My Problem is now 10X worse

[Venom351R]

For the past month Ive been dealing w/ a mysterious electrical issue where the car would break up when at 4,000 RPM's. It would not do it as bad when cold, it would pull to redline but once it warmed up it would hit a brick wall and fall flat on its face at 4,000 RPMS or slightly before. Tried a different coil, put new park plug wires on, check the Spark plugs, tested the TPS, Tried a new TFI, cleaned the brass connections on the cap, nothing would work. As a final effort I decided to try a new ECU.

Tonight pulled the car out of the garage it was running fine. I put the ECU in which I bought that came out of 95 Cobra. The car started up and ran for about 3-4 seconds and would just die. I tried my original computer and it did the same exact thing. It does it w/ my SCT chip in and out and with both ECU's. I just dont get it, it was running fine this whole time (just not above 4,000 RPM's) but now the car will not even stay running. Im really at a loss for what to do now.

 

[Chythar]

Don't know the history on this issue but have you tried a new distributor? This sounds like a classic PIP issue, especially since it sounds heat-related. Might be worth buying a re-manufactured dizzy as a test; if it doesn't work, just return it.

 

[Venom351R]

that was my next step but I cant do that now until I figure out why it wont stay running at all

 

[blksn955.o]

What about the TFI? Those cause all kinds of issues as well.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

I'm wondering if you don't have a bad ECT, or ACT sensor giving false readings to the EEC. I have a picture at home that I pulled out of a .pdf that shows the resistance values of them both as the temperature increases, so you could ohm them out to see. Unfortunately, I won't be there until about this time tomorrow morning to post it for you. JT or jrichker probably have that info if you try to shoot either one a PM.

 

[Venom351R]

What about the TFI? Those cause all kinds of issues as well.

Tried that, not the issue.

I'm wondering if you don't have a bad ECT, or ACT sensor giving false readings to the EEC. I have a picture at home that I pulled out of a .pdf that shows the resistance values of them both as the temperature increases, so you could ohm them out to see. Unfortunately, I won't be there until about this time tomorrow morning to post it for you. JT or jrichker probably have that info if you try to shoot either one a PM.

That would be fine if you can post that here tomorrow. What I dont get though is if that is the issue why would it all of a sudden cause the car to not run but only for a few seconds and then die? Ive been dealing w/ this stumble at 4,000 RPM's for a month now but would removing the ECU be the final straw as far as things getting really messed up?

 

[Chythar]

that was my next step but I cant do that now until I figure out why it wont stay running at all

The PIP tells the computer a ton of things - read this article for a detailed description of how the PIP works. If the PIP has failed completely your engine will not run, which is what you are experiencing.

I can't make you do it, but I strongly recommend you replace your distributor now.

 

[revhead347]

Your distributer took a ****.

Kurt

 

[HISSIN50]

Once it dies, will it not restart? If not, check spark and injector pulsing. Takes two minutes to check both.

 

[Venom351R]

it does restart once it dies, it has no problems cranking over or starting up or starting up again once it does die. I will try a new dizzy and see where that gets me.

The thing that's odd though is that it started up fine when I pulled it out of the garage but once I swapped computers it all went to crap, just coincidence perhaps?

 

[95Vert383AOD]

Buy a new PIP don't replace the whole dizzy.....mark the shaft (where it lines up on the block and the relation to the rotor and bowl.) (also mark the gear on the shaft) and use a pick and a vise to tap out the roll pins. Slide the haft out and change the PIP....Re grease and reassemble. I can't justify a whole new distributor. Also get the PIP made for the 94/95 cobra and 351.

If you wanna go bling bling and get a msd distributor i hear the pip that they ship with isn't all that hot. So you may have to manually change it anyways. (see above)

Chris

 

[99FiveOh]

And be sure to get the PIP sensor for Napa for the dealer. I went through 3 of them before getting a good one (one from Advanced, one from Autozone and finally napa). I believe the discount parts houses got lots of "bad" PIP sensors made by the same company, NAPA has someone else make their sensors so I knew it would work.

And do not get a reman'd dizzy, they usually test the PIP sensor and if it passes, they'll reuse it. Problem with that is, most of the time PIP sensors fail at high engine temps, but when they cool off they're fine, and when they get tested at the reman' facility, they'll pass because they're not heated up.

 

[95Vert383AOD]

And be sure to get the PIP sensor for Napa for the dealer. I went through 3 of them before getting a good one (one from Advanced, one from Autozone and finally napa). I believe the discount parts houses got lots of "bad" PIP sensors made by the same company, NAPA has someone else make their sensors so I knew it would work.

And do not get a reman'd dizzy, they usually test the PIP sensor and if it passes, they'll reuse it. Problem with that is, most of the time PIP sensors fail at high engine temps, but when they cool off they're fine, and when they get tested at the reman' facility, they'll pass because they're not heated up.

Hey mine was made by "Standard" i believe. Do you have any manufacturing information for the NAPA piece?

Chris

 

[99FiveOh]

Not sure on the Napa reman'd dizzies, but since they have a reputation to protect for having good parts, i wouldn't hesitate to buy a reman from them, so long as it's not reman'd by the same company.

 

[Pokageek]

BTW, I had a similar problem Red. My distr was chewing itself up (the gear) on the cam shaft and finally took a dump while I was going up hill in traffic...

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Here's the pictures I was talking about before. I'm also adding the .pdf I found a while back, since it goes over the testing procedure for the ACT and ECT.

http://www.usnaaaa.com/pingisgone.pdf

 

[revhead347]

Buy a new PIP don't replace the whole dizzy.....mark the shaft (where it lines up on the block and the relation to the rotor and bowl.) (also mark the gear on the shaft) and use a pick and a vise to tap out the roll pins. Slide the haft out and change the PIP....Re grease and reassemble. I can't justify a whole new distributor. Also get the PIP made for the 94/95 cobra and 351.

If you wanna go bling bling and get a msd distributor i hear the pip that they ship with isn't all that hot. So you may have to manually change it anyways. (see above)

Chris

Usually I would agree with that. But in this case I would always consider just replacing the whole distributer. If the PIP failed, the bearings probably aren't too far behind. I think a whole distributer runs about $100 at the parts store.

Kurt

 

[HISSIN50]

These dizzies dont have bearings.

 

[str8stang036]

Did you check the DBX meter?
What plugs were you using?
Check vacuum leaks, sounds weird but you never know.

 

[Venom351R]

Did you check the DBX meter?
What plugs were you using?
Check vacuum leaks, sounds weird but you never know.

I just had the meter out not long ago, its not dirty. Im using autolite 3924's put in a year ago almost exactly.

Thanks for the graphs!