Disappointed? LOL trust me bro no one that reads what you have been through and done to that car could ever be disappointed. There is 2+ years of epic in that thread!

 

 

Jim's right, great build wolf.

 

moved

 

moved to build thread https://www.v8miata.net/ford-v8-miat...666/#post18413

 

Plugs

cyl 2 and 4 are black with deposits. This cyl bank also puffs white, at least on cold start. Cyl 6 leaked a small puddle. Occasionally it misfires (every few seconds) and feels hesitant at light throttle. I believe most of the issue is exhaust pipes flattened in half under the subframe.

Planning for mass air conversion, new wiring harness, and proper exhaust with o2 sensors.

 

Today I did what I should have done a long time ago. Fired it up and pulled injector wires while listening to the engine. Turns out 4 and 5 aren't working. Got a loaner noid light tester and, to my amazement, they were getting pulse. Now I'm at the parts store swapping out those injectors. If you have a misfire, check your injectors!

Hope these new ones work.

 

Curses. The new injectors didn't help. Either these remanufactured are also bad or injectors aren't the problem. For now I'll be happy with a V6 and loud valve clacking.
Ruled out so far:
Distributor and tfi module
Plug wires and plugs
TPS
Fuel pressure
Fuel pressure regulator
Fuel rail
Vacuum
Timing
Compression
Ignition coil
Injectors - assuming both the remans are good

What are the chances an intake valve is stuck shut? That would explain the gunshot backfires...

 

Sounds like I need to remove the valve cover and see if they are moving. Some plugs are black so that credits my stuck shut theory.

Courtesy of ehow
http://www.ehow.com/how_7405270_check-stuck-engine-valve.html

 

Is your firing order correct for your cam? A 5.0 & a 5.0 H/O have totally different firing order. The Ford "alphabet" cams use a 5.0 firing order, not the H/O order.

 

It's a stock 87 mustang 5.0... did they come with 2 different cams that year?

All mustangs have the HO correct? I'll try the non HO firing order just for fun. Thanks for the idea.

 

How on earth could a valve stick shut. The whole force of the engine is pushing it open via pushrod.

 

Decent amount of oil in the throttle body, guess i need a catch can. This can't be normal. Piston rings shot?



Looking at the headers it's plain to see #4 is not firing.



Ok I'm not sure what to look for here. Seems normal.

 

Well this is shameful. Turns out I had 4 and 5 plug wires swapped. Still have slight occasional misfire but it's much much better.

 

I owe you something tbone.

 

If something like this pops up again try to run a KOER test via the ECU test connector. After the check engine light shows any codes that come up during the KOER test depress the throttle once and the ecu will perform a cylinder balance test and give you the results of any cylinder performing below normal. It gives you a place to start at least.

-Jason

 

something to think about if you ever pull that engine is to get rid of the high volume pump. a HV pump is not meant for stock oil capacity, you can suck the pan dry. watch your oil pressure gauge. you can "cheat" 2 quarts with an oil cooler and remote oil filter setup for a diesel truck with a 2 quart filter. Some may disagree but this is an expensive lesson many people have learned with HV pumps, me being one of them. also do you still have the warped lower?

 

Thank you for the warning! It already has a remote filter due to forward facing header. Don't think there is enough tire clearance for a truck filter but I will check, good suggestion. Do like the idea of an oil cooler.

I did notice pressure seems a bit low but the sunpro gauge is vague. So what happens is the pump sucks pan dry and oil pressure drops = starvation = knock knock? That is not good.

The lower probably isn't warped. I rigged a coolant overflow water bottle & it helps reduce coolant loss.

 

for the truck filter you would have a remote filter so you can put it where ever, and you get the half of a quart in the lines as a bonus

thats the gist of it for the hv pump. as far as the gauge you can get a cheap mechanical and hook it up to the motor to double check. just warm the car up to operating temp, look at what you read at idle and roughly 2500rpm and then attach a mechanical and take the same reading. also some hv pumps are constant volume, but I doubt that motor has one.

 

This ECU ain't talking. Thanks though, didn't know KOER gave that info.

 

Turns out it wasn't the fuel pump after all that pump and tank swapping pita. Oh well the pump would have gone eventually. Here's the bad fuel injector relay.

It was starting to brown when i got the car but not this bad.

 

Bummer. I'm running my fuel pump control through the relay on the ford harness. Works great.

 

^ Me too. I even wired in the Ford inertia switch.

 

Well something is wrong because I blew the new relay also.. shortly after doing a quick 1st-2nd burnout. When I pulled the relay it felt hot and the fuse looked toasty black but not blown.

From what I understand the Walbro will require a heavier gauge wire but which one? The connector has a bunch of wires on it.

But that doesn't explain why the old relay blew. I'm guessing it was because the fuel pick up strainer was covered in dirt forcing the pump to work harder.

I did have a problem when installing the pump. Had to press the fuel pump assembly in - seemed like it was a bit too long. So now the strainer is pressed against the bottom of the tank and could be restricting flow. Again, overworking the pump.

Oh well here's a 9.2L big block Ford in Lincoln limo from the meet last night.

 

LOL that ^ is insane! I love it!

That little yellow main relay has left many a Miata on the side of the road and I don't leave home with one in the glove box ever. I've personally had that thing toast twice in 2 different V8 swaps in the same summer!