Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: May have found the rough idle issue..... (Read 1832 times) previous topic - next topic

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Alright...some time ago, I stated that I had a hard time starting the Sport, and a rough idle in the morning til I got to driving.

This morning, The Sport wouldn't even start at all. Finally, I had to go, so I took the Maxima, and did what I had to do. I was guessing the ignition module. Had that issue last year. I was prepared to pull the distributor. I pulled the wires, pulled the cap, and hey....what's this? The end of the rotor is...GONE !!! Like it melted and broke. I was sure I checked that a couple of weeks ago....maybe not. Anyway, I went down town, got the MSD cap and rotor kit and installed it. The Sport started fine, but I haven't had a chance to test drive it. I will later today and will report the difference. Anyway, thought I'd share my morning.
'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..

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #1 –
Reminds me of when I put the engine back in the 'Bird this past Spring...when I was lifting it and the T5 up, I had a come-along rigged up on the hoist to get the engine/trans to angle down so I could stab the tail shaft down in the trans. tunnel..apparently I tilted it a hair too far, and pushed in one of the plug wire towers on the distributor, and didn't know it....till it came time to start it. Had a no-start, but spark at the coil and none at plugs. Checked the distributor, and that's when I saw the busted tower. Pulled cap, and it had sheared off the little nipple that aligns the rotor to the shaft. Had some extras saved up, so all was well a couple of minutes later.

Hopefully the new goodies get yours running better :)
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #3 –
i'll know shortly. Right now I'm still driving the Maxima (easier to get out of the driveway). I'll test the Sport later and see how she does.
'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..

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #4 –
Haha, I too have a Thunderbird and a Maxima. Are you ever on maxima.org?

turbo charged 94 Cobra engine/440cc injectors/megasquirt /5 speed swapped (T5)/maxbox upper intake/70mm PP throttle body/AJE coilovers/2003 Mustang control arms/S.T. sway bars/ES rear control arm bushings/11" brake conversion/manual rack conversion/8.8 TC rear with rear discs and a welded diff/3.73 gears/PLX wideband/199mph speedometer/Aeromotive FPR/CNC hydraulic hand brake/cobra R wheels/....ect.

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #5 –
Hmmmm, good question. I joined a Maxima site last year, looked around a bit, and asked a few questions, then never went back. Not as comfortable as this place, plus, the Max is primarily my wife's car.
'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..

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #6 –
Yeah, i know what you mean. There is some great info and some really intelligent people on there if you can weed through the bs though.

turbo charged 94 Cobra engine/440cc injectors/megasquirt /5 speed swapped (T5)/maxbox upper intake/70mm PP throttle body/AJE coilovers/2003 Mustang control arms/S.T. sway bars/ES rear control arm bushings/11" brake conversion/manual rack conversion/8.8 TC rear with rear discs and a welded diff/3.73 gears/PLX wideband/199mph speedometer/Aeromotive FPR/CNC hydraulic hand brake/cobra R wheels/....ect.

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #7 –
I don't like weeding.LOL.
'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..

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #8 –
Quote
Better a rotor than a coil pack though

Reasons why my Mustang stays garaged...
-- 05 Mustang GT-Whipplecharged !!
--87 5.0 Trick Flow Heads & Intake - Custom Cam - Many other goodies...3100Lbs...Low12's!

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #9 –
Well, not that a newer part can't go bad, but I installed a new MSD coil last year, and the MSD cap and rotor kit today. I STILL haven't had a chance to test drive the car since the cap and rotor swap, but I have to go to work in the morning, so, I'll find out and report in if there's any difference...or not.
'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..

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #10 –
I've heard of people having issues with MSD coils, including myself. Mine was leaking voltage through the plastic case and arcing to the chassis.

turbo charged 94 Cobra engine/440cc injectors/megasquirt /5 speed swapped (T5)/maxbox upper intake/70mm PP throttle body/AJE coilovers/2003 Mustang control arms/S.T. sway bars/ES rear control arm bushings/11" brake conversion/manual rack conversion/8.8 TC rear with rear discs and a welded diff/3.73 gears/PLX wideband/199mph speedometer/Aeromotive FPR/CNC hydraulic hand brake/cobra R wheels/....ect.

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #11 –
The Sport is running a lot better. I think I need a new clutch though.
'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..

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #12 –
Just bought a set of hardened push rods today. They should be here next week.
'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..

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #13 –
You still swapping the cam back to stock?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

May have found the rough idle issue.....

Reply #14 –
Not yet. No time right now. Gotta get settled in to the new job and get through this "never know what the weather is going to do from hour to hour" weather over with.
'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..