Friend has problem with 97 GT. Help

[FastRedPonyCar]

Here's what he IM'd me asking if I knew what was going on.

I have a buddy w/ a 97 GT that is having some hardcore hesitation at 5500rpms. The car has new plugs and filter and has 127k miles. It is a rebuild title so at some point it was pretty jacked, but it idles and runs great below 5500rpms.

He puts regular gas in it, should he be using 93oct?? Other than that, the only problem is that hesitation. I don't know if you have ever ridden in a turbocharged car that is blowing the spark out on the spark plugs, but thats what it feels like. No power and some bucking.

Let me know if you have any ideas.

I though it coudl be the following

Fuel pump cutting out or clogging fuel filter perhaps.
Make sure if it's got a timing adjuster, he's using 93 octane.
Mabey plug wires
The clutch could be slipping at high rpm's?

[Ponygirl]

See Lee's bucking thread. He's had an issue with that lately.

[QWKSNKE]

Originally Posted by FastRedPonyCar

Here's what he IM'd me asking if I knew what was going on.



I though it coudl be the following

Fuel pump cutting out or clogging fuel filter perhaps.
Make sure if it's got a timing adjuster, he's using 93 octane.
Mabey plug wires
The clutch could be slipping at high rpm's?

I'll take fuel system (clogged filter or faulty pump) for $500 Alex

[Wall96cobra]

Well I'd lean more towards a fuel pressure problem, it could be the wires but if it was he'd probably feel it though more of the rpm range, he might want to make sure the plugs are gapped right but I wouldn't think that would be an issue on a mostly stock N/A car. Alot of times if the pump is on it's way out it will get loud so see if he can tell if it sounds normal and change the fuel filter out...if it's been changed out make sure it is installed the right way.

[banditmwp]

Originally Posted by Wall96cobra

...it could be the wires but if it was he'd probably feel it though more of the rpm range, he might want to make sure the plugs are gapped right but I wouldn't think that would be an issue on a mostly stock N/A car...

Jeanne's car had a pretty bad stumble due to one bad plug wire, and it would only skip at 2300 RPM on light acceleration under a load (like going uphill). If you were going on a flat road, you would never know it was missing, and if you stomped it going uphill, it wouldn't miss a beat.

[QWKSNKE]

Originally Posted by banditmwp

Jeanne's car had a pretty bad stumble due to one bad plug wire, and it would only skip at 2300 RPM on light acceleration under a load (like going uphill). If you were going on a flat road, you would never know it was missing, and if you stomped it going uphill, it wouldn't miss a beat.

yep that has been my experience with plug wires as well

[Wall96cobra]

Originally Posted by banditmwp

Jeanne's car had a pretty bad stumble due to one bad plug wire, and it would only skip at 2300 RPM on light acceleration under a load (like going uphill). If you were going on a flat road, you would never know it was missing, and if you stomped it going uphill, it wouldn't miss a beat.

Yeah but this is happening at 5500rpm, I had a bad plug wire in my 95 gt and it was felt through the RPM range plus you could tell at idle. I've also had a coil pack go bad in the expo and the problem would only show up when it was at lower rpm's under load. This problem doesn't sound like a bad plug wire.

[Scothew]

I was guessing at first since its falling on its ass at 5500 that it needs a PI headswap

Check the gap on the plugs. I know the factory setting is .054 which is really wide. If for some reason they were wider, isnt it possible for an n/a car to cause spark blow out? Just my guess. I know when I ran nitrous, i had to close my gap WAY down and even tighter, the car felt better smoother on the top end when not spraying.