Drivability issue - HELP!

[2000GT]

Hey All,

I was driving my car to work this morning and it is breaking up/sputtering every time I go over 3K RPM. I am thinking I should replace the coil packs (and plugs while I am at it). What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Sean

[2000GT]

BTW, the car is just shy of 60K miles and it is 11 years old.

[Wolfpack Speed]

Hey All,

I was driving my car to work this morning and it is breaking up/sputtering every time I go over 3K RPM. I am thinking I should replace the coil packs (and plugs while I am at it). What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Sean

Start with the plugs as they are cheap to replace. NGK TR6's gapped to .030 for your application. COP's could certainly be the problem but they are expensive to replace which is whay I say try the plugs first, fresh such of plugs is never bad! If you do end up replacing your COP's, go with the OEM pieces. Aftermarket COP's such as MSD, Accell etc are junk.

Good Luck!

Mike

[2000GT]

Thanks Mike! I am leaning toward the COPs becuase the plugs are not that old (they are maybe two years old and have about 10K miles on them). Thanks for the heads up about the aftermarket COPs. I was leaning towards them!

Sean

[Wolfpack Speed]

Thanks Mike! I am leaning toward the COPs becuase the plugs are not that old (they are maybe two years old and have about 10K miles on them). Thanks for the heads up about the aftermarket COPs. I was leaning towards them!

Sean

What plugs are in the car and what are they gapped to? You can have the right plugs in the car with too big of a gap and have the same issues that you are having.

[2000GT]

What plugs are in the car and what are they gapped to? You can have the right plugs in the car with too big of a gap and have the same issues that you are having.

They are gapped about .028. this just started heppening today so I think they are ok.

[Wolfpack Speed]

They are gapped about .028. this just started heppening today so I think they are ok.

What plugs are they?

[2000GT]

Motorcraft or Autolite - I can't remember. They are a range colder than stock.

[somethingclever]

I take it there is no CEL?

Does it happen everytime at the exact same rpm?

Is it load related? (light throttle it doesnt do it but WOT it does?)

[2000GT]

nope. No CEL.

I will come in around 3000 RPM. It is worse at partial throttle. If I floor it, it feels better but definitely underpowered.

[somethingclever]

Does it do it when the engine is hot and cold, or just operating tempeature (hot)?


You could borrow one COP from someone and change each cylinder out one at a time, take a ride, and see if that fixes it...if not move onto the next cyl..etc

While your changing out each COP pull the plug and inspect it as well.

[2000GT]

Yeah, that is what i am thinking of doing. I am going to replace the plugs and buy 1 COP (it is a lot cheaper that 8). I will start in the back and work my way up. It does it cold or warm by the way.

Thanks John and Mike for the responses!

[Wolfpack Speed]

Yeah, that is what i am thinking of doing. I am going to replace the plugs and buy 1 COP (it is a lot cheaper that 8). I will start in the back and work my way up. It does it cold or warm by the way.

Thanks John and Mike for the responses!

No problem Sean! Believe it or not I have seen many bad COP's that never through a code! Most of the time the problem is the plugs, either wrong gap, wrong heat range or both. COP's definitely go bad though, have a car here at the shop now that just needed 2!

[sutyak]

Sounds more like fuel pump to me.

[mustang50lx]

If you have access to a scanner with mode 6 data (Most do) you can tell which cylinder it is.

[2000GT]

On the way home, the CEL came on. I used my dad's scanner and it there were 2 codes-P0172 and P0174 (I think). It was going lean on both cylinder banks. I thought there was a vacuum leak but i didn't find any. So I checked my mass air (it is in the inner fender) and I noticed the the piping from the innercooler to the mass air didn't seem to fit right. I readjusted it, cleared the codes and it runs like a champ again. The best thing is that it didn't cost me a dime! Thanks for everyones input!

Sean

[somethingclever]

Glad to hear Sean.....OBDII and scanner FTW! :)

[Wolfpack Speed]

On the way home, the CEL came on. I used my dad's scanner and it there were 2 codes-P0172 and P0174 (I think). It was going lean on both cylinder banks. I thought there was a vacuum leak but i didn't find any. So I checked my mass air (it is in the inner fender) and I noticed the the piping from the innercooler to the mass air didn't seem to fit right. I readjusted it, cleared the codes and it runs like a champ again. The best thing is that it didn't cost me a dime! Thanks for everyones input!

Sean

Sounds like your miss may have been detonation, you should pull the plugs...

[2000GT]

Sounds like your miss may have been detonation, you should pull the plugs...

I was thinking about that. I am going to do that this weekend. The tubing must have been sucking in air causing it to go lean. I think I will replace the plugs as a precaution. Thanks!

[2000GT]

Glad to hear Sean.....OBDII and scanner FTW! :)

No kidding! Those computers make diagnoising a drivability issue much easier!