engine tune

[5point_Slow]

basic things i can do but a really good tune up job is something i dont have time/experence for. I'm afriad my snake is running quite sluggishly and in dire need of a tune up. If anyone knows the right person let me know.

[I8ayellowcrayon]

Any competant machine shop can 'tune up' your engine. A bit sluggish as in what? Slow throttle response, just not the power that you used to have??

A good start would be to just do a basic tune up - spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, clean all of your ground points, air filter, belts, etc. A machine shop would want to take off the heads and clean the combustion chambers and ports, maybe hot tank the engine. You won't see much power from that unless the motor has been sitting for a decade or two.

Another good thing to do is to check your timing, and if you know your engine and your abilities, check the timing chain (I assume you're working on a Mustang Cobra :)). How many miles do you have on it?

[John02Hawk]

Originally posted by cobra50@Jan 12 2004, 06:16 PM
basic things i can do but a really good tune up job is something i dont have time/experence for. I'm afriad my snake is running quite sluggishly and in dire need of a tune up. If anyone knows the right person let me know.
just curious, what mods do you have and any track times or dynos?

[5point_Slow]

just curious, what mods do you have and any track times or dynos?
ATM i have bbk 1 5/8 headers, off road h-pipe, 40 series flowmasters that are dumped and a K&N replacement filter. I ran the car w/ just the h pipe and it ran a 15.00 so i figure it was just my driving cause it was my first time at the track. So i let someone else drive who is a experenced racer w/ some fox boxs and he ran 0.005 slower than me. It's a 1995 cobra 5.0 and had like 65000 miles then(@mokan) and 71000 now. I'm going to do the basic tune but i was thinking more of a performance tune up. A few of you might remember me if you went up to the import shoot out is september I almost had to tow that guys integra back to rogers. If i can get aproved for my loan i should be running with the WS6's :wootburnout: Be f

[I8ayellowcrayon]

Yeah I went then, but I don't remember a Cobra being there. Or were you in something else?

As far as a performance related tune up, maybe up your ingition a bit, go MSD or something.

[SmokeyTheBear]

ye ye WS6s kick ass robert. but anyway. i think autozone has like a "performance" tune up kit. new plugs, wires, distributor, etc... i think you also get a timing checker thing (don't know the proper term) but for like heads and stuff, you pretty much have to take it to a shop to be done. yeah and check all your stuff that crayon said too. might even wanna check oil and think about going synthetic, heard nothing but good about synthetic oils.

[5point_Slow]

ye ye WS6s kick ass robert hahaha you just watch. I have been running w/o a O2 sensor for about o week which is really the suck. Me and my friend pulled out the old one and someone had over torqued it and messed up the threads so i have to get a cumtom tap made so i can re-tap my pipe. If that doesn't work looks like i'll have to get a bassani x :P That put a big damper on my performance but 15 is pre slow for a "performance" v8 anyways. I'g getting my oil changed either today or friday new plugs, wires, K&N filter cleaning kit, msd coil/cap, radiator flush, my belt is super cracked so going to put in some new pullys and put a new belt on. The cobra is white and says cobra on the front window with a snake on each side.

[TRedlineCRX]

Hey Cobra50......r u the one that drives the white one in rogers? Ur name robert or sumthin? Im henrix I used 2 have the crx.

[5point_Slow]

u the one that drives the white one in rogers? Ur name robert or sumthin that would be me. I'm getting new plugs, msd 8.5, wires, msd coil, oil change, k&n air filter cleaner kit, and my O2 sensor back in soon hahaha. Then under drive pulleys, msd ignition, and a belt. Then we will see if i get my loan :D Oh and doug said they dont have tune up kits at autozone so quit asking :P btw i got my hair cut henrix someone said you were skerd to talk to me lol

[mineralgreygt]

Dont forget your fuel filter too. Fords are very tempermental when it comes to imperfectly clean fuel. Hense the Ford knock. Most V8's dont do it. Im sure you've all heard it one a car, even used in movies.

[HogZ]

You are well on your way by checking the things you mentioned above.
Other things you can do are:
- Verify correct base timing
- Check for vacuum leaks
- Clean throttle body
- Grab a compression guage from autozone and do a compression check on your motor. Make sure all numbers are consistent and high.
- Look into a good synthetic oil like Royal Purple
- Check all eletrical connections under the hood. Make sure all connections are clean. If you find any that are dirty, clean em up with some cleaner and fine sandpaper then put some di-electric grease on the connection before putting it back together to prevent corrosion in the future.
- Make sure plugs are correctly gapped
- Verify correct fuel pressure and make sure fuel filter is clean and new. Never hurts to have a professional injector clean done once in a while.
- Make sure your ECU has not thrown any error codes. Most cars today will modify fuel and spark maps to something 'safe' if the ECU determines it has a bad connection to an important sensor etc.