hey everyone... i'm new to the site. i just purchased a 94 mustang 3.8 v6 conv. the car was hit in the front no frame damage drive's straight.. but it doe's have a shake above 50mph when you brake ( not sure if caused by accident or not ) brake light is on. engine and trans we're rebuilt 20.000 miles ago. fuel injection looks original, while block and heads look new.
idle fluctuates at start-up for about a minute and then flattens out?... check engine light is on ?, if you put it in gear before the engine has a chance to rev up and down at least once it will die... otherwise it won't. and trans takes about 5 second's before it kick's in?...
i know that's a lot to think about and any help would be appreciated.
on the plus+ side it run's good i've put 2000 miles on it in a month without any problems :-).
well let me know what to do or check guy's i've had a lot of old stang's but this is the first fuel injected computer cotrolled one i've had.
i got a lot of plans for it... but they'll have to wait untill i get the bugs out...
thanks again.
sounds like the car got a facial when it was in the accident. If you have the resources I would look at dropping in a different engine and tranny off the bat and that will take care of a majority of your problems. Or you can start to replace everything a little at a time until you get the bugs out. Idle problems would be cuased by a bad MAS or a messed up computer. The shake might be from dis-aligned wheels or warped axles. Check engine light, go to auto zone and get the code pulled and post it, Im sure someone knows what the code means, as for the brake light, is it your emergency brake light that comes on? If so your rear brakes are shot or you have a bad electrical problem.
The trans if auotmatic takes time to get into gear it's like 3 seconds for reverse 2-3 seconds for drive.
The fluctuating of idle is not too much of a problem at start but I think I know what your problem is. I had the same kind of problem My car would die if I didnt give it gas, or through it in reverse and try to rev it up during it's "fuctuating idle" it would just die. Prolly a dirty MAF sensor, you can have the cleaned and it does cause of CEL if it's on so that may be your check engine light. also you can tune the idle from the throttle body if you want to change that as well. It is my understanding when the engine fluctuates like that it can't get a good air to fuel ratio and is trying to hence some sensor in the intake most be going, or isn't working properly. But if you get some codes (Autozone will scan the computer for free and we can usually diagnose the code for you ) we'll decode it for you and help advise you some more. The brake light is for the e-brake I thought, the lining might be a lil sticky or stuck. I have ths shaking thing aobve 50 to, might need a re-alignment or might have thrown a weight on the tire.
Want to be sure,go down to a shop get the engine detailed before you go out and replace the whole thing, get the computer cans for codes then come back and we'll try to help you out more, if there is a problem with a 94 mustang, I'd prolly know< my car has seem em all LOL!
Not a good thing to say, but I'll try to help out as much as I can.
Mine is just starting to shake when I brake, and my problem is that the front brakes are due to be replaced. Most likely the disk needs turning or replacing. Mine is on the drivers side, That's my problem brake all around, I'm just milking it till warmer weather.
Mine is just starting to shake when I brake, and my problem is that the front brakes are due to be replaced. Most likely the disk needs turning or replacing. Mine is on the drivers side, That's my problem brake all around, I'm just milking it till warmer weather.
yeah that's the other one, rotors could be warped... sticky calipers etc.
Droping in a new engine and tranny seems to be a bit over kill . I think I`d get the codes checked out first and do a few simple repairs first . One of the first things I would do is try the post below . Good luck and let us know how it goes .
Posting Solved Problem- ( posted by mustangdewd3.8 1/05 )
I was recieving liek 10 mpg, rough starts and idles, bad throttle response.
Culprit - MAC Cold Air Intake.
Most Non Stock filters as i have researched let more air in along with more particles than the stock ford system allowing the MAF Sensor to get dirty and gunk up the throttle body as I found out later.
KSCoyote, gave me great advice and if heeded correctly as I did, the porblem was solved (A million thank yous KS)
Tools - Carbuerator Cleaner, 100%cotton Q-tips, Neccessary bolts and wrenches.
Disconected my Negative on the battery. Went to work.
