Lack of power after installation

[Ethan95 5.0]

Hello I have a 95 5.0 and I recently installed a edelbrock efi 2 lower and upper intake manifold. I also have 24lb injectors, cold air intake, 70mm throttle body, a 76mm MAF sensor, and I also got a tuner chip. I noticed a significant loss of power in the car after I installed the intake manifold. The only thing I can think of is that I might have messed up the timing when removing and installing the distributor. I marked the distributor at top dead center and then removed it and then installed it and made sure it was in the same position. My car is backfiring a little and I’m not to sure what it could be. Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[ttocs]

backfiring can mean the plug wires are not going to the right place. 13726548 is the firing order.

 

[shovel]

The OE computer is notoriously not built to accommodate modifications so unless you're tuning it live on a dyno for the changes it's going to be a shot in the dark with whatever random chip. Best bet is to go straight for a holley or megasquirt with widebands if you'd rather spend your weekends driving than inventing new combinations of dirty words.

 

[96blak54]

So the car was running fine before the intake swap and you had all the other mentioned parts already running fine before intake swap? Just trying to be clear about what you swapped. If car was running fine and all you swapped was just the intake manifold, im with the other guys.....go backtrack and double sure you got plugwires in the correct location.

Also what intake to head gaskets were used? Its possible gaskets moved out of place, got kinked, or broken

 

[Musturd]

Make sure the plug wires are setup for the correct firing order and verify timing with a timing gun . Sounds like the firing order and timing both could be the culprit here .

 

[Ethan95 5.0]

So the car was running fine before the intake swap and you had all the other mentioned parts already running fine before intake swap? Just trying to be clear about what you swapped. If car was running fine and all you swapped was just the intake manifold, im with the other guys.....go backtrack and double sure you got plugwires in the correct location.

Also what intake to head gaskets were used? Its possible gaskets moved out of place, got kinked, or broken

I used the edelbrock gaskets that I was told to use from edelbrock. I checked my plugs and they are in the right places. I’m going to check the spark plugs and pull the plugs while the engine is running to see if that’s the problem and if so which cylinder it is.

 

[Ethan95 5.0]

I used the edelbrock gaskets that I was told to use from edelbrock. I checked my plugs and they are in the right places. I’m going to check the spark plugs and pull the plugs while the engine is running to see if that’s the problem and if so which cylinder it is.

So the car was running fine before the intake swap and you had all the other mentioned parts already running fine before intake swap? Just trying to be clear about what you swapped. If car was running fine and all you swapped was just the intake manifold, im with the other guys.....go backtrack and double sure you got plugwires in the correct location.

Also what intake to head gaskets were used? Its possible gaskets moved out of place, got kinked, or broken

I also installed the 24lb injectors before my intake manifold and it was running great. I removed the chip with the tune files to remove that possibility as well. I have also burped my coolant system. I’m almost certain it’s a spark plug or timing issue. Just by determining everything I’ve done.

 

[96blak54]

Thanks for reporting back. Keeps us updated. We all here like to help!

 

[Mustang5L5]

I would venture to guess a spark plug/timing issue or one of the intake gaskets slipped during the manifold install causing a large leak on the underside.

 

[from6to8]

I also installed the 24lb injectors before my intake manifold and it was running great. I removed the chip with the tune files to remove that possibility as well. I have also burped my coolant system. I’m almost certain it’s a spark plug or timing issue. Just by determining everything I’ve done.

i'll assume you had the meter calibrated for the injectors since it was running fine before the intake swap?

 

[TrickVert]

I also installed the 24lb injectors before my intake manifold and it was running great. I removed the chip with the tune files to remove that possibility as well. I have also burped my coolant system. I’m almost certain it’s a spark plug or timing issue. Just by determining everything I’ve done.

Point of clarification: Did you remove the chip, but retain the 24# injectors? If so, as asked above, are you running a "calibrated" MAF sensor?

I'm leaning toward it being a timing issue. I'd probably re-stab the distributor.

 

[Ethan95 5.0]

i'll assume you had the meter calibrated for the injectors since it was running fine before the intake swap?

Yes I got a BBK MAF for 24lb injectors

 

[Ethan95 5.0]

Point of clarification: Did you remove the chip, but retain the 24# injectors? If so, as asked above, are you running a "calibrated" MAF sensor?

I'm leaning toward it being a timing issue. I'd probably re-stab the distributor.

Yes my MAF is calibrated for 24 injectors. What do you mean re-stab the distributor? Just taking it out and putting back in?

 

[from6to8]

Yes my MAF is calibrated for 24 injectors. What do you mean re-stab the distributor? Just taking it out and putting back in?

ok cool and yes that's what he means. Read up on getting it close to top dead center when you pull it so when you put it back in you will be close and it should fire back up. Your research will also show you where people say mark the block when you pull if for proper orientation of the I believe no. 1 plug being at a certain clock position. I am not an expert in knowing it by law but I know how to do it and anytime I've had to mess with my car in that regard I just research it again.....

But research and get more familiar with the procedure because there's also pulling the no. 1 plug and feeling for the burst of air as you rotate the crank, so lot's of lil shit that'll help...

 

[Musturd]

Yes my MAF is calibrated for 24 injectors. What do you mean re-stab the distributor? Just taking it out and putting back in?

Yes . Need to verify the cylinder 1 is at tdc and re install . I’m sure theres videos on YouTube’s

 

[Mustang5L5]

Have you hooked up the timing light and verified timing?

 

[joemomma]

Make sure to pull the TFI before checking/adjusting timing.

 

[Ethan95 5.0]

Thanks for reporting back. Keeps us updated. We all here like to help!

Here is another update for everyone. I re-seated my distributor and now my car won’t start. I’ve put it at top dead center multiple times yet I get nothing. Any more ideas?

 

[Mustang5L5]

loosen the hold down and rotate it a few degrees and crank it. See if it wants to start with a little more timing.


If it ran before, why restab it? Just had to hook a timing light up and adjust to 10-14 degrees.

 

[ttocs]

A buddy and and I went through the whole TDC set up a while back. My buddy reached under the intake, pulled off the plug wire and started to remove the plug. We got everything set up and I went to put the plug back in when I realized that he had not pulled the #1 plug, but the #2. It isn't all that hard to do and I have been extra careful to never let that happen again.