[sjsmith2004]

So last night i was driving home from work and initially everything was fine, driving 60-65mph, then after about 3 miles it would start surgeing about +/- 250-500 rpm, it did that for about 35 seconds, and then it corrected itself (?) and was riding correctly.
Another 7 miles of it driving correctly and the problem occurred again, and worse. Eventually it was surgeing down past the idle, after I pulled off to the side of the road, thankfully, and it died. Wouldn't start, called the tow truck and got home. She's been sittin' for about 12 hours, went outside, started her up, everything seemed normal, and then after about 2 minutes i revved her up to about 1200 rpms and the surgeing started occurring, and then she died ... again. Fuel filter was replaced about 8,000 miles ago, plugs and a K&N filter 300 miles ago, plug wires about 5,000 miles ago including cap and rotor, motor mounts 150 miles ago.

Now when it's cold i usually get a slight bog on my intial acceleration, but that's it. My valve guides are shot so she eats some oil and has a bit lack of power and the obligatory valve clanking on hard acceleration, just in case that helps ... I bow to kneel before you mustang gods for help, lol.

[sjsmith2004]

Forgot somethin' ... Normally she gets 18-21 mpg (city+hwy) but the last two tanks of gas have been about 15mpg, if that helps at all.

[hotshot]

it sounds like a fuel related problem to me, maybe you have a bad batch of gas.

[Thecapitan08]

Try your MAF. I had a simular problem and a new one corrected it. Try unpluging you MAF and start it up. see if you get the same problem or if it runs fine. If it runs as it should replace the MAF.

[Bullitt95]

Clean the MAF sensor wire.
Check the O2 sensors.
Scan the computer for codes.

I'm sure one of the three will get you on the right path.

[acetum]

K&N filter? You mean like the oil kind? What I've seen and heard happen is that the K&N oil gets onto that MAF wire and fubars everthing, I would start there...

Autozone or any parts store sells that torx security set to pull the MAF wire out...

[hotshot]

or you can try cleaning the MAF with a special cleaner mad for it. I have a can of CRC MAF sensor cleaner i spray on it every 6 months.

[sjsmith2004]

So ... tried disconnecting the MAF, didn't help at all, I changed the fuel filter, put some fuel treatment in her, changed the cap and rotor as those were pretty well shot, and cleaned the MAF sensor with CRC cleaner.
She started right up, idled OK for a li'l bit, and then she started surgeing again. I went ahead and rev'd it, she bumped to 1,000 rpm and then back down to 200 and surged for a few seconds.
My father said to floor her as that's how they use to clean out their carbs. Keeping the gas to the floor she would get up to 3,000 rpm and down to about 600. Floating in between that for about two minutes.
We then smelled something burning, I looked under the car and my glasspacks had turned black (initially red) and the entire exhaust system including cats were glowing red. At that point I decided it best to turn her off. lol. Help?

Tomorrow I'm gonna try and unbolt the exhaust system @ the heads, any other ideas while I'm there?