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89 Mustang 4 cylinder ?'s


KlubFoot

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I bought an 89 Mustang LX hatch 4 cylinder to use as a daily driver. The car definitely needs some help, but I'm trying to get it figured out. I've already replaced plugs, wires, and cap and rotor. Used some oil cleaner, changed the oil, and replaced it with a quart of engine reconditioner and high mileage oil. I also put in some fuel additive to clean the injectors. The car runs a little better, and idles correctly now, but there is still an obvious problem.

 

First of all, the car came with a 1 and 3/4" header and a 2 1/2" straight pipe. The car also has a rubber short ram intake with a large cone filter sitting right over top of the header. Obviously this is quite overkill for the car, but my main concern is that there is no MAS or o2 sensors. The car has nothing monitering the airflow or exhaust. The car runs extrememly rich (smells like straight gasoline out the tailpipe). I'm in the process of replacing the exhaust with a stock manifold, downpipe, cats and a new catback. What are the issues I'm looking at though to get this thing running correctly if the motor is sound? If I replace the o2 sensors how much will that help? What can I do to monitor the fuel injection? Any ideas or suggestions will help! Thanks.

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Guest Spoiler71
By actually putting the correct sensors back in place the car will fuel properly. If these parts were not nessary to the cars operation Ford would have saved the money and not used them.
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Alright, I've got the stock exhaust on... manifold back. The only thing is the EGR air tube is not hooked up. I'm having a new problem now too. When you first start the car it seems to run fine. It'll run good until it gets warmed up, and then it starts bogging out and not getting any power... kinda feels like a fuel cut. Also, if you turn the car off and start it right back up, it runs great again for like 2 minutes, then you have to restart it again, and it'll run fine. Also, when it's doing this bogging, it smells like straight fuel. So I don't understand it. What would the affects be over over gaping a set of plugs? What would be going on if the coil wasn't functioning properly? Could this actually be a fuel cut and still smell like gasoline when it's non proper? I really want to break down and take this thing to a shop, but I feel like I'm oh so close at getting this back together by myself.
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put the Maf back on it, Fords don't run right with out it...

That or the CT sensor took a shit and it's dumping fuel..

Is the O2 sensor hooked up? sounds like once it hits closed loop, it takes a shit.

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IIRC the mustang went MAF from VAM in 89 when they went to dual plug heads , there should not be a map sensor

 

if the EGR is not hooked up then delete it, remove the EGR tube from the manifold to the intake and plug the holes (the upper intake will require you to make a block off plate, extremely easy if you have any kind of skills) if after idling for a few minutes and it acts normal then so be it, if it continues to start to rough idle like you say then you probably either have a problem with your O2 and or computer, either one is cheap to fix (new sensor or a new computer, computers can be had from junkyards for cheap)

 

remember the EGR only operates at part throttle, so if its effecting idle then the diaphram in it is more then likely shot, removing it and blocking it off will help that issue at idle and WOT, but in all my years messing with the 2.3's ive never had a problem with part throttle ping with the EGR not hooked up

 

start with the basics listed here already and go from there, then report back with problems

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