and sometimes oil out, replace the gasket there. The other thing is you may need to remove the upper intake and decarbon trhe EGR and ports, then get an engine decarbon treatment and use that. Dieseling is a sign of built up carbon. And possibly the timing too far advanced. Dont forget to remove the negative battery cable for a few minutes after you do the repairs, Ford's Keep alive memory will not know the repairs are done and will use the old parameters it has learned!
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Monday, October 25th, 2010 AT 10:27 AM
Tiny
JAY.ALFORD.1
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Awesome, sounds like a good place to start! I'll be at the garage this weekend, so after I get started, I'll be on here with whatever findings I have. Thanks!
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Monday, October 25th, 2010 AT 11:35 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
How did we make out Jay?
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Sunday, October 31st, 2010 AT 11:02 AM

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