New Cobra, new problems

Rizkit32 · Apr 13, 2013

Hey guys, I just bought a 1999 cobra about a week ago for 4000, which is a pretty decent price. It has 163k on the chassis and the motor was rebuilt and has about 60k on it. It's completely stock. Of course with a car that cheap its gonna have some problems.
1. ABS light is on and I'm not really sure how to get rid of it.
2. Sometimes the odometer just dies out while driving and reappear when it feels like. Sometimes it won't even come back at all.
3. When I start it up it shoots out some gray smoke out of the exhausts
4. This didn't start up until this afternoon, but when I'm idling, I lose all oil pressure but it goes back up when i give it a little gas.
5. The idle is almost never steady

****ALSO i forgot to add, when I tried to punch it, the cars seems like it stops pushing around 4500 rpm + and makes this higher pitched engine rev. IT's hard to describe, but it doesn't sound good.

And when I'm driving and get to a stop, the idle lie to stick up really high like 1500 rpm, and slowly dies down.

What I have done to it so far is clean the air filter and change every single fuse, they were all burnt out

That's all i could think of right now any help I can get will be greatly appreciated :grin:

Here's some pictures of the problem child.

ademily87 · Apr 13, 2013

Let's start with the most important part.... low oil pressure.

Are you going off of the stock dummy gauge? Any check engine lights or just the abs light?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

RichV · Apr 13, 2013

Ya, hopefully the sender s bunk. Because the stocker is supposed to register above 6psi. If that motor is going under 6, well then you have your work cut out for you.

Did the guy you got it from replace the motor? Was it new? Or a yard motor?

Get a true gauge on it, change the oil with the correct viscosity, and compare pressures with the community. My race car runs 40-70 depending RPM and oil temp.

Shifty Powers · Apr 13, 2013

If you can stop, dont worry about the abs light now. More than likely just some stupid sensor.

Idle may have to do with the other problems. I would start looking at your plugs/wires and all to see what they look like.

That grey smoke could be from brake fluid.. So there is a good chance your master cylinder is bad, so I would check your B fluid levels. That could be the cause of ABS light as well..(this is NOT my problem, why i didnt think of it up ^^ there lol).. While at it check your lines to see if you have any leaks
Could also be tranny fluid, or hell.. If it actually has a slight blue tint to it, you are burning oil...

So there is a possibility there is a leak somewhere that is causing the pressure to not stay where it needs to be. Something wrong thats for sure. Odd its not throwing any codes.

SLOW95GTS · Apr 13, 2013

The idling issue could be due to the icv and the abs lights are always on these car because the sensors mostly. The oil pressure sender is probably clogged or going out.The odometer is probably going out like any other mustang, probably something wrong behind the cluster.

robb15033 · Apr 13, 2013

How does brake fluid or trans fluid blow out of the tailpipe on start-up? -Now that is a big problem. :laughing5:

JJhirsch · Apr 13, 2013

^ Vacuum line that goes to the master cylinder could be getting fluid in it. I don't know about the transmission fluid though.

KillNThrill24 · Apr 13, 2013

I would go ahead and change the oil in it like Rich said, but also change the oil sensor as well while you have it drained. Mine would randomly drop all the way down and go back up to normal when I hit the gas, sometimes would just stay down, changed the sensor and all has been well.

Don't sweat the ABS.. Most of us don't even know what that is

You said gray smoke? How gray is it? If it's solid gray... I don't think you have an issue. If it's a blue gray then you probably just have a bad valve seal which is pretty common on those cars. But if it it's a white gray you could have a head gasket issue..

chrisv_10 · Apr 13, 2013

JJhirsch said:
^ Vacuum line that goes to the master cylinder could be getting fluid in it. I don't know about the transmission fluid though.

Pretty sure the brakes are not vacuum assisted. Its hyrdaboost

Sent on the toilet from my SGH-T679

Rizkit32 · Apr 13, 2013

ademily87 said:
Let's start with the most important part.... low oil pressure.

