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Topic: blown ler (Read 1609 times) previous topic - next topic

blown ler

well, my ler blew up due to backfire, how do i put on a new one? any tips?

blown ler

Reply #1 –
Take it down to a ler shop,install a new dual exhaust,pay the man,leave happy.It's easier to have a shop do it and weld everything up nice and secure.I hate clamps.That is my suggestion.Otherwise,if you insist on doing it yourself,go down to the parts store,buy a ler that fits your exhaust pipe and is the right offset and length,cut the other ler off,hope that your exhaust pipe isn't rusted,fit the new ler in,clamp it down.Generally,one can get a decent exhaust for $200.00 (aropund here you can).The cost goes up with higher quality lers,different tip options,etc.But a basic system is fairly affordable.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

blown ler

Reply #2 –
If you have a torch heat the connections up real red and wiggle the pipe or ler off.
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

blown ler

Reply #3 –
First, find out why it backfired, then fix it. Otherwise you'll just blow the new one up. I know this from experience :hick:

In my case it was the '85 T-Bird (V6 carbureted). The anti-backfire valve in the smog pump system didn't do its job. I was in the passing lane on a four-lane highway going around a slower car and came to a turn so I let off on the gas. The moment I did the car backfired and blew the ler up. While I was right next to the car I was passing. It almost went in the ditch (probably thought I was shooting at 'em). For a few days I had a blast driving around with my still-intact-but-very-bent ler whose baffles had been blown out. I quickly learned how to make it backfire on command (short burst of WOT, followed by sudden lift of the gas pedal = BANG). I then decided to trade the car in on the 1991, so I got a new ler (under the lifetime warranty). Accidentally blew the new one up on the way to the Ford dealer. Luckily the dealership only intended on sending the car to auction (the car was 8 years old and had 270k miles on it at the time), so they didn't deduct from the trade in.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

blown ler

Reply #4 –
thats exactly what mine does, a quick press of the gas and release, backfire, mines a CFI 87 3.8

blown ler

Reply #5 –
oh yes, how effective would seafoam be on this engine? i see a vacuum line tap, would i use the hose that goes under the air filter box?

blown ler

Reply #6 –
if you want to wake that 3.8 up a whole lot more,, delete the smog system, gut the fuel injector screens, and tune in your tps.  Also adjust your fuel presure regulator 1/2 turn.

the smog can be completely removed off the 87 3.8 but you gotta use another belt.

see my diy link for all related vac lines that need cap'd off as well as cleaning up the CFI base plate / EGR .  There is a gold pcv fitting on the rear driver side of the CFI that cloggs up with carbon which ends up restricting EGR flow,, this causes problems elsewhere.  Another thing to check is when your motor is hot, remove the belt and spin the smog pump by hand to see if its binding any.  If you do delete the smog, just pinch off the pipe tubing on the y pipe so you dont have an exhaust leak.

A better swap would be to hunt down a v8 cfi motor and realize that those get more air in to your runners.  You can not use the injectors on that CFI so you will need to swap in your green top injectors.

Ive said a lot here, all this depends on your tools and time and talent.

blown ler

Reply #7 –
Hehehe mine pops backfires through the pipes just letting off the gas, especially in the 45-50 MPH range before overdrive kicks in. Of course my car doesnt "coast" either, its like driving a stick and letting of the gas but leaving the clutch pedal out. Mine is also an 87 3.8 CFI.
85 Tbird 5.0
78 F150 351w
13 F150 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost

blown ler

Reply #8 –
Hoopticat & 88Foxbird, I am real curious about how that backfiring can happen.
Do me a favor and check how long the fuel pump runs when you put the ignition in RUN without starting the car.
Does it run for one or two seconds or does it run continuously.

blown ler

Reply #9 –
it happens when you get too much gas in the cylinders and exhaust. Generally the only time I've had it happen to me is when my cats were bad/nonexistent and when I had one or more cylinders not firing correctly or at all. after you floor it the gas gets thrown into the exhaust and when you let off the gas ignites from the heat from the other cylinders.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

blown ler

Reply #10 –
Quote from: softtouch;245354
Hoopticat & 88Foxbird, I am real curious about how that backfiring can happen.
Do me a favor and check how long the fuel pump runs when you put the ignition in RUN without starting the car.
Does it run for one or two seconds or does it run continuously.

It runs for the usual couple seconds. I think my car has other issues besides the occasional overfueling. Every once in awhile on a warm restart it has trouble strarting and I have to pump the gas alittle for it to fire, and when it does I get black smoke out the pipes for a sec. Also the car doesnt coast so think the trans may have an issue.
85 Tbird 5.0
78 F150 351w
13 F150 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost

blown ler

Reply #11 –
you should never have to give a fuel injected car gas to start.

your probably dealing with an illusion because when you give it gas, your opening the throttle plates more for air.
Since your stepping on the gas, the tps voltage is higher to.

the lack of the car feeling like it can coast could be throttle plate position as well.

Id suspect someone has been adjusting the idle control motor assmembly on the cfi driver side and has it out of wack.

I think you should start a check list, that is if your keeping the car.  Sorta like cleaning house so to speak.  there really is only three things that need looked at,,fuel , spark , air.

start with a fuel pres test.  You should have 40psi at the shrader valve on the driver side upper part of the CFI.  You could load test the fuel pump by driving with the fuel presure tester taped to your windshield.  Observe the lowest reading while your transmission is switching gears.

Next, get rid of those old fuel injector screens.

there is so much to say but thats a good start,, lots of good stuff on 3.8's in my diy.


You might want to take time to pull any codes as well


and just for your information,,, if you ever need a gallon or two of gas, that motor is excellent for doing so.
Just find your eec code connector on the driver strut tower (triangleish shaped with 6 pins. 
Find the tan/light green wire
jumper that wire directly to your car chassiis ground somewhere.
unhook the CFI fuel feed line on the rear pass side.
loop that line into your gas can
turn your key on
and gas will continue to flow until you unhook the jumper wire or turn off the key.

blown ler

Reply #12 –
I havent touched a thing on the motor apart from when I did the oil change. When I have problems with it starting(which is rare), it would not start at all unless I pumped the gas a little while cranking and then it would fire up and puff black for a sec. Do you think the IAC needs replaced?

Also on the coast issue. I dont know if I explained it right but its like when your driving a stick and you let off the gas but dont push the clutch in and use the engine to slow you down. It seems more like the trans isnt disengaging (for lack of a better description) than a throttle issue but I could be wrong.

All I care is the motor lasts until the Ranger is back on the road and then the bird will sit until spring. Hopefully I will figure out what to do with it by then.
85 Tbird 5.0
78 F150 351w
13 F150 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost

blown ler

Reply #13 –
if you have an 87 engine,, you dont have an IAC.

Good explaination on the transmission drag.  Sounds like your not getting into overdrive.

There is a rod that goes from the CFI linkage down to the transmission.  there is a plastic grommet that the rod snaps on at the CFI which could be worn out but if it were, it would likely fall right off.

there are the same type of plastic grommets on your shifter linkages under your brake booster.  its a complicated labrynth of thingamabobs that make the shifting happen and if just one of the plastic parts is gone down there, you wont hit overdrive correctly.

blown ler

Reply #14 –
im kinda confused on your car,,
you say its an 87 but i see you have the turbo coupe nose and a primer hood.

if it were an 87 3.8L CFI engine, you would not have that stuff.

Is this motor out of an 88?  swapped in?