should I change the plug or gap if I keep fouling plugs?

ttocs · Mar 7, 2020

well crap the usual. Went out and it would not start. Even back fired on me one time. I think i need to adjust the IAC valve for starting a little bit now since things have changed but I eventually got it started and got the seafoam in it. It did seem to be running a little smoother right up till I put it in gear to try and get it back in teh garage and then it died and again will not start.

ttocs · Mar 7, 2020

I can't curse enough. Walk away for 3 more months now with it in the driveway or just part the mofo out? Anyone need parts? Fuck that pos.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Werecow · Mar 7, 2020

Ok, let's take this back a lil bit and maybe try something. Have you checked your distributor cap and rotor? A backfire is telling me that your getting a spark in the wrong place or at the wrong time, if it's been sitting for a long time without running it's possible there may be corrosion on the underside of the cap or on the rotor button, thus not enough spark now to fire, or a crosspark to make it backfart. Then again it could be a weak coil from trying to fire the incorrect plugs before has weakened it possibly? Idk about the quality of them now, but I had really good luck with using MSD blaster 2 coils in the past.. Just trying to brainstorm anything I can to try and help..

lwarrior1016 · Mar 8, 2020

I would seriously consider getting rid of the distributor and going with Ls style coil packs.

ttocs · Mar 8, 2020

I realized long ago that "the offboard ecu is easy they tune themselves" bullshit that I seem to keep hearing was/is wrong and I have already started to try and correct that shit people keep saying. The problem is that I really got it because the closest reliable dyno is almost 3 hours away one way and with my stomach crap I really can't do that. I made a list of a couple things to check today, as well as a list of what I think I could sell my parts for. The idea of throwing in the towel has never looked better, I am just tired of getting kicked in the nuts I mean I honestly hate that pos right now.

Silver95bird · Mar 8, 2020

Trust me I know the feeling. With 2 kids under the age of 4, and basically only my wife and i to watch them, we haven't gotten anything done in the last few years. 3 of our 4 vehicles are approaching/over 200k and I can't even keep them all running to get to work. I was so disgusted yesterday I was contemplating selling 3 of them and just buying a new Focus to DD. Thank God for my wife, she keeps me sane some days. Stick with it, you'll get it eventually.
Do you have any way to datalog the car? Anything to get you to see what it's seeing.

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lwarrior1016 · Mar 8, 2020

ttocs said:
I realized long ago that "the offboard ecu is easy they tune themselves" bullshit that I seem to keep hearing was/is wrong and I have already started to try and correct that shit people keep saying. The problem is that I really got it because the closest reliable dyno is almost 3 hours away one way and with my stomach crap I really can't do that. I made a list of a couple things to check today, as well as a list of what I think I could sell my parts for. The idea of throwing in the towel has never looked better, I am just tired of getting kicked in the nuts I mean I honestly hate that pos right now.

Look man, don’t give up yet. I would highly recommend you contact another remote tuner. I know it sucks, but I think you should. Josef and I both went to Scott Clark from real tuners. He knows his shit and enjoys working with the Holley system. I would really like to see you get in touch with him and see if he can help. If you want his info, I’ll link it to you.

evilcw311 · Mar 8, 2020

First, lee is only 2 hours from you. Second, I’ve told you before if it helps we could make arrangements for me to pick the car up and take it to him. All I have to do is get with my buddy George. He has a f250 and a tilt back trailer. We could pick it up and have lee get it worked out and then bring it back to you.

Your close to having it right. No point in throwing in the towel now.

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ttocs · Mar 8, 2020

evilcw311 said:
First, lee is only 2 hours from you. Second, I’ve told you before if it helps we could make arrangements for me to pick the car up and take it to him. All I have to do is get with my buddy George. He has a f250 and a tilt back trailer. We could pick it up and have lee get it worked out and then bring it back to you.

Your close to having it right. No point in throwing in the towel now.

