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Topic: Rocker adjustment.... (Read 28282 times) previous topic - next topic

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #75 –
I also still have the 180 degree thermostat in. Is that an issue with aluminum heads?
'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..

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #76 –
Nope.  No problem.  I've.thought about using a 170.  I've had a 180 for years.
-- 05 Mustang GT-Whipplecharged !!
--87 5.0 Trick Flow Heads & Intake - Custom Cam - Many other goodies...3100Lbs...Low12's!

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #77 –
For now, I'm planning on installing the fuel pump tomorrow (a friend has it), and then codes, then, we'll see what happens from there. .
'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..

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #78 –
What color is the smoke again?

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #79 –
Quote from: Aerocoupe;439920
What color is the smoke again?

Darren

I'm starting to think all of this is a fueling issue. Fuel pump/regulator/O2 sensor issue. It sounds like the car is running rich as hell. Could be to O2s signaling lean from a vacuum leak or something else. Changing the timing 4* should not cause crazy idle issues. I can go from 10*-18* base on my Thunderbird and the idle doesn't change much at all. With stock programing 18* base is 34* total at WOT. I run 16* on the street and 18* at the track and my car idles fine with no surging. It was 42* outside this morning and the thing fired up fine when I took it for a drive. I can't imagine the cam he's running is so radical that it needs a tune to idle and not run rich.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #80 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;439904
I also still have the 180 degree thermostat in. Is that an issue with aluminum heads?

Nope. Been running a 180* thermostat for years. Car runs a max of 185* in 95* weather with the A/C on.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #81 –
Like I said, the parts I have now, other than the heads, cam and rockers are the same, no issues before. The spark plugs look really clean. like....crazy clean. I'm swapping my fuel pump tomorrow, checking for a vacuum leak and then hopefully I can find SOMETHING that's just plain wrong. I'll also post the cam specs tonight after work.
'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..

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #82 –
I have noticed this week, that when I'm driving, there have been three or four times, but only for a minute, that the car seemed "right". Pulling hard, running great, then, back to the same old issues. Today, I'm going to install a replacement fuel pump first, then, go from there with codes, check the spark plugs, check for vacuum leaks etc. I have waited all week to do this, I wake up and it's 30 degrees. It was in the mid 70's yesterday. So I'm waiting for an hour or so.
'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..

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #83 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;440043
I have noticed this week, that when I'm driving, there have been three or four times, but only for a minute, that the car seemed "right". Pulling hard, running great, then, back to the same old issues. Today, I'm going to install a replacement fuel pump first, then, go from there with codes, check the spark plugs, check for vacuum leaks etc. I have waited all week to do this, I wake up and it's 30 degrees. It was in the mid 70's yesterday. So I'm waiting for an hour or so.

Yeah, those things can be difficult to diagnose. I will be doing the same soon, but my issue was a bit different. The temperature would be similar, but in the morning I would be 1 point leaner than in the evening - EVERY SINGLE DAY. I don't remember the details, but I will be looking for that issue again soon. It happened with stock MAF and Pro-M MAF, so I tried it with a stock tune and 19lb injectors, but had the same issue.

It was difficult to diagnose WITH datalogging all the engine parameters - it could be even impossible without it. All sensors appeared to be reading things correctly. Since the EEC does some cleanup/filtering of signals though, it could be an erratic signal that the EEC has trouble compensating for sometimes. An oscilloscope or logging-multimeter could help pinpoint the issue IF you can consistently reproduce the issue.

I don't remember - do you have a wideband? Just a simple gauge can tell you if you're going lean at times. If the computer is shooting for 11.6:1, a good amount of power exists when the EEC hits 12.5:1 instead - that can account for the power. If it shoots for 12.5:1 but goes over 13:1, the power losses are huge. It doesn't even know there's a problem since the narrowband sensors simply report that the ratio is rich, but they don't know by how much.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #84 –
No wideband. Yesterday, on the way to the UPS STore after work, the car was a little sluggish, popping a couple of times, and it felt like there was a miss a little bit.....Once I got to the UPS STore and did my business, I got in the car and started it, and it was strong and ready to go. Crazy stuff. It's done that to me before. Almost died the other day at a stop light, so I had to keep giving it a little gas to keep the idle up, so I killed it, restarted it, and it ran better. Weird stuff.

No codes yet as I'm crazy busy at work this week. Hopefully very soon.
'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..

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #85 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;440142
No wideband. Yesterday, on the way to the UPS STore after work, the car was a little sluggish, popping a couple of times, and it felt like there was a miss a little bit.....Once I got to the UPS STore and did my business, I got in the car and started it, and it was strong and ready to go. Crazy stuff. It's done that to me before. Almost died the other day at a stop light, so I had to keep giving it a little gas to keep the idle up, so I killed it, restarted it, and it ran better. Weird stuff.

No codes yet as I'm crazy busy at work this week. Hopefully very soon.

How long does it stay running better after a restart? The EEC will be commanding a richer mixture when in open-loop. This mixture will be different than WOT, which is also different than in closed-loop.

Whether EFI or carb, a wideband really is needed to get it dialed in properly. That will reveal a lot.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #86 –
After a restart, it runs better for about a minute or two. Very responsive. It did this about a year and a half ago. Before the heads and cam were all changed. I remember swapping the coil and the ignition module and it was better. Can't remember which one fixed it. Sadly, the car's budget will not allow much right now. So, making the best of it until the budget is higher. I have an NOS ignition module in the garage. I think I'll instll it Friday after work or Saturday mid morning. If it helps, great. If not, one more question answered.

I have no doubt or worries about this, I know it'll eventually get figured out. One day at a time. Thanks guys for your patience. I guess this stuff is why we're here. 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..

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #87 –
The ol' girl is still popping a wee bit through the throttle body, then I turn off the car, restart, good to go.....for two minutes, then same old thing. Codes as soon as I can. I checked hoses, sprays carb cleaner, and can NOT find a vacuum leak. Spark plugs look CLEAN.
'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..

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #88 –
You needs da codes! ;)

Seriously without codes it's hard to guess exactly what is going on. I would stop swapping on parts till you get a chance to read the codes.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Rocker adjustment....

Reply #89 –
I agree. Codes Friday after work.
'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..