Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

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Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

July 15, 2010, 03:13:46 PM

For back story, I made a thread over a year ago about my car giving me problems with hesitation. The thing eventually threw a rod, so I got an engine from a same year t-bird. That engine blew a head gasket a few months in. The head gasket job was never done on that engine before. Now this engine is giving me the same issues.

Car specs:
88 Cougar LS
V6 3.8 (originally in T-Bird)

Codes:
11's KOEO
11 KOER

Specifically the problem is the car hesitates on take off in any gear. I have not taken it up to speed past 20, but after the car gets to speed it runs good. Park or neutral, there is no hesitation and it rev's up fine.

The car is set in perfect time, 10 degree BTC,iIdle is good, 600 RPM in drive, with good fuel pressure. New EEC, new EGR, new 02 sensor, no vacuum leaks, new rotor, new distributor cap, new fuel pump, new fuel filter, new spark plugs and wires, all grounds are connected, new fuel rail off a 92 Cougar (I believe that's the year, but not positive), transmission is rebuilt with maybe 2 miles on it, with clean fluid and brand new torque converter. I've even got videos of the car in idle in park and drive, along with under load:
Idle in park
Idle in gear
With throttle in park

ANY ideas or suggestions that you have I will appreciate. Thanks for reading this much.

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #1 – July 18, 2010, 03:22:20 PM

Hoping this extra info will help someone help me. I found a spot on the wire that goes from the coil to the distributor that was chewed up, so I replaced that and also found a gasket that had a part missing between the plenum and the throttle body. Replaced that also. Neither helped the car run smoother, but now I'm pulling a code 33 on KOER method.

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #2 – July 18, 2010, 03:40:51 PM

How's the fuel pressure (do you have gauge)? How many miles are on the new engine?

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #3 – July 18, 2010, 06:48:45 PM

The new engine is just shy of 140k. It ran perfectly before the head gasket blew but since replacing it, it has been doing this. I do not remember fuel pressure since I checked it after putting in the engine, way before it blew the gasket, and the gauge was borrowed. I do know that when I checked fuel pressure it was good.

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #4 – July 18, 2010, 08:16:42 PM

Are you sure the new head gasket isn't bad already? Did you do a compression test on all cylinders? If one cylinder is off, it might cause a slight miss.

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #5 – July 18, 2010, 10:02:08 PM

I don't have the car here where I'm living, but I will test that as soon as I can. I never thought of that, so thank you for the suggestion.

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #6 – July 19, 2010, 03:06:58 AM

Also, try a cylinder balance test. I would try pulling off the egr and plugging the line. Might try an idle reset. Or maybe unpluging the 02 sensors to see if it runs any different. You could also try unpluging the spout and advancing the timing alittle bit. That kills the computer advance, but would make it harder to start. If the IAC is bad, you can start unplug the IAC, turn up the throttle adjustment screw to raise your idle, and try driving around alittle bit. The car may want to die unless you raise the idle up fairly high. Eventally the computer will try to lower the idle by changing the computer controlled timing, so you would not want to run it this way for a while, just to see if it helps. Try a couple of things like that one at a time. If any of them make the car run any better it might help diagnose the problem. You could also try unpluging all of the vaccum lines one at a time, just make sure you leave the MAP sensor vac line on.

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #7 – July 19, 2010, 09:26:19 PM

A quick exercise in google-fu explained a cylinder balance test, but just to clarify we're talking about the same, here's what I think it is. Unplug the spark plug wire for a cylinder, one at a time, and monitor RPM drops. If they're even, then no problem. For the EGR plug, do you mean the exhaust line, or the vacuum line? The 02 sensor is brand new, but I'll go ahead and unplug it to see what happens. I'll also try the IAC check. Thanks for the suggestions, I'm quickly compiling a list of things to try.

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #8 – July 23, 2010, 01:25:51 AM

Sometimes unplugging a spark plug wire will kill the idle all together. sometimes it wont. My EGR vaccum lines are messed up on my car and it does not function. I have seen no effect watsoever from it. The cylinder balance test actually is a computer controlled function, and after thinking about it, might not work on a CFI motor. I *belive* the test basically turns off the fuel injectors one by one, but I don't know if the 88's v-6 would work with this. Basically after running codes, go WOT, just for a second, don't rev it to the moon or anything. The computer should raise the idle to about 2,000rpm and start the test. You can also run it two more times for a more exact test. Do some reading here, and come back with any questions.

http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/?p=23

There are only a handful of sensors that make the car run. You can actually rule them out or "trick" the computer into not using them. Basically, some sensors have a stock table for what the sensors should read. Some of them the computer can use the stock table to replace what the sensor actually reads.

Here is some reading on sensors.

http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/?p=10

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #9 – July 26, 2010, 08:15:51 PM

Anyone know off the top of their head what fuel pressure is supposed to be at the schrader valve on the fuel rail? Just pulled 34, and that seems low.
Also got pressure at the fuel filter, and pulling 60 there. I'm guessing there's something fouled up with the pressure regulator on the rail.

Same problems with a new(ish) engine (Long post)

Reply #10 – August 01, 2010, 07:42:49 PM

Just replaced the fuel pressure regulator, and tested the IAC valve. IAC is good, and the pressure regulator didn't change anything. Found out that pressure is supposed to be 39, but I'm pulling 34 at the rail, and 60 at the filter. Still pulling 11's as codes. I have not done a pressure test yet, but I'm thinking that's the next step. If it keeps this up I might have to move to the dark side, and buy a chevy.