I took out my MAF and sprayed some Carbuerator Cleaner on the end of a Q-tip, and VERY VERY Gently cleaned the carbon dirt off the two MAF Sensor wires. (Let the MAF sensor Air dry, dont dry it with a clean Q tip!) After that I checked my throttle body and cleaned the throttle with Q tips after that the throttle opened nice and easily.
I bolted it all together, Negative back on the battery, turned on my car, CEL was off, the idle was perfect and the start was clean and the car purred nicely and had great throttle response.
Filled up my tank of gas, so im checking my MPG now and waiting to see if the CEL comes back on. hopefully ( fingers corssed it wont )
So in a day or two I'll officalize this was the problem with my car, but right now I think i got it
I want to say thanks to KSCoyote for the advice
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1998 3.8 mustang , orange , cobra hood , wings west body kit , clear diamond cut head lights - side lights , GT fog lights , H pipe - new GT exhaust , CAI , UDP
no, no, no, no... not carb cleaner that will screw up the sensor. Need to get come EEC Electrical cleaner from auto zone about $5. Just spray it on inside the sensor around the electronics and everything should be good to go if done correctly, The carb cleaner which has some acid bases to it, may eat away at the sensor coating and shortly there after burning it out.
no, no, no, no... not carb cleaner that will screw up the sensor. Need to get come EEC Electrical cleaner from auto zone about $5. Just spray it on inside the sensor around the electronics and everything should be good to go if done correctly, The carb cleaner which has some acid bases to it, may eat away at the sensor coating and shortly there after burning it out.
Yeah I heard about that. don't use the carb cleaner, it worked for me no problem, but electical cleaner is better, and don't use the q tip just spray the sesnor.
However read around and they say Carb cleaner or Brake cleaner still does th job, I didnt spray the carb cleaner directly at the senors just gently you dont understand how gentley cleaned off the sensor.
i'm going to autozone tomorow, i'll post the code's as soon as i get them.
i'll definetley clean the mas air sensor and throtle body... i just replaced the air filter and it was "FILTHY" so that sound like it could be the problem?. the brake light that come's on says... "brake"
"I P"
so is that the emergency brake light?.
thank's for all the help guys, i'll get back to you all tomorow...
My filter was pretty dirty too... but my MAF wasn't dirty...as far as I know... but you never know. if it was a K&N filter then it could fefiently be dirty. when you take out the MAF (I took out the whole cylndrical structure because I had no T20 Torx screw to unbolt the MAF itself) BE VERY CAREFUL! the way you'll knowit's dirty if it's covered ina black smut. (carbon/dirt) . and that's a huge giveaway.
The Brake light should come on for E-brakes as far as I know, and if it's down I dunno if it comes on for brake lining or if it's saying get new brakes. but I'd just have it checked. and yeah get us them engine codes and we'll see what's up there
Does your car have ABS ? ON some cars ( don`t know about mustangs ) they use the brake light to run codes for ABS system .
or
Maybe feeding power / ground back threw the electrical system . Has some body hacked any of the wireing for such things as stereo , anti theft or remote starter .
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1998 3.8 mustang , orange , cobra hood , wings west body kit , clear diamond cut head lights - side lights , GT fog lights , H pipe - new GT exhaust , CAI , UDP
Mine is just starting to shake when I brake, and my problem is that the front brakes are due to be replaced. Most likely the disk needs turning or replacing. Mine is on the drivers side, That's my problem brake all around, I'm just milking it till warmer weather.
If it's a brake&shake, it's a rotor.
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Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
mine only happens from 120+ when I have to brake pretty hard, Im looking at replacing the rotors and pads on the front, rears look fine.
eh, from 120?
You should upgrade to Cobra/Bullitt PBR calipers, with Baer Eradispeed+1 rotors . ..
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Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
hey guys. i've got the STP throtle body cleaner ( i assume this is good for the MAS to ? ) i'll let you know the results when i'm done tomorow afternoon. as for the code's autozone in california don't do it anymore?, so now how do i check them?.
thanks again guys.
just bought 94 3.8 need a lot of help... 
) we'll decode it for you and help advise you some more. The brake light is for the e-brake I thought, the lining might be a lil sticky or stuck. I have ths shaking thing aobve 50 to, might need a re-alignment or might have thrown a weight on the tire. 
