'01 Six-shooter and Long Tubes...

302Feen · 05-15-2009

Hey guys, I've never posted in this section before but my friend is having a problem...

Last weekend we spent all Saturday installing a set of long tube headers on their '01 V6 auto. Ever since we put the headers on it's been acting like it's misfiring.
When it's in park or neutral it revs just fine (and sounds great!) but when you put it under a load and are in the middle-upper RPMs it feels like it's missing. It's kinda spuratic though.

They said they went on ModdedMustangs.com Forum and they told them that it now needs a tune?! That will be a little rediculous for a header swap.

They also got their codes read at AutoZone, and it said O2 sensor 1 bank 1, so we went ahead and changed both front O2 sensors and it still didn't solve the problem.

To me, it feels like it's got an ignition problem or maybe a fuel problem. I did see that one of the spark plug boots was up against one of the headers so I twisted it to point straight up but it wasn't burnt through at all...

All help is appreciated. Thanks!

Silver J · 05-15-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by 302Feen

Hey guys, I've never posted in this section before but my friend is having a problem...

Last weekend we spent all Saturday installing a set of long tube headers on their '01 V6 auto. Ever since we put the headers on it's been acting like it's misfiring.
When it's in park or neutral it revs just fine (and sounds great!) but when you put it under a load and are in the middle-upper RPMs it feels like it's missing. It's kinda spuratic though.

They said they went on ModdedMustangs.com Forum and they told them that it now needs a tune?! That will be a little rediculous for a header swap.

They also got their codes read at AutoZone, and it said O2 sensor 1 bank 1, so we went ahead and changed both front O2 sensors and it still didn't solve the problem.

To me, it feels like it's got an ignition problem or maybe a fuel problem. I did see that one of the spark plug boots was up against one of the headers so I twisted it to point straight up but it wasn't burnt through at all...

All help is appreciated. Thanks!

I'm assuming since you installed long tubes that the cats were deleted... is that maybe causing your O2 sensor code? The ECU assumes the cats are in place, so it may think the engine is running rich and diminish the fuel supply (which would cause the misfiring, or worse, knocking). You could fix this with a tune (like ModdedMustangs said) by ignoring the readings from either the front or the back O2 sensors. Just my best guess.

We could help more if you tell us your exact set-up: who makes the long tubes, what sorta mid-pipe you have, mufflers, etc. Let us know!

302Feen · 05-15-2009

Pace Setter headers, Cherry Bomb muffs, custom midpipe no cat's.

I did the same thing to my '94 GT: Long Tubes, un-catted & modified stock midpipe, Flowmaster muffs. And mine ran 10x's better than before the headers.

Are these newer cars really that picky?

302Feen · 05-15-2009

Could MIL eliminators solve this problem???

shinerstang · 05-15-2009

Are all 4 sensors in place?

I have the pacesetters on the '01 with no problems, but I have my rear 02's in place.....

**RLG34750** · 05-15-2009

Hey feen looks like the V6 guy are taking good care of you....

and the guy i would put my faith in has replied

Tom (shinerstang) thanks for helping him out & to the rest of the v6 crew

BTW i know nothing about these new cars either

I'm still playing with my antique fox body......

302Feen · 05-15-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerstang

Are all 4 sensors in place?

I have the pacesetters on the '01 with no problems, but I have my rear 02's in place.....

Yes, all 4 are in. We had to extend the front two O2 sensors and put them in the collector, and the exhaust shop put bungs in the midpipe for the two rear O2's.

So they shouldn't need a tune then right?

shinerstang · 05-15-2009

It is not noticing the position of the O2's in relation to the temperature of the exhaust. You would need mil eliminators, or a programmer to shut off the rear O2's........

I think my dyno guy turned off everything on my car. I deleted the rear O2's when I went with the LT's, and deleted the EGR when I installed with Windstar intake. I haven't gotten one CEL for either.......

Sorry, I do not have mine in place. I have my front O2's in the same spot as yours, and no rears. Wrong car, old mind.......

302Feen · 05-18-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerstang

It is not noticing the position of the O2's in relation to the temperature of the exhaust. You would need mil eliminators, or a programmer to shut off the rear O2's........

I think my dyno guy turned off everything on my car. I deleted the rear O2's when I went with the LT's, and deleted the EGR when I installed with Windstar intake. I haven't gotten one CEL for either.......

Sorry, I do not have mine in place. I have my front O2's in the same spot as yours, and no rears. Wrong car, old mind.......

So you think they need to keep the front O2's and then put MIL's in place of the rear O2's?

shinerstang · 05-18-2009

Yes, keep your front O2's where they are......

302Feen · 05-19-2009

Well I just found out that my friend already has the MIL's where the rear O2's are.

I'm really starting to suspect an ignition or fuel issue. So we're going to get new plugs, wires, and a fuel filter and see if that solves the problem. They said they've never given it a tune up so I'm sure it's about time for one anyways.

Stanger98 · 05-20-2009

It's not an ignition issue. LTs have nothing to do with the ignition.

Did you delete the egr? If yes then you need to retune the car for no egr.

Are there any vacuum lines or wires on the egr not plugged in?

Header bolts torqued? After a heat cycle they need to be retirqued because they expand in the heat and retract when the cool.

Just make sure everything is plugged in, commonly that's the source of the problem.

302Feen · 05-21-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanger98

It's not an ignition issue. LTs have nothing to do with the ignition.

Did you delete the egr? If yes then you need to retune the car for no egr.

Are there any vacuum lines or wires on the egr not plugged in?

Header bolts torqued? After a heat cycle they need to be retirqued because they expand in the heat and retract when the cool.

Just make sure everything is plugged in, commonly that's the source of the problem.

I still think it's an ignition problem. I know LT's have nothing to do with the ignition, but the problem they are having makes me think it's an ignition problem that coincedentally happened when we changed the headers...

EGR is still hooked up, everything is plugged in. No loose vacuum lines. I know about the header bolts, I have LT's on my '94 GT and have learned first hand about loose header bolts. There is no exhaust leak.

She has had it over a year and she has no idea when it had a tune up last. So it's due for one anyways, and hopefully that will fix her problem...

shinerstang · 05-21-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanger98

It's not an ignition issue. LTs have nothing to do with the ignition.

Did you delete the egr? If yes then you need to retune the car for no egr.

Are there any vacuum lines or wires on the egr not plugged in?

Header bolts torqued? After a heat cycle they need to be retirqued because they expand in the heat and retract when the cool.

Just make sure everything is plugged in, commonly that's the source of the problem.

I never re-tuned my '01. I cool intake temps down with nitrous.

Change the fuel filter and a good tuneup. Funny how some of these things don't surface until you start doing mods......

302Feen · 05-22-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerstang

I never re-tuned my '01. I cool intake temps down with nitrous.

Change the fuel filter and a good tuneup. Funny how some of these things don't surface until you start doing mods......

LoL yeah, that's what makes people start thinking it's a bigger problem than it really is...