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I know you guys can't understand how 2 hrs for me is a big deal. I never know from hour to hour how I will feel so to schedule anything that takes more then an hour or two is done with the idea that I might have to cancel/dip out at any point. I have a dr's appointment in town tomorrow I hope I can make........ So just the drive there is in question, now lets hope I can get to there and get in on the dyno then at that point I have to hope that I don't start feeling shitty during the tune. At this point if I had taken the car to a dyno it would have been a huge waste of time and money just to find out I had other problems like I have had. It hasn't really been a tuning issue since I did the remote tuning from what I can tell. A dyno is not a cost effective diagnostic tool on a car that has had me dick with every bit of it if I am not there with it, even with me there with it its still an expensive way to find out I got the wrong spark plugs. A remote tuner is an even less effective diagnostic tool to figure out why I have no spark like I do.

I have some stuff I am going to try tomorrow. Pray for me...........

07GtS197 · Mar 9, 2020

Is your map sensor on its own vac line or does it tee anywhere? Check all your grounds and timing. How old is the pip sensor?

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ttocs · Mar 9, 2020

07GtS197 said:
Is your map sensor on its own vac line or does it tee anywhere? Check all your grounds and timing. How old is the pip sensor?

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map sensor is on its on vac line that goes to the same spot in the upper intake that the fpr line was. The alt is/was new, not that it means that much necessarily. I still have the rpm signal so I don't think is the pip and like I said I have an extra coil I am going to swap in and see what happens. I found some tests for the tfi to try as well although its supposed to rain today and I have a dr's appointment.

07GtS197 · Mar 9, 2020

I don’t know what intake manifold you’re using but have you tried using a different port (bigger) on the intake manifold? The one for thr fpr is kind of small and the map sensor needs a good vacuum signal to operate correctly. Also have you tried testing the map sensor? I don’t think its the coil to be honest but its a good idea to rule it out. How about the coolant temp sensor, has it been tested?

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joe65 · Mar 9, 2020

Damn, sorry to hear you're having the car issues and health issues. Sounds like a bunch of people here are on your side though. Get better, feel better first then worry about the car.

lwarrior1016 · Mar 9, 2020

The map sensor will not stop it from sparking though. The coolant temp and map sensor are both for fueling. He said it isn’t getting spark. I know the map may be a problem, but it will run with the map unplugged it just runs rich.

Scott, have you verified no spark with a timing light or and in line spark tester?

ttocs · Mar 9, 2020

I gave it some thought last night and came up with the same final thought that the map would not stop it from firing and it seemed to be working as normal now. I had rpm showing on the digital dash so I knew I had a good signal from the dist/pip and that left the coil/TFI and the connections between them. First I checked the connections, gave them a wiggle but it still would not fire. I remembered last night I had an extra coil from back when and its easy enough to slap it on(and the coil on there is a 10 yr old msd) so why not? Mofo fired right over...

ttocs · Mar 9, 2020

And I might have even solved my slow start problem. While comparing new/old data I noticed my fuel pressure had dropped about 8psi. I bumped it up and its starting now on the 3rd crank almost like it use to stock. Now, what will break next(3...........2.............1........... looks in the garage afraid)?

So keep the stock coil? With the plans I told you about to change the dist/ignition to an MSD digital 6 plug box, what coil would you use?

evilcw311 · Mar 9, 2020

The stock coil is good for where your at right now. Leave it and maybe look at demon coils later if they’re still around. Just avoid the msd stuff. Hasn’t been reliable in a long time.

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Werecow · Mar 9, 2020

Good to know on the MSD stuff. I used to use a blaster 2 back in the day, but I'll remember this when I start getting some parts lined out!

evilcw311 · Mar 9, 2020

Werecow said:
Good to know on the MSD stuff. I used to use a blaster 2 back in the day, but I'll remember this when I start getting some parts lined out!

Yeah if you look up the reviews on the screamin demon coils, all you find is great reviews of people loving them after having so many msd’s fail.

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ttocs · Mar 9, 2020

from what I hear the real problem with msd was with the knock offs. They flooded the market and on the outside were pretty close to the originals but inside they were not the same. I have heard since holley took it over that they have started to protect the stuff from knock offs and the quality is supposed to be better.