I have just added a Kenne Bell Stage I supercharger to my 2005 GT 4.6 Mustang. I am running the 4" pulley to keep horsepower to safe levels since the engine is stock. I have a 5-speed auto that I am worried about.
Today i was hooking up at a green light when I heard a thud, and the message was "Failsafe engine mode." Nothing was leaking, smoking, knocking or overheating. What happened? I am in the UAE and without a parts store to just run down to ask.
I have just added a Kenne Bell Stage I supercharger to my 2005 GT 4.6 Mustang. I am running the 4" pulley to keep horsepower to safe levels since the engine is stock. I have a 5-speed auto that I am worried about.
Today i was hooking up at a green light when I heard a thud, and the message was "Failsafe engine mode." Nothing was leaking, smoking, knocking or overheating. What happened? I am in the UAE and without a parts store to just run down to ask.
Thanks,
Malugssuak
Your thud was probably the belt whacking the bottom of your hood. Go take a look at it. You probably have a nice little dimple in there.
__________________
Under Construction. Better, Stronger, Faster than it was before.
I had the same problem with the vehicle going into failsafe mode after I install the KB supercharger. I found that the gap on the AT0 spark plugs needs to gap between .030 to .035, and torque to 35lbs. I'm running 13lbs boost and had no problem since then.
__________________
05 White Stage I Roush
Kenne Bell 2.6 Supercharger 10lbs Boost
JBS Headers
BMR Upper and Lower Control Arms
Eibach Springs
Pro 50 Shifter
18x9, 18x10 Anthracite Bullitt Wheels
Michelin PS Sports 255X45 and 275X40
I followed Kenne Bell's instructions in getting Brisk spark plugs one heat range lower than stock, gapped to 0.025. We run 95 octane pump gas here.
Before the engine is at full running temperature the exhaust smells very rich, and it has died at startup occasionally. Thermostat setting for the United Arab Emirates is 160 degrees, not the 180 common in the US, due to our normal summer temperature being around 120 degrees in the daytime.
Could the combination of cooler thermostat, higher octane gas and cooler plug be causing signaling problems in the throttle body or elsewhere?
The only other thing I can think of is that the torque converter can't take the torque, because it went into "Failsafe Engine Mode" a second time, and again it was after about 45 minutes of mashing the peddle it at green lights. If I stay out of it and keep boost below 5 lbs it doesn't happen. But if I work it it goes into "failsafe engine mode" again.
I followed Kenne Bell's instructions in getting Brisk spark plugs one heat range lower than stock, gapped to 0.025. We run 95 octane pump gas here.
Before the engine is at full running temperature the exhaust smells very rich, and it has died at startup occasionally. Thermostat setting for the United Arab Emirates is 160 degrees, not the 180 common in the US, due to our normal summer temperature being around 120 degrees in the daytime.
Could the combination of cooler thermostat, higher octane gas and cooler plug be causing signaling problems in the throttle body or elsewhere?
The only other thing I can think of is that the torque converter can't take the torque, because it went into "Failsafe Engine Mode" a second time, and again it was after about 45 minutes of mashing the peddle it at green lights. If I stay out of it and keep boost below 5 lbs it doesn't happen. But if I work it it goes into "failsafe engine mode" again.
Any further thoughts?
Malugssuak
I would datalog what's happing and send it to your tuner so he can see whats happing and make adjustments.
__________________
07 REDFIRE GT 5 SPEED 3.55 gears
C&L Racer CAI XCAL2/Seq signals/GTAs/Steeda UDP/CHE K Member Brace W/Torq Links/J&M LCA/Spider DS/PRO.50 Shifter Hurst handle & "T"/Meziere EO2/ARH LT catted H /Prothane MM/Delet Plates/SLP BOSS 429 Scoop/Accel COP/PowerSlot/Hawk Pads/Tokico D-Spec/CHE Panhard Bar Brace/Steeda Adj. Panhard Bar/BMR F/R Sway Bars/Cervini ducktail spoiler/BMR UCA Mount/CHE UCA/GT\CS Rear Cover/AMChrome Bullets 18x9/10s/Nitto 255/45&295/45
Tillman Dyno Tune 307HP/322TQ
I did the autolite HT0 plugs at .035, and when the engine is cold I get lots of misfires, but no lights or codes yet (5 speed, not auto). KB recommended Brisk plugs, but said to go with the 1 range cooler and gap to .035. Their website says different, and I pointed it out to them.
Ken Christley (their tuner) said (this is copied from the email) "For lower street boost, run only one heat range colder plug and gap them to .035". Any colder range can cause cold start problems and misfires."
So maybe by gapping at .025 you are making your cold running problems worse? try .035"..
I am ordering the Brisk brand now to see if it helps..
Edit: Also make sure your intercooler is flowing.. I had to shorten the line going from the reservoir to the pump by 10" to get it to keep prime and pump all the time. If it is not working, you may be getting heat soaked and then timing gets pulled from the IAT detecting too hot intake temps, and eventually even timing and octane aren't enough so it detonates bad and triggers failsafe.. Just a guess but worth looking at, especially if it's happening after lots of pulls..
