Cobra was sputtering at WOT, found this ...*pic*

[shelbygt]

Ever since I got my car (2 weeks ago), once it is warm, sometimes it sputtered at WOT. So after doing some reading here I pulled the plugs to see if they were gapped to large for the boost I am getting. I think I found the problem. This and 4 of the plugs were pretty loose.
I went to the parts store and replaced the one plug. My next step is replacing them all, but I didn't know which ones to get based on my current mods. I read a bunch of guys get the NGk TR6. The ones that are in there are Autolite XP 103 and are $7 each. There also seems to be a 50/50 debate on using anti-sieze on the threads. Mine has it on them now.

I am a newbie to the Terminator, so any advice is appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Real2000CobraR]

Geeeez that doesn't look good. I would recommend the NGK TR6 plugs.

Congrats on your purchase!

 

[03 TOPLESSSVT]

I would stay out of boost till you get that tune straightened out. Does not look good. Ditch that Preditor and get on the dyno with an SCT and a reputible tuner PRONTO.

 

[Quick Strike]

Dave, You have had some serious detonation. It could have been bad gas or the tune, but do not continue to go WOT until it is sorted out. There is no controversy surrounding anti-seize. Put it on if you value your threads, and do not over tighten.

 

[Cobra03SC]

Yep thats some serious detonation. The tune on the car must be pretty lean, not to try and scare you but i would do a compression test to check things also. Heres why...

This

equaled this....

 

[10sec89]

^ exactly. Where are the pieces of porcelain? That does damage when it breaks off. Like stated above go with the NGK TR6 (#4177) plug, which can be picked up at advanced auto for $17 for all 8.
Then stay out of boost until you can confirm the tune. I am close by you in Spring Hill, and took my car to Justin Starkey at VMP in Deltona. Car has run perfect and safe with his tune. I will be at the show in Port Richey today off main street by the lake if your out.

 

[Anabolic]

Spark Plug Analysis

there's a plug reference guide if you can find something there, but yeahhh you need a tune & new plugs!

edit: don't put anti seize on the thread by NO MEANS. That is probably why they came loose.
2nd'ly put high temp grease on the threads (just put some on your finger and coat them on the threads **NOT THE ELECTRODE** so they go in/come out nice and easy ) install all the plugs by hand tight then tighten with your 3/8" ratchet some don't put all your might into it but snug them up.
the put ALITTLE coating around the tip where the coil spring goes on so it doesn't bind up either.

 

[333arod333]

I would stay out of boost till you get that tune straightened out. Does not look good. Ditch that Preditor and get on the dyno with an SCT and a reputible tuner PRONTO.

The predator is fine if you just want to use it to load tunes to the car. The SCT is a little better for reading all the codes that can come up and has some better adjustment settings.

Get TR6 plugs they're great. Gap em right at .032 it seems to be the best.

Honestly, I would do a leakdown test just to be sure. I would also boroscope that cylinder to look for any marring on the cylinder wall to make sure piston rings are ok.

 

[shelbygt]

Yep thats some serious detonation. The tune on the car must be pretty lean, not to try and scare you but i would do a compression test to check things also. Heres why...


This

equaled this....

Yikes! Did that all go south when the electrode broke off?

I am close by you in Spring Hill, and took my car to Justin Starkey at VMP in Deltona. Car has run perfect and safe with his tune. I will be at the show in Port Richey today off main street by the lake if your out.

I got there late (after 3) so I must have missed you. That red Ford GT was nice!
Do you know of anyone closer than over by Orlando/Daytona who knows how to tune the 03-04 Cobras?



I talked to the previous owner today and he said that in the 8-9 months that he had the car, he did not change or check the plugs and that the Predator tune was already on the car. He said the only engine work he did was replaced the fuel rail pressure sensor and the camshaft sensor.
So there is no telling when that plug (cylinder 3) detonated and broke. I drove it many times WOT in the last 2 weeks. The alternator and battery went out and I assumed the sputtering was the computer relearning.
It could have been doing it all along because for the first 30 minutes to an hour the car ran like a beast and only twice did I notice the sputtering when the car was warm. After I re-torqued the plugs (136 in lbs) and replaced the bad one, the car idles pretty solid and runs great. However on the advice of you guys, I am babying the hell out of it until I get someone to check the tune.

Here is a shot of pretty much what all the plugs looked like. None of them looked white or how "lean" plugs should look to me. :shrug:

 

[Rossim22]

make sure the plastic reservoir that holds your h/e fluid is bubbling once the car is running for about 10 seconds. My plugs looked like your first pic when the h/e pump failed.

