Couple issues after buying mustang

[Bryan Dillon]

Hello everyone, new here and was hoping not to create a post but couldn’t find what I was looking for. I recently bought a 2007 GT with manual trans and some mods with 160,000 miles. Mods include full exhaust including long tube headers, CAI, throttle body spacer, 23 lb injectors and 3.55 gears. Supposedly aftermarket throttle body, but it looks like stock to me. Also original steering wheel and seats were replaced with racing wheel and seats, so no airbags on driver side and air bag light is always on. Recently the engine light came on for a oxygen sensor that I replaced, light is still on and also that little wrench light came on twice now. From what I read that light was throttle body related, so I cleaned the throttle body and mass air flow sensor. But it came on the second time.

1. While driving the other day from NC to KY and back cruising anywhere from 70-80 mph the car would randomly cut power for a split second. It did it about 15 times. Nothing else happened, and it would be fine after until it did it again randomly. Is this throttle body related or maybe something else.

2. When I start my car in the morning the clutch is smooth and easy to push but after driving for about 30mins, when I press the clutch it’s stiff and harder to push in. No issues shifting, just heavier clutch pedal after driving for a while. Now from what I read it could be heat and brake fluid related so I do plan to swap the fluid as it has high mileage, is there anything I should be looking at?

3. Bonus question, I have no reverse lights. Went to change bulbs to start with and previous owner had removed them. Put new bulbs in and nothing. Reading some threads look like possibly switch on trans which I will replace. Anything else I should look at.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

1. Check that your battery cables are making good contact with the battery terminals, and tighten the nuts as required. Any looseness could cause intermittent stumbling.

2. Old clutch fluid usually causes the pedal to soften but it wouldn't hurt to change it anyway. It's hygroscopic and degrades over time.

3. It's worth confirming that the reversing light switch on the tranny has failed. Otherwise you could be replacing a good part. Try bypassing it by sticking a paper clip between the two pins of the wiring harness connector and see if the reversing lights come on.

 

[Miker]

I plan on changing out my brake/clutch fluid too. Seems like there is no way to get the old fluid out of the clutch system though.

 

[DieHarder]

Hello everyone, new here and was hoping not to create a post but couldn’t find what I was looking for. I recently bought a 2007 GT with manual trans and some mods with 160,000 miles. Mods include full exhaust including long tube headers, CAI, throttle body spacer, 23 lb injectors and 3.55 gears. Supposedly aftermarket throttle body, but it looks like stock to me. Also original steering wheel and seats were replaced with racing wheel and seats, so no airbags on driver side and air bag light is always on. Recently the engine light came on for a oxygen sensor that I replaced, light is still on and also that little wrench light came on twice now. From what I read that light was throttle body related, so I cleaned the throttle body and mass air flow sensor. But it came on the second time.

1. While driving the other day from NC to KY and back cruising anywhere from 70-80 mph the car would randomly cut power for a split second. It did it about 15 times. Nothing else happened, and it would be fine after until it did it again randomly. Is this throttle body related or maybe something else.

2. When I start my car in the morning the clutch is smooth and easy to push but after driving for about 30mins, when I press the clutch it’s stiff and harder to push in. No issues shifting, just heavier clutch pedal after driving for a while. Now from what I read it could be heat and brake fluid related so I do plan to swap the fluid as it has high mileage, is there anything I should be looking at?

3. Bonus question, I have no reverse lights. Went to change bulbs to start with and previous owner had removed them. Put new bulbs in and nothing. Reading some threads look like possibly switch on trans which I will replace. Anything else I should look at.

Thanks in advance for any help.

1. Replace the plug wires. My son's car benefited immensely after replacing them.

3. See circuit: https://iihs.net/fsm/?d=40&f=Reversing Lamps.pdf and this explains how to troubleshoot (see reversing lamps)

Ford Workshop Service & Repair Manuals - fordrepair.info - 2005 Mustang Exterior Lighting Reversing lamps

Ford Workshop Service and Repair Manuals, 2005 Mustang Workshop Manuals Electrical Lighting Exterior Lighting DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING Reversing Lamps

iihs.net

 

[GriffX]

This getting-stiff-clutch I know from my Mercedes. At my Mercedes it is ageing grease on the input shaft splines. Don't know if something similar is known here.

 

[pass1over]

I plan on changing out my brake/clutch fluid too. Seems like there is no way to get the old fluid out of the clutch system though.

I believe the clutch and brakes share the same reservoir. So hook up a tube to your right rear brake caliper bleeder and pump away. Once you get clear fluid out of that bleeder, it would be mostly full of fresh fluid. You can crack the other bleeders as well if you want to get it all out.

Be sure to not let the reservoir go dry while doing this.

 

[Miker]

I believe the clutch and brakes share the same reservoir. So hook up a tube to your right rear brake caliper bleeder and pump away. Once you get clear fluid out of that bleeder, it would be mostly full of fresh fluid. You can crack the other bleeders as well if you want to get it all out.

Be sure to not let the reservoir go dry while doing this.

I get that you can change the fluid in the braking part of the system. What I am saying is there is no way to get fresh fluid the clutch side of the shared system. I mean you could disconnect the line at the trans and bleed it to that point but there is still old fluid from that point to the slave. And what a hassle to do basically nothing.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

I believe the clutch and brakes share the same reservoir.

While the clutch and braking systems share the same fluid reservoir, that reservoir has two separate compartments. This ensures that a leak in one system doesn't cause the failure of both!
Therefore flushing out the braking system with fresh fluid won't help the clutch hydraulic system one bit. The only way to do the latter is to disconnect the hydraulic line from the slave cylinder (if you still have the stock plastic line it's a good excuse to upgrade to braided stainless steel), let the old fluid run out, reconnect the line, refill with fresh fluid, and give your left knee/quadriceps a good workout by pumping the clutch pedal about 100 times to bleed the system. It's a frickin' PITA (or pain in the knee).

 

[07 Boss]

1. Replace the plug wires. My son's car benefited immensely after replacing them.

Plug wires??? Do you meant rewiring the coil packs and grounds?

 

[DieHarder]

Plug wires??? Do you meant rewiring the coil packs and grounds?

My bad. For some reason I thought it was about a V6. Speaking of Coil packs on the GT I replaced mine w/OEM due to an intermittent misfire now and then; runs great now.

 

[totaljustice]

How old is your fuel pump? That is a lot of miles if it's the original pump.