__________________
____________________
2006 GT Premium Vert, 5 spd, Tungsten Grey Show: Painted gloss black stripes, Street Scene Gen 1 body kit, side and hood scoops, CDC light bar, sequential tails, purple underglow, 8" shorty antenna, redline hood struts, Steeda Ultralights, 20" Chrome Killers, S.O.S. pillar & 3 gauges. Go: J&M LCA's & Adj. UCA, J&M Adj. Panhard, CHE LCA reloc brackets & torque limiters, 3.73 gears, Kenne Bell Stage 1 2.6l supercharger.
...440rwhp/401rwtq
I am by no means really knowledgable about superchargers as I just got mine. Maybe after hard driving for an extended amount of time (45 minutes) in extreme heat (100 degrees) getting into boost at high rpms, with a tune that wasnt dyno tuned (maybe yours is off a bit) the engine is trying to save itself.
And the thump may have been a minor induction backfire. I never heard one on the new Stangs but my old 5.0 did it before and it could of been described as a thump.
__________________
2005 Ford Mustang GT Torch Red Manual
Saleen Supercharger 3.4 pulley/Brenspeed Tune
FRPP Stingers Axleback Muffler System
CHE Lower Control Arms
Pro-5.0 Super Shifter
CDC Sequential Tail Lights
Best ET NA: 13.408 @ 105.31
Best SC: 12.6 @ 114 on Pirellis
I had the same problem with the vehicle going into failsafe mode after I install the KB supercharger. I found that the gap on the AT0 spark plugs needs to gap between .030 to .035, and torque to 35lbs. I'm running 13lbs boost and had no problem since then.
I have installed the Brisk as KB said and gapped them to .025. So, should I increase the gap to .030?
"Your thud was probably the belt whacking the bottom of your hood. Go take a look at it. You probably have a nice little dimple in there".
Your belt can whack the hood without comig off.
Don't you think I would have said "I think you threw a belt?" if that is what I meant? And if that is what it was I wouldn't need to tell you. There is no way you couldn't know considering the car would be on the side of the road with a smoked battery and spewing coolant all over the place.
Quote:
Before the engine is at full running temperature the exhaust smells very rich, and it has died at startup occasionally.
The tune is intentionally rich until it reaches operating temp. It’s a safety measure for those people who start their cars and go raging off at WOT without warming the car up. Keep in mind unless you have a custom tune everything about the one you have is on the very safe side.
Quote:
Thermostat setting for the United Arab Emirates is 160 degrees, not the 180 common in the US, due to our normal summer temperature being around 120 degrees in the daytime.
The thermostat has absolutely nothing to do with the ambient air temps. If your radiator is working efficiently enough and you have a 180deg T-stat the motor will run at 180deg. If you have a 160deg T-stat the motor will run at 160deg. If your radiator can not keep up with the ambient air temps it doesn’t matter what temp T-stat you have, it will run hot or over heat. Understand?
And for clarification the USA KB kits come with 160deg T-stats.
Quote:
Could the combination of cooler thermostat, higher octane gas and cooler plug be causing signaling problems in the throttle body or elsewhere?
No
Quote:
The only other thing I can think of is that the torque converter can't take the torque, because it went into "Failsafe Engine Mode" a second time, and again it was after about 45 minutes of mashing the peddle it at green lights. If I stay out of it and keep boost below 5 lbs it doesn't happen. But if I work it it goes into "failsafe engine mode" again.
It's not your converter.
Quote:
Any further thoughts?
There are a billion things that will sed it into fail safe. Guessing what it is will get you nowhere. Do you have a service manual and the ability to pull codes? If not you need to be able too.
Good luck
__________________
Under Construction. Better, Stronger, Faster than it was before.
Like Squidd said your belt probably jumped. You possibly have a bent belt tensioner. Did you grind off the stop tab from the belt tensioner? If not you should get a stock FORD tensioner and grind off the stop tab (don't buy a Dayco).
Try a stock Ford tensioner with the stop tab removed first to see if this solves your problem. Before you buy a after market tensioner like
(Thumper or Roush )
Thump was not the belt, but a kind of deep clunk when it went into failsafe mode.
Did it again the other day at a light while I was waiting for the green and not doing anything with the engine. But I just pull over, turn off the engine, then start it again and everything is OK again. i am getting a new alternator tomorrow, and I'll see if that solves the problem. Next will be to gap the plugs a little more open.
It turns out that the alternator was weak and needed replacing. Yesterday I drove around with no problems after the new Alternator install, with the AC full blast and ZZ Top (Planet of Women) on the blaster, with no problems.
Case solved : weak electrical system caused Failsafe mode to be activated at various times, usually when AC was on.
Kenne Bell supercharger complications 
KB blown 4.6 failsafe mode problems 
on the blaster, with no problems.
