FTI cam idle problems

[Rootus]

if your cam is going to have 111 lsa then you are going to need that tweecer

Yes indeed. You can keep it running, but you'll have to keep your foot on the gas. Probably have to adjust the throttle stop to keep the idle high.

Dave

 

[red94fiveo]

Throw the stock FPR back on it???? Got nothing to lose...that will atleast give you an idea. will take all of 5 minutes....

I may try this. However, I think that by the next time I have a chance to work on it I will have the FP gauge anyway.

 

[red94fiveo]

OK, something I forgot to add that is really wierd. The car will start up OK the first time, but after that if its been running and dies, to get it to start again, you have to pump the gas pedal like a carbed car. WTF???

 

[mo_dingo]

I agree with the posts above. You need to see what kind of a/f ratio you have. Pull the spark plugs, and see what they look like. My guess is they are extremely black or white. Whatever the case, you will need a new chip or tweecer to maintain proper a/f ratios and timing.

My guess is a custom chip will solve your problems. The car is stalling because it doesn't have enough inertia to remain in motion. The power attained from each cylinder explosion isn't enough to maintain proper idle. Power = correct a/f ratio.

#1 Golden Rule For 5.0 Mustangs - A cam with a LSA less than 114* will cause problems w/o a custom tune. If ED sold you this cam w/o telling you that a custom tune was necessary, then

#2 Golden Rule For 5.0 Mustangs - Power is much more important than "bling". You have this one down, now go back to #1 to complete the circle.
Scott
Scott

 

[red94fiveo]

Mo - I agree , however, this feels like a big enough problem that it leads me to believe theres something other than no tune wrong. When I step on the gas, it does nothing, the motor sound fine, but I just don't pick up revs or go anywhere. I am starting to wonder if this is not a fuel relatec problem. But anyway, I'll hopefully get a chip or tweecer pretty soon. I'm also gonna call Ed and talk to him tomorrow.

 

[tmoss]

If you have to floor the gas, that cuts off the injectors while cranking and leads us to believe as stated previously that your running rich - that would also explain the lack of power - pig rich. Do you see any carbon out the tail pipe's. Check the plugs yet?

 

[Killercanary]

I agree with Tom. With the twEECer/EEC tuner you can cut fuel pulse width over the time that you continue to crank the motor over. I had this problem and fixed it in a matter of a few key strokes. You said it now dies after its warmed up, this is what MOST people experience with the "surge and die" syndrome. Normally the car will hunt for an idle when first started, and then be fine once it has it, then after a few miles/minutes of driving and warming up the problems comes back. Ed's good at telling everyone that they will more than likely need a tuning devise when he sells his cams. I've said it before and I'll say it again.... you have to treat a cam swap in a '94-'95 like a head swap. To swap heads you need some additional parts like head bolts and gaskets... a cam swap should be thought of in the same way in our cars. If you want to put a cam in, you need to supporting goods like a tuning devise. Just make up your mind that these two go hand in hand.

Mark, before I did anything else, CALL ED. I know he's really busy right now with the spring opener in florida (he may already be there) though.

Oh, and I adjusted the idle screw on my TB, and now the car will idle pretty well, it doesn't die!

So bumping the idle with the idle screw didn't work huh???


JFYI- my LSA is 110*


Mark- send me an email at [email protected]

 

[YEAHLOH95]

paul i drove my car that whole year then tuned it with you guys at kauffmans so the bumped up idle worked for me but like i said my cam is a 114 so i think that helped produce enough vacuum to idle ok i still get surging every now an then when it's cold . and yeah toms car did not like th e cam at all he needs to change that ! or get a tweecer !

 

[red94fiveo]

Paul - I will be shooting you an email this afternoon, thanks.

I am going home today and will check the plugs. I will probably take some pics and post them.

 

[final5-0]

Mark

I gotta agree with you about it not being, just tuning.

Have you put the stock fpr back on to see what happens?

Later
Grady

 

[autoXr1]

I know I'm chiming in a little late, but I ended up setting my idle at around 950RPM. Below that, it would get unstable. I purchased a FMS idle air adjustment plate so that I could back off on my throttle adjustment screw. My beast likes a lot of fuel, too. 30# injectors @ 44-46psi. Give it what it wants to stabilize the idle. Then, get it dyno tuned and the computer's fuel and ignition curves remapped.

 

[red94fiveo]

Mark

I gotta agree with you about it not being, just tuning.

Have you put the stock fpr back on to see what happens?

Later
Grady

Update: I just did three things. First I pulled the plugs. No.4 & 5 Looked a little rich but nothing terrible. I will post the pcis later tonight. I drove it after that and it was the same.

Next, I put the MSD Digital 6+ box that I just got back from MSD on the the car and hooked it up. I then drove the car and it seems a little better, but still terrible.

Finally, I switched out my AFPR for the stock FPR on and then drove the car. Once again, no change. I forgot to call Ed today, so I am going to email him and then call him tomorrow. I am just at a loss right now.

The engine and everything sounds fine, it just doesn't go anywhere.

 

[final5-0]

Mark

You are running the correct plugs in the AFR's. *** Right?

I saw that happen once.

The plug did not extend deep enough into the chamber and it ran, but ran bad.

Later
Grady

 

[red94fiveo]

Running Autolite 3924's, that seems to be the concensus plug for the AFR's. Here is a pic of my spark plugs:

Plugs have seen maybe 1 hour of run time.

1 thru 8 left to right

 

[zenboy99]

FYI, I've been trying to contact Ed Curtis all week to get a cam, he might be out of town.

 

[Rootus]

From what I can see in that pic, the plugs look fine. (and yes, 3924's are the correct plug for the AFR's -- I run them, and they're recommended by AFR)

 

[yellow1995Cobra]

From what ive read, the main problem is when you step on it, it Does NOT pick up revs? That deff isnt a tuning issue.

What would happen if the cam was 180 off, anyone know? When you degreed it in, did you feel confident that it was done correctly?

 

[Rootus]

What would happen if the cam was 180 off, anyone know?

If I understand what you mean by "180 off", I don't think it's possible. The cam is in control of valve timing, so it can't be out of phase. If it were retarded or advanced enough, I could see some mechanical "difficulties" (read: conflict of interest between the valves and pistons... ).

Dave

 

[GTJake]

Maybe the cam is severly retarted... That would explain a lack luster low end.

Jake

 

[red94fiveo]

I think what he is meaning is that the cam is 180* from where is should be when the distributor is set to fire on the #1 cylinder. Eg- #1 is at TDC, but its on the wrong stroke. I think that makes sense..... Anyway thats, not the case. And dave, we don't even need to joke about conflict of interest between valves and pistons, at the rate things are going for me thats not funny! j/k