trojannemo
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Alright, so let me tell you a story and then a question.
These are the few performance mods on the car - 2018 intake manifold (non ported)*, 47# injectors*, MAK Performance cat deletes, Solo Performance 3" catback exhaust, JLT CAI, MAK Performance e85/93 flex fuel tune.* These are supported by a UPR oil catch can, Steeda progressive springs, bmr cradle lockout kit, Nitto G2 555s 285/35/20 tires on OEM 20x9 foundry wheels.
The three I marked with a * (intake manifold, injectors, flex fuel tune) are the newest additions. Very soon after picking up the car from that install, I had a Miami-Orlando-Miami trip for work, and I figured why not take the Mustang and see what it does. And I drove like an asshole. Always being safe not to involve anyone else, but I was cruising at 80-85mph and constantly doing pulls to 135mph or so. At one point, I did a pull to 146mph. Then kept doing slower pulls. All while it was very hot and humid out. Car was on full tank of e85.
Car threw a CEL at me. No performance failures, no change in drivability or feel. The whole time I was dogging the car I was watching the gauges. Temps and pressures were always "normal" and in the normal range. Yet I got a CEL so I got worried.
I was in Orlando at the time. I cleared the CEL and kept driving. I eventually forgot about it and kept on dogging the car. Ran out of gas and couldn't find e85, so filled up with 93. As soon as I turned on the car, the same CEL came on. I left it on this time until getting home so I could check it (that picture above is actually from when I got to my parents' place since my programmer was reading nonsense codes).
On the way home had some guys try to race me so I obliged, doing more pulls to 125mph or so. Car never behaved weird or poorly. The only indication I had of anything being wrong was that CEL on the dash.
Right before my parents' house, there is a gas station with good lighting so I got off there to remove the novistretch bra rather than have to do it in the dark later.
That's when I thought I should open the hood and see if I could notice anything. And this happened.
Now, keep in mind car has never told me that it was too hot, threw any temperature warnings, or behaved in any way to tell me it was cooking in there.
The engine cover is a OEM 2017 cover that JLT sold me custom painted to my specs. I assume they take it apart for painting then put back together with glue. However, this has been on the car since January and it's never separated like this. So it can't be just "their glue melted" because it hasn't melted before. Also, I mention in the video that "my new thing" broke. Since this is a 2018 intake manifold, the 2017 cover doesn't fit without modifications. I cut up part of the cover and put magnets on the intake manifold and the cover to keep it place.
Those magnets are on there with JB Weld rated for constant 550F heat. The JB Weld melted (don't worry magnets stayed in place so I don't have loose magnets!) - so it makes you wonder if the engine bay was running at 550F or more for a prolonged period of time.
This is how my engine cover is now. Going to try to put it back but I wonder if I'm just going to give up on using it...
I took the car to MAK Performance the next morning and they did a quick check of it. No obvious vacuum leaks (one suggestion I was told) and my air/fuel ratio is dynamic (no bad 02 sensors as I was also told it may be). I cleared the code that night and since then have been driving for 10 days now without the CEL coming back and no other issues then or now.
Was this normal/expected behavior, or engine overheating?
Was this caused by the constant dogging in high heat and humidity without letting the car rest? I initially thought it would be the e85 maybe burns too hot but then I was told that it's the opposite, it burns cooler than gas. Does the behavior mentioned sound to you like something specific that I should look at?
My plan is to keep feeding e85 whenever possible (I have a station right by my house so it should be 99% of the time) and to do my first track racing next week on the 13th. But I want to make sure nothing is broken that I need to address.
Thank you.
These are the few performance mods on the car - 2018 intake manifold (non ported)*, 47# injectors*, MAK Performance cat deletes, Solo Performance 3" catback exhaust, JLT CAI, MAK Performance e85/93 flex fuel tune.* These are supported by a UPR oil catch can, Steeda progressive springs, bmr cradle lockout kit, Nitto G2 555s 285/35/20 tires on OEM 20x9 foundry wheels.
The three I marked with a * (intake manifold, injectors, flex fuel tune) are the newest additions. Very soon after picking up the car from that install, I had a Miami-Orlando-Miami trip for work, and I figured why not take the Mustang and see what it does. And I drove like an asshole. Always being safe not to involve anyone else, but I was cruising at 80-85mph and constantly doing pulls to 135mph or so. At one point, I did a pull to 146mph. Then kept doing slower pulls. All while it was very hot and humid out. Car was on full tank of e85.
Car threw a CEL at me. No performance failures, no change in drivability or feel. The whole time I was dogging the car I was watching the gauges. Temps and pressures were always "normal" and in the normal range. Yet I got a CEL so I got worried.
I was in Orlando at the time. I cleared the CEL and kept driving. I eventually forgot about it and kept on dogging the car. Ran out of gas and couldn't find e85, so filled up with 93. As soon as I turned on the car, the same CEL came on. I left it on this time until getting home so I could check it (that picture above is actually from when I got to my parents' place since my programmer was reading nonsense codes).
On the way home had some guys try to race me so I obliged, doing more pulls to 125mph or so. Car never behaved weird or poorly. The only indication I had of anything being wrong was that CEL on the dash.
Right before my parents' house, there is a gas station with good lighting so I got off there to remove the novistretch bra rather than have to do it in the dark later.
That's when I thought I should open the hood and see if I could notice anything. And this happened.
Now, keep in mind car has never told me that it was too hot, threw any temperature warnings, or behaved in any way to tell me it was cooking in there.
The engine cover is a OEM 2017 cover that JLT sold me custom painted to my specs. I assume they take it apart for painting then put back together with glue. However, this has been on the car since January and it's never separated like this. So it can't be just "their glue melted" because it hasn't melted before. Also, I mention in the video that "my new thing" broke. Since this is a 2018 intake manifold, the 2017 cover doesn't fit without modifications. I cut up part of the cover and put magnets on the intake manifold and the cover to keep it place.
Those magnets are on there with JB Weld rated for constant 550F heat. The JB Weld melted (don't worry magnets stayed in place so I don't have loose magnets!) - so it makes you wonder if the engine bay was running at 550F or more for a prolonged period of time.
This is how my engine cover is now. Going to try to put it back but I wonder if I'm just going to give up on using it...
I took the car to MAK Performance the next morning and they did a quick check of it. No obvious vacuum leaks (one suggestion I was told) and my air/fuel ratio is dynamic (no bad 02 sensors as I was also told it may be). I cleared the code that night and since then have been driving for 10 days now without the CEL coming back and no other issues then or now.
Was this normal/expected behavior, or engine overheating?
Was this caused by the constant dogging in high heat and humidity without letting the car rest? I initially thought it would be the e85 maybe burns too hot but then I was told that it's the opposite, it burns cooler than gas. Does the behavior mentioned sound to you like something specific that I should look at?
My plan is to keep feeding e85 whenever possible (I have a station right by my house so it should be 99% of the time) and to do my first track racing next week on the 13th. But I want to make sure nothing is broken that I need to address.
Thank you.
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