Are you going off of the stock dummy gauge? Any check engine lights or just the abs light?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, it's the stock gauges. No check engine lights, just the abs

RichV · Apr 13, 2013

JJhirsch said:
^ Vacuum line that goes to the master cylinder could be getting fluid in it. I don't know about the transmission fluid though.

His car does not have a vac line to the master. Even at that, it would be impossible.

Rizkit32 · Apr 13, 2013

RichV said:
Ya, hopefully the sender s bunk. Because the stocker is supposed to register above 6psi. If that motor is going under 6, well then you have your work cut out for you.

Did the guy you got it from replace the motor? Was it new? Or a yard motor?

Get a true gauge on it, change the oil with the correct viscosity, and compare pressures with the community. My race car runs 40-70 depending RPM and oil temp.

From what I was told and what was said on the work papers, he just had the top end rebuilt, its still the same mtor

white95 · Apr 13, 2013

Good looking Cobra Riz, hope you get the bugs ironed out..

Rizkit32 · Apr 13, 2013

Shifty Powers said:
If you can stop, dont worry about the abs light now. More than likely just some stupid sensor.

Idle may have to do with the other problems. I would start looking at your plugs/wires and all to see what they look like.

That grey smoke could be from brake fluid.. So there is a good chance your master cylinder is bad, so I would check your B fluid levels. That could be the cause of ABS light as well..(this is NOT my problem, why i didnt think of it up ^^ there lol).. While at it check your lines to see if you have any leaks
Could also be tranny fluid, or hell.. If it actually has a slight blue tint to it, you are burning oil...

So there is a possibility there is a leak somewhere that is causing the pressure to not stay where it needs to be. Something wrong thats for sure. Odd its not throwing any codes.

Fluid levels are good but brakes do need to be replaced soon, so hopefully its just that. From what I can tell there are no leaks, but I'll throw a cardboard box under her tonight to make sure

I was actually thinking of doing a tune up on monday, so we'll see how that goes

KillNThrill24 said:
I would go ahead and change the oil in it like Rich said, but also change the oil sensor as well while you have it drained. Mine would randomly drop all the way down and go back up to normal when I hit the gas, sometimes would just stay down, changed the sensor and all has been well.

Don't sweat the ABS.. Most of us don't even know what that is

You said gray smoke? How gray is it? If it's solid gray... I don't think you have an issue. If it's a blue gray then you probably just have a bad valve seal which is pretty common on those cars. But if it it's a white gray you could have a head gasket issue..

That's a relief that its just a gauge and I'm not the only one haha. I just want the abs so I can turn off traction control!!

As for the oil, the last guy just changed it and it looks like he put a bit too much oil, looks like it goes past the max line of the dipstick. Could that be the cause of the smoke? When I start her up today I'll try to snap a photo of the smoke it shoots out.

Rizkit32 · Apr 13, 2013

****ALSO i forgot to add, when I tried to punch it, the cars seems like it stops pushing around 4500 rpm + and makes this higher pitched engine rev. IT's hard to describe, but it doesn't sound good.

And when I'm driving and get to a stop, the idle lie to stick up really high like 1500 rpm, and slowly dies down.

I also wanted to see how fast I could take her, so I went out on an airstrip and the fastest she would go is 120. Are they limited at 120 or is that just the old age kicking in?

Shifty Powers · Apr 13, 2013

So i may have been thinking of a different brake setup when writing that post!!!! My bad!!!!

we can all ignore that now

robb15033 · Apr 13, 2013

I was just joking in earlier post. Kinda. But, get that extra oil out of there ASAP. The high RPM issues should be resolved with ignition tune up. Don't forget fuel filter, air filter, pcv inspection, spark plugs that are proven to work, ect..

I was just joking in earlier post. Kinda. But, get that extra oil out of there ASAP. The high RPM issues should be resolved with ignition tune up. Don't forget fuel filter, air filter, pcv inspection, spark plugs that are proven to work, ect..

chris91 · Apr 13, 2013

If Im not mistaken the ABS light will trip if you are having speedo problems. Check the connection on the tranny and make sure the speed sensor is plugged in all the way and the connections are clean.