3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? October 25, 2004, 10:30:56 AM This is a weird problem that's been killing my gas mileage (down to 14mpg!!)I had Autozone check the engine codes and I have no faults.during warmup in the morning and when I good the accel in park, I blow out a ton of black smoke. Car also starts to sputter on right turns while driving, not starting out in a turn.Anybody have any ideas? Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #1 – October 26, 2004, 10:03:00 PM now this is just too freaking funny.,,,, maybe your car and mine share the same DNA or something,, i dono. i have the very same problem,, bucks in a right hand curve and recently started doing it in the left hand curves as well. Trust me on this,, i will post what i find after my new rack / pinion is finished.It was suggested to me that my power steering pump might be the issue. Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #2 – October 27, 2004, 02:23:31 AM Quote from: jcassitynow this is just too freaking funny.,,,, maybe your car and mine share the same DNA or something,, i dono. i have the very same problem,, bucks in a right hand curve and recently started doing it in the left hand curves as well. Trust me on this,, i will post what i find after my new rack / pinion is finished.It was suggested to me that my power steering pump might be the issue.I think that you could test the power steering pump by unplugging the vacum hose. also has anyone else had the stupid litte vacum(I cannot spell) distribution thingy on the drivers side firewall break off? My other cougar lost power brakes, and power steering at the same time, couldnt figure out what it was. Popped the hood and found the vacum line in to be broken off. I went over to my other car to use that one, and it didnt even have one. I think I found the problem with my brakes. Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #3 – October 27, 2004, 06:57:53 AM power steering isnt vacume operated Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #4 – October 27, 2004, 08:09:15 AM Quote from: TimMundyThis is a weird problem that's been killing my gas mileage (down to 14mpg!!)I had Autozone check the engine codes and I have no faults.during warmup in the morning and when I good the accel in park, I blow out a ton of black smoke. Car also starts to sputter on right turns while driving, not starting out in a turn.Anybody have any ideas?What year is your Bird?? If its a '88 I'd be real suspect of the fuel pressure regulator. The diaphram is subject to leaking and extra fuel being drawn into the engine through the vaccum attched to it.The sputter on right turns thing sounds like an electrical problem of some type though. Just how did AZ check the codes?? Engine on, off or both?? Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #5 – October 27, 2004, 02:47:59 PM Quote from: Tbird232cipower steering isnt vacume operatedhmmm.... Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #6 – October 29, 2004, 04:06:02 PM actually, I just replaced the Vacuum solenoid assembly. Was getting a code 84 and replacing that fixed it. Too funny, maybe all of our cars are from the same Father. (Satan???) Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #7 – October 29, 2004, 04:07:58 PM I had both Authzone and Advanced auto both test it with engine on and off. Was getting an error 84, then after replacing the vacuum solenoid (purge) the codes are gone but my sputtering on corners and py mileage are still there. Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #8 – October 29, 2004, 05:05:48 PM My 3.8L 1987 Thunderbird also used to sputter on right hand... and sometimes left hand turns. It went away after replacing the plugs/wires/rotor/cap during a tune-up. Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #9 – October 31, 2004, 09:01:26 PM found something interesting.i just removed my inertia switch and gator cliped leads to it with my meter on the BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP setting.when i would lean the inerta switch sideways or simulate G forces to it,, i would loose continuity somewhat. I knocked the side of it pretty hard to activate the cuttoff and reset it quite a few times. it appears that the darn thing just might have needed to be actuated due to bad contacts maybe.im driving with the inertia switch bypassed for tomorrow ,, we will see what happens. btw, my tune up is fresh.does anyone know if a badly worn out rear end might cause this problem? the engine or car feels like it jerks and stumbles,,, im thinking that in curves, the gears being worn might let one tire spin faster than the other.have i hijacked this thread yet? i dont mean to be an btw tom,, MAP sensor connection has continuity, tps is smooth, vac pres holds at 18 when warm and cycles to near 3-5 psi during acceleration then levels off to about 18 when load is not on the engine. Fuel presure holds real well with no movement at all even under a WOT condition. I shut the car off and three hours later my f/p reads 8 pounds less than with the motor running.Im calling my transmission guru and inquire to her about the possibility of the problem being in there (fluid sloshing around and whatnot). If its a wire harness somewhere, ill probably never find it. Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #10 – November 02, 2004, 05:37:04 PM MIne's a fresh tuneup. Where in the hell is the inertia switch?I'm thinking it could possibly be a catalytic converter problem but I'll try cheaper fixes first?where might I find this inertia switch? Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #11 – November 02, 2004, 07:34:20 PM Inertia switch should be in the trunk behind the back panel next to the driverside taillight (i don't guarentee that). Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #12 – November 02, 2004, 07:52:56 PM or located ****according the the haynes**** up under the speaker deck on the driver side. Never found any tbird or coug like that. I drove with my inertia switch bypassed and that was not the problem.....but,,,,,,,i just might be on to something here with another gizmo that is vac related which resides right behind my dashboard directly up from the gas pedal. ill save any bragging rights till tomorrow afternoon. :dunno: :) Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #13 – November 04, 2004, 06:23:45 PM ok timproblem still not solved for me but i am still working on it.my oil needs changed so while im fooling around, im gonna double check my fuel pump wiring harness to see if there is any floppyness/rubbing going on.afterall,, i did change my fuel pump not too very long ago. Quote Selected
Re: 3.8 T-Bird, Running Rich, sputters on right turns??? Reply #14 – November 07, 2004, 10:41:10 AM Mother of God.INERTIA SWITCH.I taped down the button, and it solved the sputtering problem instantly.mine is indeed located by the taillights. I couldn't even find the ed thing in the Haynes manual for my car. Go Figure Quote Selected
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