Ok, so ive fouled out 2 sets of plugs recently, I guess from excessive fuel. Engine is rebuilt with an LT4 Hotcam and forged pistons, some head work. Can I assume that im not getting enough spark, and if so, whats the best way to correct this problem? Would a blaster coil work, or would I need an entire MSD ignition box? Thanks for the help, really tryin to get the car runnin right.

 

Any change in the fuel delivery system? Perhaps you're getting too much fuel...

What do the plugs look like, exactly?

 

Only the block/heads were rebuilt with new stuff, the intake system is stock TPI still. I dont have a picture of the plugs right off hand, I can if needed, but they are black black black, pretty much sums it up. The first set were wet and smelled like fuel, the second set, were mostly black, some of the white part around the electrode was still white, only 2 smelled of fuel and they weren't wet, but all the electrodes on all the plugs were black.

 

Scan it, be sure it's getting into Closed Loop, record the BLMs you see while idling and driving, report back.

 

Won't crank up sadly, it just turns over and I get a fart now and then, ive put the timing 1-1 and moved the dizzy left and right and cannot get anything at all. Last time this happened and the first set fouled out it did the same thing, so I replaced em and had the timing 1-1 and it crunk right up.

 

To run that rich without modifications to the fuel delivery system, you'd have to have an almost-dead ignition coil, assuming weak ignition is the problem...I recommend doing a spark test, and a fuel pressure check first....see if you can pinpoint which is the problem. How does the motor run when you do get it fired up? Idle low? Idle high? Rough? Stumble?

 

in park it idles about 1200, in drive it idles about 800. When I drive it its fine, but when I stop after driving it, it idles rough and surges forward and my brakes suck. But I think thats from a vacuum leak, which is unknown if I fixed or not lol.

 

Well a vac leak should create a lean condition..... Still having a hard time figure out why you're showing so super rich. Your idle sound *ok*...too high though, unless that's a cold idle. Definitely check spark. Is it a hard start?

Check your fuel pressure regulator, make sure the diaphragm isn't blown up causing raw fuel to be sucked up through the regulator vac line. Also check your charcoal can...I believe when they fail they can cause raw fuel to be pulled in through a vac line instead of just fuel vapors as intended.

Do you have a cold start injector?

 

Where did you have the initial advance set to while it was running?

 

No cold start injector, I pulled the Vacuum fitting off of the FPR and it did not spell like gas, which I was told was how to check it. Don't know how to check the charcoal canister. My timing was set at 6 degrees Before TDC as per the sticker under my hood.

 

You ARE disconnecting the computer thing when you set the base timing right?

Run the car, if you can, then when you shut it off immediately pull the vac line. Since fuel vaporizes fast it's much easier to detect right after the car's run....then see if you get fuel. But yes, normally it will stink of fuel if the diaphragm is torn, so chances are yours is okay. If you have a Haynes manual or something, use it to locate your charcoal canister. It's been too long since Ive owned a third gen so I can't tell you where it's located anymore.....maybe on the pass. side, near the fender well...should be a black cylindrical can, with several vac lines. Follow one that goes to the intake and pull it, see what ya get.

 

Yes, I disconnected the tan wire plug on the Pass side up by the window, EST I think its called. I know where the charcoal canister is, just replaced that line that runs all the way around and into the plenum. Im going to order a MSD blaster coil tomorrow and new plugs. Seems to start right up with new plugs and it runs fine once I get the timing set, just funny they foul out so quickly. Thanks for the info on checking the charcoal canister.

 

No prob, hope the Blaster coil fixes it. Post up either way. I had a Blaster on the stang and loved it...use it on the Probe now even cause theyre interchangeable and the stang isn't running. That combined with the 6AL box fired so hot it actually warped and burned the plastic on my distributor cap, absolutely unreal...

 

Well, my main thing was to find out if something like the blaster coil would fix my problem. I wasn't sure if the new cam would let more fuel in, or if it was another problem. Really appreciate the info, can't wait to get the coil and new plugs and really hope this fixes the problem! Ive been without the car for almost a year now and the short drive I had in it, I just want more! lol. Ill post up what happens though, thanks again.

 

Well, I got the blaster coil and new plugs, got em all in, just turns over, no fire. This all started to happen after I changed the manifold gaskets, I double and triple checked all my wires and plugs and everything is straight. Could the dizzy be the culprit? Ive heard something about problems coming from it being 180 degrees out, would that cause this problem? Please help! Thanks!

 

Well, that was it, although I marked the Dis. cap and the manifold, I timed it in and they are way off from each other now. Oh well. Im going to recheck the timing tomorrow and check the plugs, maybe I can catch them before rather than after, if they foul out again. The blaster coil does seem to make it start up a bit stronger. It was bogging down a bit at first when turning it over, but I got it turned over and timed in and it stopped doing it. Oh, and by the by, never buy a Mr. Gasket gasket, they suck. Gotta replace the Tstat gasket already, POS. Thanks again for the help!

 

Glad it works...

And yeah, I only buy Felpro gaskets...I've got so many of them on the Mustang and I paid top dollar for the good ones, so theyre pretty much all reuseable. Hell, the head gaskets are designed for nitrous and supercharging...the upper/lower intake gaskets are reuseable and super-strong.... Best money I ever paid was for those gaskets...they seal over and over again.