New S197 owner from Illinois

[Mr. Oldschool]

Morning everyone. I've been lurking the last couple of months for info on S197s before buying one and this place has been great. I broke down and bought one this week so I decided I better actually join up. It's a decent 1 owner 2006 Mustang GT auto in Windveil blue with black leather interior. The only mods I've found to date are sequential tail lights and a K&N air filter. These things are pretty quick stock but I plan to make several upgrades and get a tuner. I'll have to change the plugs and check it out first, looking at the original owner's service reports. I do have a problem with the throttle surging and slight shifting problems I hope I can get figured out here (having no luck finding a thread on this so far). I hope it's not an expensive problem to fix. lol I chose my name because I'm older than dirt and figured I'd get a lot of grief using my regular forum name that has to do with another brand of car. I've owned plenty of 60s and 70s Mopars and AMCs but really liked the S197s and finally got around to buying one. All this fuel injected computer operated crap is kinda beyond me and I'm sure I'll be able to get help and ask dumb questions here without too much problem. I hope . . . . .

 

[Postman]

Welcome. LMK if you need so help I'm up by Rockford.

 

[weather man]

Welcome!

 

[Mr. Oldschool]

Thanks guys. I used to live and work in Rockford, Postman. Nice to know someone close by - there's only a few Mustang owners down here but my friend has a kinda radical 2001 5 speed he needs to get stomped in. lol I'm still looking for what my throttle problem is. It seems like I have to push the throttle down 1/2" to 3/4" before it will take off and then wants to take off quick and shifts through the gears kinda funky at light throttle. When you nail it though it runs pretty well. Any ideas on that? I'm gonna change plugs this week and cleaning the battery cables today. Previous owner had battery problems in the past from checking service records. Thinking maybe the computer might reset after I hook the battery cables back up and fix it. Probably not but you gotta start somewhere. lol

 

[Wes06]

The dead zone at the top can be either tune related. Or physical dead zone in the pedal where the brushes on the contacts aren't touching yet. You can open it up to physically bend them slightly but gotta be very careful

 

[Mr. Oldschool]

Thanks. This car's completely stock but has 109k on it. I'm going to try cleaning the throttle body first to see if that helps any for starters. Gotta start with the basics, I guess - plugs, oil, throttle body cleaning, etc..

 

[psumustang]

welcome!!

 

[Wicked GT]

Welcome!

 

[stkjock]

Please take a few moments and read through these:

http://s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30272

http://s197forum.com/forum/announcement.php?f=19

http://s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89602

 

[Mr. Oldschool]

Yeah, I think I skimmed through that stuff a while back. Thanks.

On a positive note - I think cleaning the battery cable ends and leaving the battery unhooked for a half hour did manage to improve things a little.

 

[stkjock]

These cars can be finicky with electrical issues. You cleared the adaptive learning as well by disconnecting the bat like,that.

 

[Mr. Oldschool]

So, that's a good thing, right?

I've only had 1 other car that was made this century and it's a 4 cylinder Jeep. Don't have to do anything to those but drive them.

 

[TGR96]

Welcome!

 

[Mr. Oldschool]

Thanks guys. Cleaned the throttle body and MAS today and between that and disconnecting and cleaning the battery cables this thing pretty much runs like a regular car now.

Now I can get into changing the plugs and what kind of mods I want to do to it.

 

[KatoS197]

Welcome! I bet the car doing a re-learn fixed it up.

Also, don't be pissed when you don't get all 8 plugs out in one piece.

 

[stkjock]

Read the plug change procedure. If the are old they can be trouble.

 

[Mr. Oldschool]

Yup - I've read all about it. Looks like the previous owner balked at the price of a tuneup and eventually sold the car. I have one friend who has an 01 GT that actually has done a few sets of these plugs and has a tool. Think I'm gonna break them loose hot, soak them for a while and try the butterfly impact method to get them out. He'll be there to remove any broken ones. lol Haven't really decided which plugs to install - any ideas? Close to stock ones should be OK for this - I doubt if I'll do much more than CAI and a tuner and probably a Pypes exhaust on this for now.

 

[Wes06]

do a 50/50 solution of ATF and acetone and let that sit in the plug wells to bleed down and break down the carbon buildup. just use an oiler jug to prevent pouring it onto the valve gasket, ATF can cause issues with gaskets IIRC.

Stock range plugs are what you want and a little anti-seize on the shield so it helps prevent seizing again

 

[Mr. Oldschool]

I have a bottle of that already mixed up. Came in handy to break loose an old AMC 390 that had been sitting for a while a few months ago. Everybody else seems to like PB Blaster or something off the shelf like that, though. Buddy with the tool is bringing his anti-seize with him.

 

[KatoS197]

As previously mentioned, stock range plugs will more than suffice. I'd just go with motorcraft. That's what I just went with. Don't plan on boosting anytime soon, so no need for colder plugs.