urbex Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 I guess that's true. So, if it's running lean, wouldn't it mean I'm using less fuel in the long run? Maybe I should just leave it be then!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Fury Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Except the fact that running too lean can ruin your engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Except the fact that running too lean can ruin your engine Well it's not lean enough to throw a code, so it can't be too bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Powered Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 always check spark plugs first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 always check spark plugs first. Fuck that. I want to check them last, that way you KNOW that'll be the issue (since I didn't check them first) and it'll be an easy fix! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Powered Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 learned that lesson with the red tgp. the motor has a bunch of new parts on it now so thats cool. I will apply my own advice to the 88 now that its got the big 6 wiring update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thikstik Posted September 16, 2011 Report Share Posted September 16, 2011 Have you tried flooring it when it surges? Actually a surge is really the opposite of a sag, so can u say if it ever sags? If so, floor it during sag and see if it really seems like a lean dog. Hows vac line to pressure reg? How are other vac lines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2011 Have you tried flooring it when it surges? Actually a surge is really the opposite of a sag, so can u say if it ever sags? If so, floor it during sag and see if it really seems like a lean dog. Hows vac line to pressure reg? How are other vac lines? If I floor it, it'll keep surging for a second but then go away. I've tried my best to look at all the vac lines, and they all appear to be good, but that doesn't mean much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 I did try searching for vac leaks with a can of carb cleaner, but no luck... I do know that my car is running lean. Fuel trims are usually around -5LT and a little less than that for ST. Problem is....WHY!?!?!!?!?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thikstik Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 So its less of a surge, more of a sag? Youre talking fuel trim I know , but what are are ST's? I talk short/long term BLM's. If scanning shows lean, and car acts lean, Ill keep thinking f pump/filter. Maybe intake gasket thats hard to detect with carb spray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Hmm... I guess I don't know exactly what a sag is... Is it a sudden/quick loss of power? Because that's what I get from the name, and that's what it does. Just an average, the ST is anywhere from -1 to -4 or so...but again, that's just an estimate/average. The fuel filter was fairly new when the issue started happening (so about 1 1/2 years old maybe, if that...and probably 15k miles if that). And if checking the fuel pump won't do me any good unless the car is acting up I don't know how to check it. I thought about intake gaskets, but I had them replaced in '07 (about 25k miles ago) so again I doubt those... But really, I'm about out of ideas. I did buy some AC spark plugs, and the AC wires are on order so I should have them Monday, so hopefully this week I'll get new plugs/wires put on. The wires are original, and the plugs were put in when I got the car. They're Champion, and I did have an issue with one once. About 3 years ago I had one go bad on me and keep causing a misfire...so maybe the plugs are bad.... I'm hoping it's as simple as that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Those fuel trims are well within spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Those fuel trims are well within spec. I would have thought so, but I don't know if I've EVER seen them read a positive number, which is what was making me wonder if it was running lean? (Again, you have to remember I'm REALLY new to all this stuff and how it works...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Lean would be over -10 and that would be a concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Lean would be over -10 and that would be a concern. Oh yeah I've never seen it read anywhere near that...so that's a good thing I guess. Still doesn't get me any closer to solving this!!! Today it did it quite a few times..so it seems to be getting more frequent. As I said though, I've got new plugs/wires to install hopefully this week... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thikstik Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 Im pretty sure it isnt plugs/wires. At least since its doing it more, itll reveal itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 No, but I really think the wires are overdue, and the plugs I was never really happy with anyways... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Powered Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 you can pull them and check for broken ceramic and stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) you can pull them and check for broken ceramic and stuff Yeah but I figure if I'm going to pull them I might as well put new ones in. Ever since I bought the car it's idled kinda "iffy", but when I bought it I also had a tune-up done on it and that's when they put the Champion plugs in. So you never know. Besides, maybe it'll idle better because I think it will then. You know, mind over matter? But thinking back to square one...the very first time it happened was after driving through deep water. And it was severe that day...like constant all the way home. And then for a long time it seemed to happen the most when it was wet outside. Also, it never did it in the winter? So if it was either transmission or fuel related, wouldn't it do it all year long in any type of weather? Granted now it's starting to happen more...but still. Puzzling... Edited September 19, 2011 by urbex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 I used to be a Champion guy, but not in several years. The last set I had I kept less than 500 miles, the car just simply ran bad. While you've got the plugs out, you might want to run a compression test, just to be sure you're not dealing with burned/bent valves... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted September 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 Hmmm...that is a good thought. One random side question...to do a compression test the engine must be warm correct? But aren't you supposed to not take out the plugs when the engine is warm? Definitely something I might want to do while they're out though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Powered Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 some problems you can run into: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted October 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 I'm starting to wonder if it's a bad gasket... I've noticed over the past few months that my coolant level in the reservoir is going down, but really slowly. I filled it up in about February or so, and now it's about an in and a half below the cold line. So it's a really slow leak. But I don't have any dripping on the ground, and I just changed the oil and there's not a drop in it. So I don't know if it's going out the exhaust, or just so little that it doesn't hit the ground and evaporates off the engine or something... I mean, the intake gasket (doesn't say which, or both) was replaced in '07 so I would have thought they'd be ok still... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellowmann20 Posted October 24, 2011 Report Share Posted October 24, 2011 Had an interesting experience with the surging today. It was really foggy this morning in the Memphis metro, and while I was driving into the city the engine was surging like it usually does, but the frequency at which it was happening was a lot slower. Usually, it will surge about every 1-2 seconds, but today it was more like 3-4. It doesn't seem like a big difference, but when I have been experiencing this problem for the last 3 years I immediately noticed something was different. I don't really know what to make of it except it was really foggy outside, so that may have something to do with it. I believe I have a similar problem with coolant level. I have to top it off every once in a while. The engine itself runs very cold. I have to sit for 5 minutes during the summer time after the engine has been running for the thermostat to even read half way and the fans to kick on. During winter, it barely makes it past the cold mark on the thermostat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thikstik Posted October 27, 2011 Report Share Posted October 27, 2011 Oh man, you need to make sure your stat is ok...it can wear your rings out fast if its not regulating coolant and letting engine reach full temp. Have you scannned for temperature? If its really running cold, youll also loose mpg as engine will be rich. Maybe this is partly cause of surging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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