 

[itSSlow98]

Compression and leak down test for sure. I bet there are some marks on that piston and cylinder head for sure which will be prime spots for more detonation to occur.

 

[03 TOPLESSSVT]

Fuel rail preasure sensor failure in most cases is caused by regularly bouncing off the rev limiter. This tells me that the previous owner was hard on this car. I hope all is well with that cylinder.

 

[Anabolic]

those just look like worn out ass plugs,
well they're still autolites, how did the compression test pan out?

 

[Notsoslowbowtie]

I can't wait to see mine. Haven't had the chance to change the plugs yet and had a quick chance to put it on the dyno but my car had a miss 3500 and couldn't pull past that rpm. I bet I'm in the same boat! Hope your cylinder made it through!

 

[shelbygt]

make sure the plastic reservoir that holds your h/e fluid is bubbling once the car is running for about 10 seconds. My plugs looked like your first pic when the h/e pump failed.

I was wondering about the inter cooler pump as well after doing some more reading about detonation causes on these blown Cobras.
Can't I just jump the inter cooler relay to make sure it is working?
I am going to get a borescope and leak down tester hopefully in the next day or 2 and do some tests and exploring on that cylinder.
Thanks guys!

 

[racebronco2]

That's detonation.

It could have been caused by going wot and the alternator going out.

There is nothing wrong with a Preditor, i had one for almost 8 years. All of which were mail order tunes. I had one of the highest upper only eatons at 541hp on 91 octane.

If you intercooler pump goes out it does not make the car detonate unless you tuner changed when the car goes into limp mode. I open track my car and once a rock hit my heat exchanger and i lost all the fluid, car went into limp mode. Another time on track my intercooler fuse blew. No damage at all.

 

[big dad]

Spark Plug Analysis

there's a plug reference guide if you can find something there, but yeahhh you need a tune & new plugs!

edit: don't put anti seize on the thread by NO MEANS. That is probably why they came loose.
2nd'ly put high temp grease on the threads (just put some on your finger and coat them on the threads **NOT THE ELECTRODE** so they go in/come out nice and easy ) install all the plugs by hand tight then tighten with your 3/8" ratchet some don't put all your might into it but snug them up.
the put ALITTLE coating around the tip where the coil spring goes on so it doesn't bind up either.

+1. As a retired Ford Master Tech I would like to add you could also spray the threads with WD-40 prior to installing the plugs. To clarify, spray the plug threads-not the head threads.

 

[10sec89]

Yikes! Did that all go south when the electrode broke off?


I got there late (after 3) so I must have missed you. That red Ford GT was nice!
Do you know of anyone closer than over by Orlando/Daytona who knows how to tune the 03-04 Cobras?



I talked to the previous owner today and he said that in the 8-9 months that he had the car, he did not change or check the plugs and that the Predator tune was already on the car. He said the only engine work he did was replaced the fuel rail pressure sensor and the camshaft sensor.
So there is no telling when that plug (cylinder 3) detonated and broke. I drove it many times WOT in the last 2 weeks. The alternator and battery went out and I assumed the sputtering was the computer relearning.
It could have been doing it all along because for the first 30 minutes to an hour the car ran like a beast and only twice did I notice the sputtering when the car was warm. After I re-torqued the plugs (136 in lbs) and replaced the bad one, the car idles pretty solid and runs great. However on the advice of you guys, I am babying the hell out of it until I get someone to check the tune.

Here is a shot of pretty much what all the plugs looked like. None of them looked white or how "lean" plugs should look to me. :shrug:

Try Ramsey's in Lutz, or Ford speed in Clearwater for help with a tune.

 

[shelbygt]

Try Ramsey's in Lutz, or Ford speed in Clearwater for help with a tune.

Ahh, I forgot about Fordspeed. Thanks!

I did find that the inter cooler pump was not working.....at all.
I pulled and poked at the wiring and only when I whacked it a bunch of times with a ratchet did it finally start spinning again. I have a new one on the way. This might be the source of the detonation.

 

[05satinGT]

+1 on gapping at .032, this is what my tuner said to do and how I run mine.

My buddy has a Volvo S60R and it was sputtering at WOT as well. We did new plugs and coils and his cylinder 3 plug looked just like yours. New plugs and coils and it was a different car. Nothing bad happened to his motor, and hopefully the same will go for you.