what to do here

[waycooljr]

Hi all new here . I have a 1994 GT and i am needing a little help with it . I can tell that the engine lacks power and doesn't get up and go like it should. It also seems like its gets less gas mileage than it should. Its not abysmal, but its less.

So i took my infared heat gun and pointed it at each header port when the engine was warmed up . On the drivers side bank of cylinders all the cyinders were about 450 degrees F except for one. It was 600 degrees. On the passenger side they were all 330 degrees f, execpt for one. Which was 230 degrees. So as you see something is going on here I think I have more than one problem. What should I do? Im not the best at finding missfires and why an engine runs poorly. I might be ok at finding why they wont start at all or why they run very badly, but in this case the motor just lacks power and gets mediocre gas mileage. For a 94 GT anyway.

I am thinking that the cylinder running too hot has a bad injector. But I have no way of knowing why its running lean and getting hot. As for the cylinder that is 230 degrees, I assume that is the misfiring cylinder. But I just gave the car a full tune up a year ago. O2 sensors, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, air filter, pcv valve and filter, the works. Somehow I doubt its any of the usual culprits.

And besides those two problem cylinders, you still have the weird variation in temps between all the non-problem cylinders. All the good ones on the left bank are running at 330 degrees, and all the good ones on the right bank are running at 450 degrees. Im confused. You guys think maybe I just need all new injectors or something cause they're all freakin dead or dying? The car does have over 176k on it.

 

[ademily87]

Checked the timing on it recently? How long have you had the car? Maybe the previous owner changed out a distributor and didn't adjust the timing back if it was turned at all

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

 

[Tommy92]

Sounds like your catalytic converters are clogging up.

 

[disposablehro]

i have a 94 gt too havent driven it enough to sort out any problems though

 

[RichV]

The infrared heat guns are sometimes a little flakey around shiny stuff and in the engine compartment. So just be aware, also from waht I know, you need to do the test after you run it kinda hard. So go out and drive it hard, then pop the hood and take your temps.

Unfortunately, without #s, hard to say if something is wrong.

 

[ProKiller]

clean the mass air? check the timing? is the car stock?

 

[twovalveterror]

The infrared heat guns are sometimes a little flakey around shiny stuff and in the engine compartment. So just be aware, also from waht I know, you need to do the test after you run it kinda hard. So go out and drive it hard, then pop the hood and take your temps.

Unfortunately, without #s, hard to say if something is wrong.

came here to say this. if your headers are polished then you can't really trust this type of temp reading. any highly reflective surface really.

 

[waycooljr]

Sounds like your catalytic converters are clogging up.

I am running an H-pipe with no cats. And I have recently set the timing. Its as perfect as I can get it. Other than that the car is bone stock save for a few unrelated upgrades like bilstein shocks and lowering springs. MAF is clean. Cleaned that as one of my first efforts to fix this. Headers are stock and are not very reflective. Almost kinda rusty.

 

[Tommy92]

Try a compression test

 

[CC'S95GT]

Did you pull the spout when you set the timing? Did you use a timing light or by ear? What did you set the timing to? i have mine set to 12*

 

[OnyxCobra]

When i first got my car i replaced the distributor cap and rotor and spark plugs and noticed a huge increase in power, dunno how old yours are.

 

[RichV]

On a another mustang I had, I replaced the cap/rotor and found that the PO had put in the wrong firing order on the distributor. Night and day difference in power.

 

[waycooljr]

Did you pull the spout when you set the timing? Did you use a timing light or by ear? What did you set the timing to? i have mine set to 12*

Yes I pulled the spout. It was a little hard to tell because the timing didn't appear to be all that far off. I mean maybe it was at 10.5 degrees BTDC instead of 10 where it should be. I have to admit it did run just a little bit better after I set the timing. But I still have the lack of power and the poor gas mileage. Also you can kinda tell cause the exhaust note just isn't quite right. You know how these cars are supposed to sound when they running good.

@ onyx and rich:

I replaced the cap and rotor about 1 year ago. But that is one thing I never checked. I'll get out my stang book and check that the plug wires are on the dizzy in the right spots. Maybe my previous owner also botched that job and when I tuned it up I just followed how they already were. Guess you never know... might save me the diagnostic fee from the ford house cause that is what I'm looking at doing next.

 

[MustangChris]

My only suggestions would be to run injector cleaner and do a leak down and compression test.Keep in mind these cars don't have optimal air distribution even from the factory....You seem to be getting a strong response on it, so hopefully you can get out sorted out

 

[waycooljr]

Well i just dont have the tools or the time to figure thiss one out . Plus down here in texas its hottern' blue blazes . It was 102 today . To the ford house she goes . Ill report back when i get er back .